I've been pretty hyped about the concept of a Firaxis game set in the Marvel Universe for quite some time... well, ever since they announced it. Firaxis did a great rework of the XCOM franchise, and they are definitely one of the studios that I trust to make a pretty awesome game. So, when the game was finally released after some delays... I had my resolve to not purchase it at launch sorely tested... and I managed to not purchase it at launch... but I did buy it last week... which means that I held out for about two weeks!
Originally, I had wanted to install and play it on the Steam Deck... with the graphics scaled down and all of that, it was a perfect fit for the handheld PC. I had installed it, downloading the massive 50GB or so overnight before I went on tour... only to find that it kept crashing. Sigh... that meant that the Steam Deck would be the Persona 5 machine... not such a bad thing either!
Anyway, it meant that I had to wait until this week to be at home to download and install it on my gaming laptop... and play it with graphics pumped on the larger screen.
You play as the newly resurrected Hunter... after a bit of a long several centuries hiatus since your last lethal (for superheroes...) encounter with your mother, Lilith. This is definitely not a superhero skinned XCOM, it is a game in its own right... with different game mechanics completely. It is more akin to Persona crossed with a RPG card battler... with a touch of Elder Scrolls layer as well.
There are the story interactions between characters... and there the usual choices that come up that will affect your relationships with the other superheroes and your eventual preference for the Light or Dark. Some of the choices are pretty obvious, but others do need you to know the other characters a bit better to choose the "right" relationship choices. I can see many save-scumming to max out the relationship meters.... especially as they are tied to gameplay bonuses.
From your homebase in Salem, known as the Abbey... you are able to teleport to various Hydra/Lilith hotspots to do your superhero thing. Mostly, bashing Hydra skulls in pursuit of various resources to keep your superhero crew in tiptop condition.
There doesn't seem to be a sense of XCOM-like enemy progression at the strategic layer... the game plays out more like a superhero story sort of thing rather than a race against the enemy tech doom-meter and their strategic conquests. I'm in two minds about this... I like the sense of being pushed along by the enemy advancement... but I also like the sense of just being able to grow at my own pace. Something a bit in the middle would be great... like the Dwarf Fortress idea where the universe just challenges you, regardless of whether you are ready or not.
There just isn't that strategic push and shove that you get with Phoenix Point and XCOM...
Exploring around the Abbey gives you little power bonuses that you will need to unlock better cards and to upgrade the building facilities and other heroes. The place is quite beautiful, and there is an incredibly amount of Marvel lore that is just perfect bait for nerds like me!
Something that sits a bit funny is the fact that there is a mix of "novice" superheroes alongside the Avenger gods like Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Blade. These Avengers should be crazily strong... but they seem to have the same power as the novices. It is a bit of a thing that you need to overlook for a bit... it would have been better if the Earth's most powerful superheroes were missing in action, and you needed to rescue them or to face the evil forces from scratch.... more XCOM-like....
Cutscenes are pretty aweesome... in fact, most of the story licks are pretty well done! Loving them all... even the witty one-liners characteristic of most of the Marvel Universe franchise.
Heh... there is a Persona-like social layer to the game as well. Hang out and get to know the other superheroes a bit more! It is a bit sickly sweet at times, but I do like the idea of getting to know them better, plus getting a bit more lore that way...
... and a touch of the Sims as well. Outfits and furniture...
Well... hanging out and socialising with the others is also a good way to build up the outfit collection, but more importantly, there are game mechanic perks that come with tight social bonds. Better cards, and some killer combos are in store for those who manage their social connections right!
Iron Man and Doctor Strange are the odd couple in the research arm of the Abbey known as the Forge (powered by a captured fire demon... )... their witty banter is quite hilarious, my favourite area to visit. But also a critical place to visit to upgrade your strategic layer tech tree.
Hilariously enough, sometimes the world's most powerful superheroes come to ask for your input or advice on personal issues... haha! Well, the answers that you give will give your forking bonuses in terms of resources, alignment, or upgrades. Definitely a good game mechanic, but still hilariously done in this manner... I'm starting to suspect that the tongue in cheek atmosphere of the movies has been ported over to even the game mechanics!
The actual combat and tactical layer is a modified positional card battler. It is quite well done... but I will write more about this in depth when I put out a proper review. It really is more like a brain teaser... but seeing the superheroes play out the action, well... it is incredibly satisfying!
So, wow... there are very few games where I just savour every moment... and Midnight Suns is definitely one of them!
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