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Marvel Comics has one of the best rosters of superheroes and supervillains, and you’re able to smash them against each other in Marvel Rivals now that the game is available to play on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. A free-to-play team-based competitive shooter, Marvel Rivals is developed by NetEase and features playable characters from superteams like the Avengers, X-Men, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
So far, dozens of heroes and villains are in the game, giving players a diverse group of portal-manipulating wizards, not-so-jolly green giants with astonishing anger management issues, and a fictional K-pop sensation to use in combat. Set in a universe where Doctor Doom and his 2099 incarnation have mucked about with time and created an anomaly called the Timestream Entanglement, this event eventually leads to heroes and villains battling each other in 6v6 battles across destructible environments.
For a closer look at how these characters stack up when compared to each other, you can also check out GameSpot’s tier lists on the best Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist characters to play as. You can also read up on how NetEase chooses new characters for the game.
Iron Man
A tech-savvy powerhouse, Iron Man looks like a versatile character with plenty of powerful tools in his arsenal. He can attack foes with his Repulsor rays, unleash a barrage of missiles, and can go airborne.
Spider-Man
With the proportionate speed, strength, and agility of a spider, Spider-Man is an agile option for anyone looking to disrupt the momentum of the opposition. Thanks to his web-shooters, he can temporarily trap opponents and leave them in a vulnerable state.
Hulk
Interestingly, it looks like players will be able to take control of both the Hulk and his puny alter-ego, Bruce Banner. Once Banner hulks out, he gets an enormous health bar boost and he uses a variety of ground-and-pound techniques to smash foes. As part of the team-up gameplay mechanic, Hulk can even channel excess gamma radiation into Iron Man and supercharge the armored Avenger’s energy attacks.
Black Panther
The defender and ruler of Wakanda, Black Panther can slash away at the competition with his Vibranium claws and summon the power of the Panther God Bast in battle.
Loki
The god of stories, Loki hasn’t forgotten his trickster roots and can confuse enemies by summoning a mystical doppelganger. Loki can even shapeshift into one of the opponents, using their unique skills to cause some chaos.
Storm
Briefly seen at the end of the Marvel Rivals trailer, we’re not too certain how Storm plays in the game just yet, but we do know that this mutant weather goddess is no pushover. In media, Storm’s weather-manipulating powers allow her to summon lightning, fly with air currents, and even create tornadoes.
Namor
An oceanic powerhouse, Namor can dish out some pain with his trident or summon a squid-like familiar for some extra firepower.
Doctor Strange
Very little has been shown of Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme, but from what we have seen so far, it looks like this master of the mystic arts can use portals to safely close gaps and can stop time with the Eye of Agamotto.
Magik
Magik looks like the last person you want to have invading your personal space, as she can send you flying with her Soulsword. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she can transform into her demonic form, DarkChylde, and make use of new abilities to level the playing field.
Groot
Everyone’s favorite tree titan, Groot hits hard and from a mid-range distance thanks to his flexible limbs. This Guardian of the Galaxy can also team up with Rocket Raccoon for some extra devastation.
Rocket Raccoon
Rocket might be a bit of a glass cannon with his small health bar, but he could also be hard to pin down as he comes equipped with a jetpack and can quickly scale buildings. When he’s not dodging attacks, he can fight back with his long-range weapons and team up with Groot during matches.
Star Lord
Briefly teased, Star Lord can be seen with his trademark Element Guns. In other Marvel games, these blasters allow Star Lord to fire various elemental rounds, and with a bag of technological tricks at his disposal, he usually allows for flexible playstyles in those games.
Mantis
Mantis hasn’t been seen in action yet, but if she’s anything like her comic book or MCU counterpart, she’ll likely be a close-quarters combat specialist who can immobilize enemies with her empathic powers.
Peni Parker
One of the standout stars from the Spider-Verse, Peni Parker doesn’t have Peter Parker’s arachnid-themed powers, but she does have a powerful mech suit armed with lethal appendages.
Luna Snow
Previously seen in games like Marvel Future Fight and Marvel Super War, Seol Hee AKA Luna Snow mixes ice-manipulating powers with K-Pop style. In the debut trailer, it looks like Luna can team up with Namor to enhance his water-based skills in combat.
Scarlet Witch
Another character who made a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance, the Scarlet Witch is a magic-wielding titan in Marvel comic books, film, and television. We’re not certain what she can do just yet, but the official gameplay screenshots for Marvel Rivals suggest that she’ll use her arcane powers to hex opponents.
Magneto
The mutant master of magnetism is looking swole in Marvel Rivals, but beyond that, details on Magneto are scarce. From what we have seen so far, it looks like he’ll be a defensive character in the same vein as Overwatch’s Reinhardt, as he can generate magnetic shields to block projectile attacks.
The Punisher
Between Asgardian gods, Avengers, and mutants, Frank Castle might seem like an odd fit for this superhero game. The vigilante is undeniably talented when it comes to using weapons, and it looks like he’ll be the Bastion of Marvel Rivals, as he can use a gun emplacement to lock down a part of the battlefield.
Hela
The most chilling duelist in the roster, Hela can summon the powers of Nastrond to conjure cursed crows and swords in battle.
Venom
The slimy symbiote pounces onto the battlefield as a heavyweight Vanguard-class brawler in Marvel Rivals. Not only can Venom dish out massive damage, but he can also stay in the fight longer thanks to his health-siphoning abilities.
Adam Warlock
Also known as the Golden Guardian of the cosmos, Adam Warlock is a strategist who can keep your team fighting fit thanks to his multiple healing and resurrection abilities.
Captain America
Fittingly, Captain America is a beefy star-spangled tank in combat. As a Vanguard character, he can soak up damage, protect teammates, and smash through enemies.
Winter Soldier
A Duelist type, the Winter Soldier excels at eliminating a cluster of enemies with his explosive rounds. Combined with his other abilities, this Cold War assassin hits hard from multiple ranges.
Thor
The god of thunder is a great character for drawing enemy fire thanks to his high amount of health and powerful Thorforce abilities. A one-man army, he can easily throw himself into the middle of a superhero fracas and wreck the opposition.
Jeff the Land Shark
He might look cute, but Jeff is an adorable monster in the hands of someone who knows how to use him properly. Able to heal and boost his allies, Jeff can also defy the laws of physics and swallow up the opposition with his powerful ultimate ability.
Psylocke
She might be a bit of a glass cannon, but when you master Psylocke’s ability to sneak her way behind enemy lines and slash her way back to her team, she becomes a force to be reckoned with.
Moon Knight
There’s a high learning curve when it comes to Moon Knight, but mastering this Duelist-type character’s various abilities is worth it as he’s one of the best damage-dealers in the game. Not only does he have impressive mobility, but his skills also allow him to dish out pain across wide sections of a map as well.
Hawkeye
Fittingly, Hawkeye is a rewarding character for skilled players to use. His bow allows him to dish out absurd amounts of damage with a single charged arrow, and even if enemies close the distance in an attempt to take him down, his close-range skills make him dangerous when he’s backed into a corner.
Wolverine
Wolverine hasn’t been a popular choice since he debuted, but a recent update has fine-tuned the legendary X-Man and turned him into a lethal brawler. In the best scenario, you’ll want to throw Wolverine into a mob so that he can chip away at them, as his healing abilities and close-quarters skills turn him into a mutant menace on the battlefield.
Iron Fist
Few things in life are as terrifying as an Iron Fist player on a collision course for your Marvel Rivals character. The martial arts legend can demolish a health bar with ease, and in the right hands, he makes up for his low health with hard-hitting combos and impressive survivability.
Squirrel Girl
She’s beaten Dr. Doom with nothing but her furry friends, and in combat, Squirrel Girl is a beginner-friendly character thanks to her explosive primary attack and her ability to take out groups of enemies from a (relatively) safe distance.
Black Widow
You’ll need plenty of practice to become an ace Black Widow player, but once you do, you’ll find that she’s a cool sniper who can easily find tactical positions on the map to ply her deadly trade.
Cloak and Dagger
The first duo in Marvel Rivals, Cloak and Dagger occupy the Strategist slot in the game’s roster. The pair are at their best when they support their team with healing abilities and buffs, but they can also turn a battlefield into hostile territory thanks to their Eternal Bond ultimate ability.
Mister Fantastic
At the time of writing, it’s still early days for Mister Fantastic, the stretchy super-genius and leader of the Fantastic Four. What we do know so far is that he’s a Duelist-type character who can absorb damage and bounce back from danger thanks to his rubber body.
The Invisible Woman
While you’ll never see her coming thanks to her signature powers, The Invisible Woman can also support her allies with healing orbs, force-fields, and an ultimate attack that can turn the tide of battle in her favor.
Human Torch
The hot-headed duelist of the Fantastic Four, Johnny can take to the skies and hurl fireballs at enemies. Armed with a wide range of abilities, it looks like the Human Torch excels at corraling enemies and melting them with his flames.
The Thing
It’s clobberin’ time! As you’d expect from the Thing, his rocky exterior allows him to soak up damage and deliver powerful knockout blows as soon as he closes the distance between himself and a target.
Ultron
Fittingly, Ultron is a strategist-class character who can strike from a distance and send a swarm of drones in to get up close and personal with his foes.
Emma Frost
The 38th hero introduced to Marvel Rivals, Emma Frost steps into the Vanguard role as a mid-range specialist who can armor up and dish out devastating psychic attacks.
Phoenix
The Omega-level telepath of the X-Men, Phoenix is a Duelist-class character.
Blade was teased in the recent trailer for the next season, The Abyss Awakens, and while we don’t know too much about the legendary Daywalker yet, it looks like he’ll be a close-quarters combat specialist in his role as a Duelist.
Angela
Raised in Heven, a realm that exists separately from the Nine Realms of the Marvel Universe, Angela is the daughter of Odin and one of the heirs to his throne. A Vanguard character who wields powerful melee weapons, her ultimate ability Heven’s Retribution can deal massive damage over an area and can synchronize well with similar abilities.
Daredevil
This isn’t the man without fear you’re used to! While Matt Murdock has always grappled with his darker side, an encounter with the demon known as “The Beast” left the vigilante with a literal demon inside of him. For Marvel Rivals, Daredevil excels in close-range combat as he burns stacks of Fury to empower his attacks. His ultimate ability, Let the Devil Out, makes all opponents take damage over time if they’re caught in the area of effect.
Gambit
The ragin’ Cajun hits the battlefield as a Strategist hero who can synergize attacks with Magento and Rogue. An agile character with high healing and support utility, Gambit wields his trademark deck of cards that he charges with explosive kinetic energy.
Rogue
Joining Gambit as a Vanguard hero is Rogue. A powerhouse who can quickly close gaps and weaken enemies, Rogue’s ultimate ability also allows her to deal damage over time and drain Ultimate charges from enemies if they are above 80%.
Deadpool
Can’t decide between playing as a Vanguard, Strategist, or a Duelist? Deadpool can shift into all three of those roles, and he has a deadly arsenal of weapons to wield.
Elsa Bloodstone
You called for a monster hunter, mate? Else Bloodstone steps into the arena, and as a master Duelist, she’s armed with plenty of weapons, deadly traps, and the ability to summon monsters to aid her in battle.
Black Cat
Black Cat will sneak into Marvel Rivals as part of the Season 7.5 update. Her abilities and skills haven’t been revealed yet, but we’d wager that her “bad luck” powers and cat burglar talents will come into play to make her a unique and agile character.
White Fox
Anyone looking to master a new Strategist character can grab White Fox and bring order to chaos. The South Korean super-agent can adapt on the fly to buff her teammates and charm enemies, or she can transform into a melee-focused fighter who can slash away at enemies while healing nearby allies. Throw in the ability to teleport teammates out of harm’s way and an Ultimate that transforms her into her nine-tailed form, and White Fox has the potential to be a powerful all-rounder.
Devil Dinosaur
The brawn to Moon Girl’s brains, Devil Dinosaur brings prehistoric power to the Marvel Rivals battlefield. Serving as a Vanguard character, Devil Dinosaur specializes in charging headfirst into danger and is protected by a force field. Once he gets close enough, he can chomp down on targets, and his Ultimate turns him into an unstoppable brute.
Cyclops
Optic blast! The X-Men team leader might have only a single power at his disposal, but he knows how to make the most of it. As a Duelist, Cyclops can focus on a single target with his primary attack, ricochet optic blasts between enemies with his secondary ability, and quickly escape from danger with a propulsive blast. His Ultimate, Ruby Rage, is a massive blast of energy that can wipe out anyone caught in the beam.
Jubilee
Get ready to see some fireworks once Jubilee enters the scene! An X-Man who steps into the Strategist role, Jubilee can use her energy plasmoids to damage foes and heal allies, while her Ultimate ability unleashes a massive fireworks display across the battlefield.
The Hood
Not just one of the most powerful leaders of the supervillain underworld, The Hood is also a demonic powerhouse thanks to his arcane equipment. Able to switch between human and demon forms, The Hood is a gunner who can channel the chaotic energy of Oblivion, summon protective shields, and debuff enemies with mystical orbs in his role as a Vanguard character. When the odds are stacked against him, The Hood can also enter his Full Demon State, transforming into a being that looks a lot like Chainsaw Man’s Gun Devil–and is almost as destructive thanks to high-impact piercing rounds that demolish defenses. As an added bonus, nearby teammates will also gain bonus health.
Gorr: The God-Butcher
All gods must die! Gorr takes on a Duelist role in Marvel Rivals, wielding the first symbiote, All-Black the Necrosword, in battle. Able to team up with Hela and Venom, Gorr can also summon Berserkers to his side. His Ultimate, Twilight of the Gods, summons a Berserker for every nearby enemy and turns his active minions into frenzied warriors.
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