Thanks to addictive gameplay, great character designs, and the addition of the Fantastic Four, Marvel Rivals remains the top superhero shooter. Overwatch 2 is still hanging in there, with that LE SSERAFIM collaboration getting people talking, but there is a precise number one in this genre.
While most fans do their best to achieve high competitive-level rankings, this writer feels that unranked play is an underrated experience.
For the record, I’m pretty bad at Rivals competitive play and need to “get good,” as the kids say. Attempting to get kills as Psylocke or Magik can be troublesome against more skilled players, especially if they have healers with them. I did not want to throw anyone under the bus, but my teams could have also done better. Outside of that, one time, I played with my hardcore friend.
However, all those frustrations fade when I play Marvel Rivals for fun instead of ranked play. Dying feels nowhere near as bad now that there isn’t a meter telling me how bad I am. I also feel more confident playing in unranked play, even getting MVP once as Squirrel Girl of all characters.
I’m a Rivals casual, and seeing some of my favorite Marvel characters in this excellent art style makes me happy. Seeing these heroes and villains in a huge arena gives me melatonin, as it's the equivalent of mashing toys together. These designs have also made me a fan of heroes I never thought I would like, with Luna Snow becoming one of my favorites.
There are plenty of benefits to playing in Marvel Rivals ranked play, and I need to improve in this mode. Fans who play these competitive modes not only get more challenging battles but fun rewards as well. Invisible Woman recently got a cool alternate color for players who reached a certain rank. I might give this a shot now and then.
I hope the next Season Pass has some skins worth unlocking since the current one doesn’t do it for me. That’s not to say this pass doesn’t have cool costumes, but none are for my mains, so the wait continues. Still, I can’t deny how cool Wolverine looks as an older cowboy, giving me Old Man Logan vibes.
But even if I never get good at competitive play, which is very likely, Marvel Rivals will always have a special place in my heart, and unranked play will remain a favorite. Hero shooters were never my thing, so seeing a cool title like this that shows off the skins has been a pleasant surprise.
Long story short: get good noob and enjoy casual play.