Marvel has been criticized for having games that rely too heavily on button-mashing. We’ve been asking for a Marvel game that is a little more complex and in-depth, something that can change how we see superheroes. With Marvel’s Avengers, we are given just that!
Marvel’s Avengers is a deceptively complicated game. Although you can try button-mashing to get by, you’ll need to pay attention to some of the smaller details in order to get the most out of each hero. If you’re just starting or still thinking about getting the game, here are some tips and tricks to get the most out of Earth’s mightiest heroes.
Further reading
- Marvel’s Avengers: How to play online with friends
- Marvel’s Avengers character guide: The best builds for each hero
- Marvel’s Avengers leveling guide: How to race to level 50 fast
Play Reassemble first
Although it may be tempting to jump into multiplayer missions right off the bat, starting off in a single-player campaign is probably your best bet. After first booting up Marvel’s Avengers, you’ll be given the option of playing Reassemble or Avengers Initiative. Avengers Initiative is an assortment of story-focused multiplayer missions. Comparatively, Reassemble is the single-player campaign for the game.
Some of the events in Avengers Initiative happen after the events of Reassemble. If you play Avengers Initiative first, you may end up finding spoilers for Reassemble in the Initiative missions. It’s also nice to know that Reassemble also offers a few multiplayer missions, so you can play with friends at some points. You’ll just have to rotate through the few offered there until all of your friends have had a chance to beat the 14-hour single-player campaign of Reassemble.
Gear isn’t a big deal yet
With the Reassemble campaign comes a little time that you won’t have to worry too much about what gear you have or what power level you’re at. You’ll find gear at your current level or higher, and about halfway through Reassemble, you’ll unlock shopkeepers that sell high-level gear. This gives you a chance to just enjoy the game and the story rather than focusing a lot of attention on how strong your character is.
Leveling up is a must
Remember to keep an eye on when you’re about to level up. Every time a character levels up, all three of the meters for their Hero abilities will refill. This gives you a chance to run those meters ragged because they’ll automatically refill. You’ll get a chance to destroy as many enemies with crazy abandon without worrying about having to refill the meters.
Combos and skill trees
With Marvel’s Avengers, you’re able to build your characters as you see fit. This means that you’ll be given an opportunity to build skill trees and combos that fit each character’s personal style. This can make the game complicated, so focusing on one character at a time will definitely help.
Although each character has their own playstyle, you are able to specialize them as you see fit. For example, Iron Man can choose between lasers, rockets, or phasers for ranged attacks. Ms. Marvel can prioritize damage or support for herself and her team. There are quite a few routes to take with each character, so be sure you keep an eye on what role on the team you want each character to play.
Unlock running attacks as soon as you can
Running attacks give you a chance to get the leg up on enemies. Most fights begin in one of two ways: Either your group and an enemy group run into each other from opposing sides, or you are running from point A to point B with enemies trying to stop you. By equipping a running attack, you’re able to have an advantage by starting the fight.
Each character in Marvel’s Avengers has two different running attacks. You have a fast running attack that usually trips one enemy, and you have a powerful running attack that can deal damage to several enemies. Because you’re able to build your hero any way you see fit, you can select which running attack works best with the build you’re working on. You can even invest in both if you have points to spare.
Fill the stun meter
Below an enemy’s health bar is a stun meter. As you deal damage with attacks that can cause stun damage (generally heavier attacks), you’ll see the meter slowly fill. Once this meter is filled up, you’ll be able to perform a finisher move on that enemy called a Takedown. These moves are flashy animations that are really fun to watch. You’ll not only want to do a Takedown for the animation, but it also can defeat an enemy outright, and as you progress through the game, some gear will have special effects that activate when the finisher is complete.
It’s worth noting that you may not be able to do as much stun damage at the beginning of the game as you will later on. You start as Hulk and Kamala Khan, both of which deal tremendous amounts of damage. It’s more likely that you’ll defeat the enemies before even getting the stun meter full. However, it’s important to remember to keep an eye on the stun meter as the game progresses, particularly for characters who have attacks that deal a lot of stun damage.
Cancel attacks is important for long buildups
Some characters, such as Hulk or Thor, have long charges before executing an attack. Unfortunately, even during this buildup, enemies won’t stop attacking. If you’re going to get hit and don’t feel your attack is going to finish or land, you’re able to cancel the attack quickly and roll out of the way or counter before attacking again.
The three ways to cancel an attack are to either jump, dodge, or use a Heroic ability. Using jump or dodge are generally your best bets in canceling an attack and avoiding any enemy damage. The only time you should use a Heroic ability to cancel an attack is if you’d still be able to use the powerful move to its fullest extent. If you use a Heroic ability and don’t get the most power out of it, it’s sort of a waste of a Heroic ability.
Character-specific HARM missions
Character-specific HARM missions are a great way to learn how to navigate a character. Although Reassemble does give a decent breakdown of how each Avenger plays, the HARM missions will provide the specifics of each character.
To play the HARM missions, you’ll need to head to the HARM room. The HARM room is, essentially, a horde mode, but there are six extra tutorial-specific variations that will show you have to use each character. You’ll also be able to do these HARM missions as soon as they’re unlocked. This can be extremely helpful for characters you pick up in the middle of the game or later.
Avenger Iconic Missions are a must
HARM missions aren’t the only character-specific missions that should be completed. Be sure to complete the unique iconic missions for each character early on as well. These character operations will give you a chance to unlock the more traditional comic book outfits for each avenger, and they can lead to better loot drops.
Each one has a specific mission and requires multiple steps to be complete. Some missions will require you to defeat a certain number of enemies or to use a character’s abilities a certain way. Completing these missions right away will keep you from having to grind in Avengers Initiative later on.
Take out distance fighters
Combat in Marvel’s Avengers can get out of hand fairly quickly. It’s easy to get lost in the battle and not know where attacks are coming from. Although having wide area-of-effect attacks is important, taking a step back from the fight to see who is attacking from a distance can help keep you from getting overwhelmed in battle.
If you’re in a chaotic battle and can’t seem to get a good idea of where all your enemies are, take a moment to run back from the crowd. You’ll be able to see the flyers and turrets that are above everyone and raining attacks down. Be sure to take these guys out before reentering the fray. This will help keep you from getting overwhelmed and will help you defeat the group of enemies on the ground. Additionally, if you’re playing multiplayer, send either the Iron Man or Black Widow from your team to take down the aerial targets and turrets. Both of these characters are better suited for aerial targets than your other team members.