I am a huge fan of both Overwatch and Marvel, and so when Marvel Rivals was announced, I couldn't wait to play it for myself. A hero shooter where the entire roster is made up of established heroes from one of the world's leading comic book companies is genius on paper, but there was always the chance that the final product wouldn't live up to expectations. Many of those doubts were laid to rest after spending extensive time with Marvel Rivals' beta test this past summer, and the full release has now dashed most lingering concerns.

Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play hero shooter that isn't shy about its Overwatch inspirations. It features three game modes at launch - Convoy, Domination, and Convergence - which translate to Overwatch 2's Payload, Control, and Hybrid modes, respectively. The heroes on its roster also feature some abilities that appear to be directly lifted from Blizzard's game, like Scarlet Witch's Ultimate, which is essentially a D.Va Bomb, and Star-Lord's Blaster Barrage ability which is more or less the same as Reaper's Death Blossom Ult. There are some that may be put-off by Marvel Rivals copying Overwatch's homework, and that is a valid concern, but what it lacks in originality, it makes up for in pure fun factor.

Simply put, Marvel Rivals is a blast, and as a longtime Overwatch player, its similarities to Blizzard's game have made it much easier to get into NetEase's new release. Yes, many of the abilities and ideas in Marvel Rivals are derivative, but that doesn't stop them from being fun and engaging. And that doesn't mean Marvel Rivals doesn't have ideas of its own.

Marvel Rivals' Destructible Environments Are a Game-Changer

Marvel Rivals' use of destructible environments, for example, adds an extra exciting layer to the game's chaotic and action-packed matches. Players can use their abilities to decimate structures on the map, potentially destroying a building that a sniper was using as a vantage point or taking down a wall that enemies may have been using for cover. There are certainly strategic moves players can make with Marvel Rivals' destructible environments, but their real value comes from the wild, unexpected water-cooler moments they create. There's nothing like unleashing your abilities in the heat of battle to not only wipe out the enemy team, but also take down an entire cliff wall, leaving you and your teammates in a pile of rubble.

Destructible environments aren't the only way Marvel Rivals stands out from Overwatch. The game's use of team-up abilities encourages players to choose their characters in a way that complements their teammates. For example, if someone on the team picked The Punisher, it would make sense for someone else to pick Rocket Raccoon, as he can lay down a gadget that lets Punisher shoot without having to reload. Rocket can also ride on Groot's shoulders, as can Jeff the Land Shark, whose projectiles can get an icy boost if Luna Snow is on the same team.

One of Marvel Rivals' most entertaining team-up abilities comes courtesy of Wolverine and the Hulk. Hulk can pick up Wolverine and throw him at enemies, which doesn't always result in kills, but can create wild distractions that leave the enemy team vulnerable to follow-up attacks. Some skilled players have even used this Fastball combo to knock flying enemies out of the sky. There are many creative ways players can utilize the varied abilities of the Marvel Rivals roster, and as the roster grows, so too will the combo opportunities.

There have been some complaints that Marvel Rivals' team-ups are overpowered, and there may be some truth to that. There have also been complaints about certain abilities, with some fans not happy about Jeff the Land Shark's Ultimate that lets him swallow an entire team and throw them off a cliff for an easy team-wipe. Marvel Rivals clearly is not a balanced game, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The ridiculous abilities open the door for countless hilarious moments that are great for making memories with friends, and honestly, I'd rather they stay in the game. Some balance changes may be healthy for the game's competitive scene, but NetEase will have to be careful not to nerf the fun out of Marvel Rivals.

Marvel Rivals Launch Roster

• Adam Warlock
• Black Panther
• Black Widow
• Captain America
• Cloak and Dagger
• Doctor Strange
• Groot
• Hawkeye
• Hela
• Hulk
• Iron Fist
• Iron Man
• Jeff the Land Shark
• Loki
• Luna Snow
• Magik
• Magneto
• Mantis
• Moon Knight
• Namor
• Peni Parker
• Psylocke
• Punisher
• Rocket Raccoon
• Scarlet Witch
• Spider-Man
• Squirrel Girl
• Star-Lord
• Storm
• Thor
• Venom
• Winter Soldier
• Wolverine

No, Marvel Rivals isn't balanced, but that isn't to the game's detriment. It does have a couple of other problems, though; one that will likely never really be solved, and one that will eventually be fixed as new content is released for the hero shooter. What will thankfully be addressed eventually is its lack of maps. Marvel Rivals only has eight maps for its main game modes at launch, which makes it start to feel somewhat repetitive before too long. It doesn't help that some maps take place in the same general area, with two set in Yggsgard, two in Tokyo 2099, and two in the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda.

What will likely never be fixed is Marvel Rivals' unrewarding progression. Putting the coolest skins in the shop and basically requiring players to pay real money if they want to get much of anything is par for the course for a free-to-play game like this, and it makes total sense from a financial standpoint. However, I think some kind of system that would allow Marvel Rivals players to unlock skins more frequently in-game could do wonders. As problematic as they were, the original Overwatch accomplished this with its loot boxes. Rules and regulations around the world mean that there's virtually no chance of a similar system for Marvel Rivals, but it would make leveling up so much more exciting, whereas now it feels meaningless beyond unlocking ranked play at level 10.

The Marvel Rivals Battle Pass progression is also not ideal. Instead of a traditional Battle Pass that players progress by leveling up, Marvel Rivals doles out currency from completing challenges that players use to pick specific rewards on the track. Some may enjoy this approach, but I think it makes unlocking things less exciting. This system might feel better once there are multiple Battle Passes to choose from, as Marvel Rivals Battle Passes do not expire, but that remains to be seen.

Marvel Rivals features 6v6 battles with no role queue. The lack of role queue has made the occasional match frustrating, but it so far hasn't been a huge problem for me.

Minor gripes aside, my time with Marvel Rivals has otherwise been great. Matchmaking is lightning-fast and makes it easier to get in "one more game," and the level of polish has been impressive. Marvel Rivals' deep roster of 33 characters keeps battles fresh and exciting, with enough variety here that I don't know if I'll ever get bored, especially if the new characters and maps come at a regular pace.

Marvel Rivals feels like the first serious contender to Overwatch's crown; it's a game I can see being a part of my multiplayer rotation indefinitely. And the thing is, Marvel Rivals at launch is just the tip of the iceberg. There are near-endless possibilities for new roster and map additions in the years ahead. Some of the leaked Marvel Rivals characters have me excited about the game's future, and I can't wait to see how it evolves.

Marvel Rivals is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Game Rant reviewed the game on Xbox Series X.