Marvel Comics has given fans some of the most iconic and complex characters in pop culture history, each with a unique story begging to be explored in other projects. From the brutal, down-to-earth streets of Hell’s Kitchen to the mystical realms beyond our understanding, the endless possibilities for Marvel video games are just there, waiting to be explored. Whether it’s saving the world as your favorite hero or trying to redeem a villain and turn them into an anti-hero, the vibes, gameplay, and story are essential for video games. Below are some of my favorite Marvel characters, and the Marvel games focusing on them that I’d love to see come to fruition.
Play as The Man Without Fear in a Marvel’s Daredevil game
A Daredevil game has been long rumored to be in the works, with fans eagerly waiting to jump into the world of “The Man Without Fear”. This video game project has a lot of potential to deliver a fantastic experience, making it one of the most wanted Marvel games for me to see announced. It would work best to draw inspiration from iconic comic arcs like Frank Miller’s Born Again, Chip Zdarsky’s series, or Brian Michael Bendis’ run. The game could mix those storylines with an original story created specifically for the game to get both hardcore fans of Daredevil and people who’ve seen the show only excited.
Players would get to play as both Matt Murdock, working as a lawyer during the day, and Daredevil at night when it’s time to stop some criminals. Combat could take inspiration from Sifu, the Batman: Arkham series, or Marvel’s Spider-Man, but with a twist. Daredevil’s enhanced senses would be the most crucial part of the gameplay. You could use his sharpened hearing and radar vision to detect enemies and other environmental hazards and threats. This mechanic could transform regular, well-known action gameplay into an entirely new experience.
Beyond the unique take on combat, Matt’s legal career could play a vital role in the gameplay. Players could investigate cases, gather evidence, and engage in courtroom battles, but with another twist; The game would let us make our case and defend people in a way we want to, therefore allowing us to experience multiple endings to the case and their consequences. Those segments would influence the story and how the city views Daredevil and Matt Murdock.
The game’s open-world Hell’s Kitchen would also play a considerable part in immersing players in the world. Players could explore dark alleys to stop minor crimes during the day, uncover hidden Easter eggs, and take on side missions. Significant story arcs could revolve around characters such as Kingpin, Elektra, Copperhead, Alexander Bont, Black Tarantula, Ani-Men or even Bullseye.
Explore Gambit’s past in New Orleans
Gambit has been my favorite X-Men since I was a kid. All I’ve ever wanted from a game focusing on X-Men or mutants would be a game about him. It would be set in the vibrant city of New Orleans, where the story could explore Gambit’s criminal roots with the Thieves’ Guild and his start on his journey toward redemption with the X-Men. Comic arcs like Gambit: King of Thieves, Thick as Thieves, and the X-Men series could provide a fantastic inspiration for the game’s story.
The gameplay could focus on Gambit’s agility and thief skills, with evolving combat and kinetic energy abilities. His iconic charged playing cards would serve as ranged attacks, while his acrobatic fighting style and bo staff would dominate melee combat. Players could combine stylish combos and mix different fighting styles with staff attacks for dynamic encounters. Stealth elements would also shine, as Gambit’s background as a master thief would allow for lock picking, disabling traps, finding perfect hiding spots, and sneaking through shadows to avoid detection.
The story could focus on Gambit’s struggle between his ties to the Thieves’ Guild and his growing responsibilities as he decides it’s not life for him. The X-Men may even keep convincing him to join the team, which he would initially resist but come to embrace. Players would shape their relationships with key characters like Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, Iceman, Nightcrawler, and others through character relationship choices and missions to create different narrative outcomes.
When it comes to locations in the game, the perfect choice would be to set the story in New Orleans and New York. We could visit jazz-filled clubs, shadowy backstreets, and some iconic New York places. Side quests could range from pulling off heists for the Thieves’ Guild to helping locals with mutant-related problems, or just going to the club to be a playboy.
Hunt down evildoers with Ghost Rider
A Ghost Rider game would be an adrenaline-fueled, trippy aesthetic journey into the supernatural. Players could play as Johnny Blaze, who wants to avenge his dead wife and defeat Mephisto for good this time. The gameplay would focus on Ghost Rider’s dual nature as a spirit of vengeance and his uncontrollable outbursts. Players could wield his iconic weapons, travel using his firey bike, and unleash devastating combos against demons, cultists, and other supernatural foes. The Penance Stare could act as a powerful cinematic finisher, forcing enemies to confront their sins in dramatic sequences or just as a way to defeat challenging bosses.
Motorcycle sequences would serve as a reminder that no matter what Ghost Rider is using, he is always dangerous. For example, racing across the globe to catch a demon or something else and not controlling who you hurt would show just how deadly Ghost Rider truly is. These segments could also combine exploration, combat, and stunts with the bike’s abilities.
The narrative could follow Ghost Rider’s quest to hunt down powerful demons while struggling with the burden of his curse. Along the way, players might encounter allies like Blade, Doctor Strange, or the Midnight Sons/Suns, who would help us with choices shaping the story’s direction. Whether Johnny will learn how to control his deadly side better or will start losing control over him throughout the story would depend solemnly on us and our choices.
Investigate mysteries in New York City with The Defenders
A project focusing on The Defenders would be a tremendous detective game that explores the street-level heroics and mysteries of New York City. Players could control Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Danny Rand (Iron Fist), and Matt Murdock/Daredevil, each offering unique gameplay styles. Jessica’s strength and investigative skills would be perfect for detective missions, while Luke’s durability and fighting skills would dominate when crowd control is needed.
As for Danny, his martial arts and chi-powered attacks would create scenarios where amazing fighting combos could appear. And when it comes to Daredevil, his enhanced senses would be very useful in stealth and reconnaissance missions. In a game like this, I’d want to see a gameplay that would mix open-world exploration with visiting areas we don’t expect to see, like K’un-Lun, The Hand’s Secret Lairs, and more.
We could easily switch between characters or team-ups to finish specific missions. Some would be meant exclusively for certain characters, but we would choose who we want to play as in others. Missions might involve protecting neighborhoods, dismantling drug rings, solving kidnapping missions, or exposing corporate corruption.
Jessica’s P.I. work would add more depth to the down-to-earth narrative, with players piecing together clues and questioning suspects. Danny’s mystical powers could lead us to missions in K’un-Lun, fighting The Hand there or defeating the Dragon Shou-Lao.
The game’s setting would capture the essence of New York, from Hell’s Kitchen to Harlem and Chinatown. A day-night cycle could affect gameplay by being able to play as certain characters during the day or doing specific missions only then, with more dangerous activities emerging after dark. Cameos from characters like Misty Knight, Colleen Wing, Punisher, Spider-Man, Blade, and others would add more to the narrative, showing that even though our heroes work together, they’re not the only heroes in NYC. Similar to the Netflix’s/MCU version of The Defenders.
Visit the Sanctum Sanctorum in a Doctor Strange video game
Currently, Doctor Strange is my favorite character in the MCU and one of my favorite characters from the comics. A game focusing on him would get my and many fans’ attention. Learning more about mystic arts, combining different spells, and exploring magnificent dungeons and different magical parts of the world, combined with extraordinary storytelling, would make Doctor Strange one of the best Marvel video games ever.
The gameplay could focus on Stephen Strange trying to re-learn magic due to an accident, or just reimagining his origins. Our task as players would be to decide which way we want to go with his development. Abilities could range from small sparkle magic to elemental attacks to reality-bending magic like creating portals, reversing time, or summoning magical creatures. Iconic artifacts like the Cloak of Levitation and Eye of Agamotto would be a priority to be a part of this game.
The Sanctum Sanctorum would serve as the game’s hub, filled with secrets, texts, and portals to surreal dimensions, other Sanctums, and Kamar-Taj. Missions could take players from New York City to realms like the Dark Dimension, Crimson Cosmos, or even ancient temples and places of magic where previous Sorcerer Supremes learned about magic.
The story could feature villains like Dormammu, Baron Mordo, Nightmare, or The Living Tribunal. Of course, our choices would affect the fate of entire dimensions and the story’s outcome. Players would ally with characters like Wong, Clea, or even some Midnight Sons/Suns members only to help him defeat the threat.
Side quests could involve training new sorcerers, collecting magical artifacts, resolving conflicts between dimensions, or stopping different multiversal threats. A progression system would reward players with new spells, artifacts, and customizable robes or skins.
What Marvel games or characters would you love to see in a video game?
That’s it for my Marvel video game wishlist, what about yours? Let us know in our Discord, or on social media @mycosmicircus, and @TheCosmicCircus.com on Bluesky!
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