The hero shooter genre is often difficult to break into and new games in the niche genre often fail because they compete with Blizzard’s extremely popular and long-running title, Monitoring. However, on December 6, 2025, Marvel Rivals was released on PlayStation, Xbox and PC, and its early success made it a hit game for years to come. With 33 characters at launch, players have plenty of iconic Marvel comics to use in battle, and Ultron is on the way in an upcoming update as the game’s next strategist. The game’s roster is the main draw of Marvel Rivalsbut each of its locations is also a pleasant callback to some of the most iconic Marvel comics.

Marvel Rivals features three main game modes (Convergence, Convoy, and Domination), each of which uses a version of the game’s eight current maps. From the magnificent halls of Thor’s Asgardian palace to the bustling streets of Shin Shibuya, each of the maps in Marvel Rivals is beautifully designed, but some of them stand out from the rest because they make matches more alive with their destructible terrain, stunning visuals, and strategically placed mission areas.

5

Birnin T’Challa is a beautiful but cluttered mess

Game mode: Domination

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Each card in Marvel Rivals is filled with stunning visuals that bring the world of Marvel Comics to life and make every match entertaining. Some maps keep things simple in their design, leaving out a lot of structures and focusing on narrow paths to add more tension to a match. Other maps go in the exact opposite direction and are too complex for their own good because they include many entrances to the point but don’t make them easy for most characters to contest without wondering where the enemy is taking them from. will then attack. The card that suffers the most from this problem in Marvel Rivals is Birnin T’Challa.

Birnin T’Challa is the capital of WakandaBlack Panther’s home in Marvel Comics. Although the map’s details bring the region’s advanced technology to life, every point on the map is a chore to reach due to the way the map’s terrain is designed. On the waterfall portion of the map, the tunnels create chaotic fights that often slow the pace of the game to a screeching halt, and the other two smaller sections aren’t much better, as they both have elevated areas that sometimes give the impression of getting to the point effectively. a chore. Although Birnin T’Challa is arguably one of the most detailed maps in the world, Marvel Rivalsits level design makes each match difficult to complete.

4

The symbiotic surface sometimes resembles a maze

Game mode: Convergence

Some of the cards Marvel Rivals do a perfect job of bringing their Marvel Comics counterparts to life, but sometimes they do it almost too well. Symbiotic Surface starts out as a simplistic map, but much like the symbiotes it houses, it later becomes complex to the point that it’s annoying to keep fighting and navigate respawning when the player’s opponent eliminates them .

Symbiotic Surface’s initial point is arguably the best in the game, as it provides an open arena for both teams to fight for the point without having to deal with a lot of destructible terrain getting in the way. However, if the offensive team gets that first point, the map becomes boring, as it is full of dead ends to navigate and frustrating tunnels to traverse that can make aiming for crucial abilities a nightmare. Symbiotic Surface Fulfills the Strange Purpose of Its Comic Originsbut it misses the mark in terms of playability.

3

Spider-Islands is a great map with an annoying endgame

Game mode: Convoy

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While most cards Marvel Rivals are unique to the game, one of them, in particular, pays too much homage to Monitoringand the details are too similar to overlook. Monitoring is well known for its Hanamura card, which is inspired by Japanese culture, and Spider Islands in Marvel Rivals seems to use many of these design philosophies while also borrowing aesthetics. Fortunately for fans, the map is a pleasure to fight through and rewards players with a good understanding of each of the many buildings that litter the map.

Spider-Islands is a convoy map in which players must help Spider-Zero escape the clutches of Master Weaver. Spider-Islands’ only flaw is the ramps at the end, as they are almost impossible to block as a defending team as they make it difficult to attack enemies except for characters with AoE abilities effect like Moon Knight. . While the modern Japanese aesthetic has become repetitive in the hero shooter genre, Spider-Islands is an attractive map that makes the most of its visuals.

2

The Yggsdrasill path is full of fun and chaotic mess

Game mode: Convoy

Of all the cards included in Marvel RivalsThe Asgardian maps adapt the locations from the comics as best as possible, and the Easter eggs they contain make each stage a pleasure to play. Additionally, the map does not favor any particular class, so it is the most balanced map in the world. Marvel Rivals. Unfortunately, the map has a frustrating drawback that can sometimes make matches on Yggdrasill Path boring.

Playing defense on this map is much easier than playing offense, as the offensive team can be hosted by the enemy, and some team compositions will not allow the offensive team to move the convoy at all. Despite this flaw, most of the matchups on this map are phenomenal, and this early game hiccup can easily be overlooked when considering the sum of Yggsdrasill Path’s parts.

1

Hall of Djalia corrects the faults of his counterpart

Game mode: Convergence

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Although one of the maps of Wakanda is beautiful but has some major flaws, the other map of Black Panther’s home country is the best map in the world. Marvel Rivals from afar. Its starting point is the most comfortable point to defend, and the attacking team does not feel helpless because there are many angles to try to get to that point. Once the convoy begins moving, the map opens and players can engage in combat in narrow corridors or open areas around the convoy. Additionally, the spawn point doesn’t give any advantage to any of the teams on this map, making it Hall of Djalia, the most skill-intensive map Marvel Rivals.

Overall, the cards Marvel Rivals are all incredibly varied, and each plays completely differently from the others. Some maps in the game have some flaws, but the best maps in the game are near perfect, and every match played on them shows why. Marvel Rivals is among the best titles that the hero shooter genre has to offer.

Released

December 6, 2024

Developer(s)

NetEase Games

Editor(s)

NetEase Games