A Marvel-themed arcade style beat-em-up is something I didn’t know I needed until now. After playing Ghost of Yotei and watching the Game Awards (Congrats to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for winning game of the year.), I was looking for another gaming escapade to occupy my time this holiday season. Browsing the virtual store on my console, I came across Marvel Cosmic Invasion. Now, I didn’t know much about this game at the time, but being the Marvel fan that I am and my entry into the Marvel universe as a child being another action beat-em-up similar to this one called Ultimate Alliance, I of course had to give this a shot. I am so glad I did, too. Following the storyline of the cosmic villain, Annihilus, invading all corners of the universe with his forces form the Negative Zone, which happens most notably in the Annihilation storyline from the comics, you can choose from fifteen Marvel characters to battle his army with, visiting familiar locations and encountering many familiar faces from the comics along the way. If I can describe this game in one word, it would be addicting. The sidescrolling combat is endlessly fun and the charming, 8-bit graphics reminded me of arcade classics such as Streets of Rage. I haven’t completed the game yet, but I have been having so much fun with it. Despite the game’s unforgiving nature (If you die, you must start the level from the very beginning.), these have developers truly captured lightning in a bottle. The game available on almost every console you can name and is also multiplayer as well single player, so any gamers or Marvel fans looking for a dose of nostalgic fun to have solo, with friends, or with family this holiday season, look no further.
Noah Robinson 