So far, I really enjoy Marvel’s Midnight Suns, having now played about 15 hours of Firaxis Games’ tactical RPG, which pulls inspiration from the developer’s XCOM games. Removing XCOM’s frustrating percentage system–which could cause even the most well-planned strategies to inexplicably fail–makes the turn-based tactical combat in Midnight Suns a lot more fun. And thanks to the deckbuilding card system, randomness still factors into the equation, creating a healthy bit of challenge.
You can expect more words from me regarding the actual gameplay of Midnight Suns when the full review embargo is up. For now, I want to briefly touch on an aspect of Midnight Suns we haven’t really had a chance to see a whole lot of yet: the writing and story.
To recap, in Midnight Suns you play as the Hunter, prophesied to defeat your mother, Lilith, and seal away her dark magic forever. You’re assigned leadership of the latest iteration of the Midnight Suns, a team composed of superheroes with powers that dabble in the mystic and supernatural, going out to face Lilith’s demonic forces and the members of HYDRA she’s enthralled. Lilith’s war on humanity attracts the attention of less magically-inclined heroes as well, and so your efforts are also bolstered by members of the Avengers and X-Men. Each character features their own unique abilities, portrayed as cards within a deck, allowing you to switch up your strategies depending on who you bring on a mission.