Some of my favourite games on the original Xbox were X-Men: Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Being able to create and level up a team of iconic Marvel superheroes was a blast, although it’s a feeling that I haven’t had since 2009’s Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.
That’s why I’ve really been digging Marvel Strike Force, the latest Marvel game to hit mobile devices. Similar to those older titles, Strike Force tasks players with assembling a team of iconic Marvel heroes to fight an incoming threat from the alien Ultimus. It’s a trite premise to be sure, but it’s ultimately just an excuse to get the Marvel band together.
As a hardcore fan, I appreciated how varied the roster is, offering big-name heroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Wolverine and the Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as deeper-cuts like Quake (who you may know from ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Nobu (seen in Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix) and hero healer Night Nurse.
With these Marvel heroes and villains, you’ll engage in classic RPG-style turn-based combat, which fits well on mobile. Each character has a number of special moves that are unique to them, like Spider-Man’s web abilities or Doctor Strange’s magic.
Regardless of who you use though, your team will be taking out enemies with appropriate flashy moves and may even attack together in stylish combo maneuvers. I particularly enjoyed one of The Punisher’s delightfully over-the-top finishers, which has the anti-hero smacking his enemy, throwing a grenade behind them and shooting them until they get pushed into the explosion.
You’ll have to plan your attacks carefully, however. Some enemies are able to heal or buff their allies, meaning you’ll want to take them out first. At the same time, it’s important to consider enemy positioning when using area-of-effect attacks to maximize your damage output.
As with many mobile games, Strike Force lets you use real money to buy in-game currencies like orbs (used for unlocking loot boxes containing items and characters) or gold (spent on upgrading characters and starting missions).
Fortunately, I found that the game naturally dispenses these supplies through mission and challenge completion, so I never found myself needing to buy them. With these items, you’re able to level up and equip your characters with new abilities and gear through a surprisingly robust levelling system.
Overall, Strike Force is a breezy, fun crossover game to play on the go, offering easy-to-pick-up combat, solid RPG mechanics and some wildly popular Marvel characters.
Marvel Strike Force can be downloaded for free on Android and iOS.
Note: a constant internet connection is required to play Marvel Strike Force.
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