Marvel’s Avengers is currently on the long road to recovery, though March 18 proved that things are looking up for the struggling game. Not only did Hawkeye release alongside next-gen versions of the game that bring major performance improvements and visual upgrades, but the game’s Square Enix Presents showing clued fans in on what is coming next. A roadmap finally provided a look at the game’s future updates, confirming that there is fresh content on the way, while Black Panther was officially revealed as well.
Coming to the game via the first proper expansion for Marvel’s Avengers, the arrival of both King T’Challa and War for Wakanda is certainly exciting. In fact, this expansion could be Marvel’s Avengers’ second chance, with the arrival of Black Panther and a major content drop sure to gain the interest of most Marvel fans. If this expansion does catch on, it could fully revive the game, allowing expansions like War for Wakanda to become the new norm. However, for this big DLC to win players back, there are a few things that it absolutely must do right.
Blank Panther’s reveal trailer has been met with genuine positivity online, with like and dislike ratios on the various uploads being joined by excited comments. The only downside of the announcement is that the many Marvel fans who love Black Panther will need to wait several months to play as Wakanda’s King, as his expansion is not coming until Summer at the earliest. As such, when the wait for T’Challa finally comes to an, Crystal Dynamics needs to make sure that players are rewarded for their patience.
Making T’Challa fun to play will undoubtedly be a big part of this, and thankfully, Marvel’s Avengers has succeeded in this area thus far. With all the heroes released thus far feeling powerful and unique, chances are that Black Panther will likely be the same. Aside from the use of his claws and a focus on melee-focused, the Wakandan king’s movement ability could see him pouncing on walls and other surfaces to get a boost. Much like the MCU’s version of T’Challa, his Vibranium suit could be able to redirect energy back at foes, a special skill that could serve as his intrinsic ability.
However, just as important as Black Panther’s gameplay is getting his personality right. Like he does in his best appearances, T’Challa should flaunt his royalty while also being respectful. Much like Captain America, The Avengers should see him as a leader in War for Wakanda, as he knows the land better than anyone. Lastly, some kind of tribute to Chadwick Boseman needs to be included. While Kratos actor Christopher Judge will likely knock it out of the park with his performance, Boseman is T’Challa in the eyes of many fans. Honoring his passing through a suit, statue, or the DLC’s credits would be wonderful to see.
Just as exciting as T’Challa himself is the option to explore the world of Wakanda, and Crystal Dynamics needs to nail the tone of the African country to make this setting work. While most of Marvel’s Avengers’ settings thus far include generic cities, deserts, and tundras, Hawkeye’s Wasteland biome shows Crystal Dynamics getting a bit more inventive. This same feel needs to be seen in Wakanda, as the visuals in the comics and the award-winning Black Panther film show just how gorgeous the country is. In the snippets of Wakanda that have been revealed thus far, it seems like the country is being done justice.
While capturing the look of the city and jungle is essential, simply rushing through it in a collection of main story quests would be a bit disappointing. Instead, Wakanda can be given a bit more life through a feature coming in a separate update: patrol mode. As shown in the Marvel’s Avengers roadmap for 2021, players will eventually be able to patrol the Wasteland biome. If this mode works like patrols in something like Destiny, players will get to explore the location freely, finding collectibles and completing random objectives or world events. With the country of Wakanda being such a vibrant setting, being able to fully explore the area fully would be a huge plus, as a mini open world could keep players engaged for a long time.
Aside from patrol mode and an appropriate visual style that makes Wakanda feel different from the usual AIM bunkers, a new setting means that new objective types can be introduced. With so many of Marvel’s Avengers objective types feeling recycled and samey, Wakanda could finally add some different missions for players to enjoy. After all, a repetitive gameplay loop has been a huge issue with Marvel’s Avengers thus far, but a full expansion could give Crystal Dynamics the chance to correct the problem. Wakanda’s objectives tasking players with more than just standing in specific locations or breaking a device would be a huge way to show that the studio is listening to the Marvel’s Avengers community.
Arguably the most exciting thing about War for Wakanda is that it will be introducing a new faction to the mix. Though Klaw’s army does not have a proper name yet, the premise of fighting actual humans as opposed to more AIM bots is truly promising. After all, players have done battle with the same enemies since the game launched. After six months of battling AIM (something that will likely be closer to twelve months before the expansion arrives) players will be desperate to beat down some new basic enemy types. Hopefully, Klaw’s group has varied attacks and moves that have not yet been seen — though anything other than AIM will be a nice change of pace.
While Klaw’s faction is exciting, the man himself is an equally appealing addition. Marvel’s Avengers’ biggest problem is directly tied to the overuse of AIM, as there are few memorable boss fights for players to encounter. Considering just how many great villains there are in the comics, this is a major problem, and clone boss battles like Maestro are not correcting it. However, Klaw could, as his moveset seems all but guaranteed to feel different from that of the game’s current bosses. Making use of Wakandan technology, the villain should make for a tough fight that throws a diverse set of attacks in the direction of The Avengers.
Other villains were mentioned in the description for War for Wakanda as well, and hopefully this means that some other major threat is on the way. Seeing a surprise appearance from Namor, Killmonger, or even Doctor Doom would be mind-blowing, regaining fan interest as opposed to disappointing players with yet another Taskmaster or Abomination encounter. From there, kitting out all The Avengers with Vibranium costumes would be some great fan service, and the new outpost being set inside T’Challa’s throne room would be just as cool. Adding a new faction like the Dora Milaje would also be fun, as players could assist T’Challa’s royal guard with restoring their country and clearing out the threat completely. With a real chance to fix the game’s core issues, Marvel’s Avengers’ first expansion could be all that is needed for the flawed title to bounce back.
Marvel’s Avengers is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.
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