Info about Marvel Rivals: Official game description: Marvel Rivals Season 8: Update Overview ======================================= About the Game ============== Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter! Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe! A Deep and Varied Marvel Roster ------------------------------- Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse. Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game Dynamics -------------------------------------------------------- With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there's never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds. Dynamic Hero Synergy -------------------- Coordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot's back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man's armor for massive damage, and so much more! Creative Environment Destruction -------------------------------- Tear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory! Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch Updates ------------------------------------------------------------ The Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles! Release date: Dec 5, 2024 Categories: Shooter, Hero Shooter, Team-based Gameplay, Character-based Combat, PvP, Multiplayer, Competitive Multiplayer Feature scans: - MTX: score 90; verdict: Predatory Monetization; summary: The analysis of user reviews for the game reveals a pattern of aggressive and predatory monetization strategies. Key issues include overpriced microtransactions, concerns about pay-to-win mechanics, aggressive monetization tactics, a complex battle pass system, and the introduction of gacha mechanics. These elements contribute to a high level of frustration among players, who feel pressured into frequent spending and encounter gameplay advantages tied to purchases. - Mods: score 40; verdict: Buggy but Playable; summary: The game exhibits significant reliance on community fixes and mods for optimization and playability. Users report performance issues even at the lowest graphics settings, which are partially addressed by community-created optimization mods. There is a consensus that the vanilla game may not be fully playable or optimized without these community interventions. - Wiki: score 10; verdict: Needs Significant Improvement; summary: The audit report reveals several critical issues affecting the user experience. The most severe problems include significant performance issues, particularly with alt-tab crashes, and widespread frustration with the matchmaking system (EOMM). Technical support and bug resolution are also major concerns, with users reporting persistent issues and slow support responses. Gameplay experience is mixed, with some users finding it chaotic and others enjoying the character learning curve. Additionally, there are concerns about game balance and the handholding of less skilled players. Overall, these issues highlight the need for technical improvements, better support, and more balanced gameplay mechanics. - Proton/Linux: score 55; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game has a mixed reception on Linux. While it is praised for developer support and the ability to run on Linux with some tweaks, there are significant concerns about the anti-cheat system, performance issues, and the need for specific launch configurations. The overall experience suggests that the game is playable on Linux but requires additional effort and comes with notable drawbacks. - Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback for the game reveals several critical issues impacting the overall experience. Performance and optimization are major concerns, with users reporting severe frame drops, crashes, and poor optimization. Stability issues, including frequent crashes and freezes, are also prevalent. Compatibility with Steam Deck is mixed, with some users able to play the game but others encountering significant problems. Graphics and visual quality are praised but require high-end hardware and upscaling technologies to run smoothly. The anti-cheat system and community behavior are additional concerns, with users reporting frequent encounters with cheaters and toxic behavior. These issues collectively contribute to a frustrating and disruptive gaming experience. - Hardware Profile: - Summary: Performance varies significantly across hardware cohorts, with higher-end systems generally reporting better experiences but still facing optimization issues. Lower-end hardware often struggles with stability and frame rates. - Sample size: 1887 (2% coverage) - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based. - Windows <8GB VRAM / <16GB RAM (negative, 506 reports): This cohort reports frequent performance issues, including unstable frame rates and crashes, with many users expressing dissatisfaction with optimization. - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (negative, 443 reports): Users in this cohort experience significant optimization problems, with frequent frame drops and crashes despite having high-end hardware. - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (mixed, 399 reports): This cohort has a mix of experiences, with some users reporting stable performance while others face frequent stutters, crashes, and optimization issues. - Windows <8GB VRAM / 16-31GB RAM (mixed, 356 reports): Users report a range of experiences from stable frame rates to significant performance issues, with optimization being a common concern. - Windows 16GB+ VRAM / 16-31GB RAM (negative, 50 reports): Despite high-end hardware, users report poor optimization, frame drops, and crashes, leading to a negative experience. - Windows 16GB+ VRAM / 32GB+ RAM (negative, 44 reports): Even with top-tier hardware, users experience significant performance issues, including crashes and poor optimization. - Caveats: 1887 of 115197 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based. Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $0.00 - $10.00 - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that while there are numerous complaints about the game's mechanics, matchmaking, and overpriced microtransactions, there are also several mentions of the game being free to play and offering reasonably priced cosmetics and battle passes. The positive mentions of fair pricing for skins and battle passes around $10 indicate that the community finds value in these price points. However, the overall sentiment leans towards the game not being worth the effort or money due to various issues, suggesting that the fair price range is on the lower end. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 745.0h - Story completion: N/A - Session length: 0.3h - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes multiple references to playtime and match durations. The first quote mentions a playtime of 745 hours, which is a substantial amount of time spent on the game, indicating a high level of engagement and likely completion of the game's content. The other quotes discuss match imbalances and the dynamics of gameplay sessions, which can imply typical session lengths and the time investment required to see various in-game scenarios. However, there is no direct evidence provided for story completion or endgame content duration. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: Marvel Rivals is widely regarded as a fun and exciting hero shooter, especially when played with friends, despite some issues with repetition and occasional lag. - Stance: Fun immediately - Anchor: Playing with friends - Time to anchor: 0h 10m - Friction: Repetitive gameplay; Occasional lag; Toxic community; Unbalanced characters; Poor matchmaking - Unlock drivers: Playing with friends; Diverse character roster; Addictive gameplay loop - Conditions: Playing with friends; Casual play; Cooperative teamwork; Short, impactful matches - Player Archetypes: - Competitive Critic (no buy) - Motivation: Competitive integrity and fair matchmaking - Playstyle: Highly competitive, focused on ranked matches and fair play - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: no buy - Labels: Competitive player; Veteran - Reference games: Overwatch; Apex Legends - Casual Cosmetic Collector (buy) - Motivation: Enjoyment and cosmetic collection - Playstyle: Casual, focused on quick play and enjoying the game's aesthetics - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: Casual player; Cosmetic collector - Reference games: Overwatch; Fortnite - Marvel PvP Enthusiast (buy) - Motivation: Enjoyment of core mechanics and Marvel universe - Playstyle: Team-based PVP, focused on enjoying the game's mechanics and setting - Experience: mixed - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: Marvel fan; PvP enthusiast - Reference games: Overwatch; Team Fortress 2 Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Fun and engaging gameplay (weight 0.18): Players consistently describe the gameplay as fun, addictive, and enjoyable, particularly when playing with friends. The dynamic and fast-paced nature of the game encourages continued play. - Visually appealing design (weight 0.14): The game is praised for its beautiful and appealing visuals, including well-designed maps, skins, and excellent art design. The graphics and design elements are highlighted as strong points. - Unique character designs (weight 0.13): The character designs are noted for their uniqueness, creativity, and distinctness. Players appreciate the well-designed characters and costumes, which add to the game's appeal. - Diverse and fun characters (weight 0.12): The game offers a large and varied cast of characters, each with unique abilities and playstyles. Players enjoy experimenting with different characters and find them fun and interesting. - Fair free-to-play model (weight 0.12): The game's free-to-play model is considered fair and generous, with minimal pay-to-win aspects. Players appreciate the ability to earn skins and other content without spending money. - Overall positive reception (weight 0.11): The game is generally well-received, with many players expressing satisfaction and enjoyment. It is often described as a good or fantastic game with great potential. - Appeal to Marvel fans (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for Marvel fans, featuring a great roster of recognizable Marvel characters. It is described as a love letter to Marvel Comics. - Responsive developers (weight 0.05): The developers are noted for listening to the community and being responsive to player feedback. This engagement with the community is seen as a positive aspect of the game. - Frequent updates and new content (weight 0.04): The game receives frequent updates, including new heroes, maps, and game modes. This regular addition of content keeps the game fresh and engaging. Common complaints: - Poor matchmaking system (weight 0.22): The matchmaking system is widely criticized for being flawed and poorly implemented, often resulting in unbalanced matches and long queue times. Players frequently encounter one-sided matches and disparate skill levels. - Character balance issues (weight 0.17): Many players report that character abilities are poorly balanced, with some characters being overpowered while others are ineffective. This imbalance affects the overall gameplay experience. - Toxic community behavior (weight 0.16): The game's community is often described as toxic, with players exhibiting poor sportsmanship, harassment, and other negative behaviors. This toxicity is prevalent in both text chat and overall player interactions. - Ineffective reporting and punishment systems (weight 0.12): The reporting and punishment systems are seen as ineffective, with throwers, smurfs, and toxic players rarely receiving adequate penalties. This lack of strict enforcement contributes to ongoing issues in the community. - Optimization and performance issues (weight 0.09): The game suffers from optimization and performance problems, including constant crashes and errors. These issues can make the game unplayable at times. - Throwers in matches (weight 0.08): Throwers, or players who intentionally lose matches, are a significant problem. This behavior is often not adequately punished, leading to frustration among the player base. - Presence of bots in matches (weight 0.08): Players often encounter bots in casual and quick play matches, which can detract from the overall gaming experience. The presence of bots is a common complaint among players. - Poor player communication and teamwork (weight 0.07): Players frequently do not communicate or cooperate effectively, leading to poor teamwork and coordination. This lack of synergy negatively impacts the gameplay experience. - Smurfing and account boosting (weight 0.06): Smurfing, where experienced players create new accounts to play against less skilled opponents, is a significant issue. This practice, along with account boosting, ruins the ranked experience for many players. Gameplay feedback: - Character balancing issues (weight 0.09): Players frequently mention concerns about character balancing, including hero balance, meta balance, and the need for nerfs. This indicates a significant focus on ensuring fair and balanced gameplay. - Unique character abilities and roles (weight 0.09): The game features characters with unique abilities and roles, which players appreciate for the variety and strategic depth they add to the gameplay. - Competitive and casual modes (weight 0.09): The game offers both competitive and casual modes, catering to different player preferences. Quick Play and Ranked modes are popular among players. - Role-specific gameplay (weight 0.07): The game includes distinct roles such as Tank, DPS, and Support, each with specific functions and abilities. Players enjoy the role-based gameplay and the variety it offers. - Variety of characters and game modes (weight 0.07): The game offers a variety of characters with different mechanics and playstyles, as well as various game modes and events. This diversity is appreciated by players. - Hero shooter mechanics (weight 0.06): As a hero shooter, the game combines various characters with unique abilities and roles. Players appreciate the hero shooter mechanics and the diversity of characters. - Matchmaking system concerns (weight 0.06): Players have mixed feelings about the matchmaking system, with some mentioning issues and limitations. There is also a desire for a robust anti-cheat system. - Addictive gameplay mechanics (weight 0.05): Players find the gameplay mechanics addictive and engaging, encouraging continued play. The game design is praised for its ability to keep players hooked. - Support role dynamics (weight 0.04): Players discuss the dynamics of the Support role, including team interactions and the impact of Support ultimates. There are also mentions of role-specific problems. - Community toxicity (weight 0.04): Some players mention issues with community toxicity and player behavior. There is a desire for better community management. - Similar to Overwatch (weight 0.03): The game is often compared to Overwatch, with players describing it as a team-based PvP shooter similar to Overwatch. - 6v6 team battles (weight 0.03): The game features 6v6 team battles, which players enjoy for the team-based gameplay and strategic depth. - Battle pass system (weight 0.03): The game includes a battle pass system with regular updates, providing players with new content and rewards. - PvP and PvE modes (weight 0.03): The game offers both PvP and PvE modes, catering to different player preferences and providing a variety of gameplay experiences. - Map design and exploration (weight 0.03): The game features well-designed maps that encourage exploration and strategic play. Players appreciate the map design and flow. Performance notes: - Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.11): Many players report that the game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to poor performance across various hardware configurations. - Performance issues on lower-end hardware (weight 0.07): Players with lower-end hardware experience performance issues, including low FPS and crashes, indicating the game is not well-optimized for such systems. - Large file and storage size (weight 0.06): The game's large file size and significant disk space requirements are a common concern among players, especially with frequent updates. - Game crashes and stability (weight 0.06): The game is prone to unexpected crashes and stability problems, which detract from the overall gaming experience. - FPS drops and inconsistent framerates (weight 0.06): Players report constant FPS drops and inconsistent frame rates, which affect gameplay smoothness. - Shader installation and issues (weight 0.05): Long wait times for shader installation and issues related to shader caching and RAM usage are frequently mentioned. - Network and server issues (weight 0.04): Players experience high ping, packet loss, and server-side lag, which impact the online gaming experience. - High RAM and memory usage (weight 0.03): The game requires a significant amount of RAM, with some players reporting that 16 GB is insufficient and 32 GB is recommended. - High-end hardware requirements (weight 0.02): The game demands high-end hardware for optimal performance, which may exclude players with less powerful systems. - Visual effects causing performance problems (weight 0.02): Excessive special effects and visual clutter lead to performance issues, including lag and FPS drops. - Compatibility issues with software and drivers (weight 0.02): The game has compatibility issues with certain software and requires specific device drivers to run properly. - Streaming and recording issues (weight 0.02): Players encounter problems while streaming the game, including crashes with OBS and issues with NVIDIA Broadcast. - Loading times and performance on HDD (weight 0.01): Players using HDDs experience long loading times and performance issues compared to those using SSDs. - Battery drain on laptops (weight 0.01): The game causes significant battery drain on laptops, which is a concern for players gaming on the go. Recommendations: - Recommended for Marvel fans (weight 0.07): The game is highly recommended for Marvel fans due to its connection to the Marvel universe and ease of play. It is also suggested for both newcomers and veterans of competitive shooters. - Recommended for various player types (weight 0.04): The game is recommended for different types of players, including Disney haters, shooter gamers, gooners, and skin whales, indicating a broad appeal. - Engaging gameplay with high replay value (weight 0.03): The game is praised for its enjoyable and engaging gameplay, which offers high replay value. Players also appreciate the balanced updates and generous rewards. - Avoid solo queue (weight 0.03): Players recommend playing with friends and avoiding solo queue to enhance the gaming experience. This suggests that solo play may be less enjoyable or more challenging. - Implement skill-based matchmaking (weight 0.03): There is a demand for skill-based matchmaking in competitive modes to ensure fair and balanced games. - Use ping system (weight 0.02): Players recommend using the ping system to indicate enemies or request healing, highlighting the importance of communication in the game. - Comparison to Overwatch (weight 0.02): Some players compare the game to Overwatch, suggesting that it may not be recommended unless you prefer Overwatch. This indicates a preference for Overwatch's mechanics or style. - Ignore text chat (weight 0.02): Players suggest turning off or ignoring text chat, which may indicate issues with toxicity or irrelevant conversations in the chat. - Not for easily frustrated players (weight 0.02): The game is recommended for low cortisol players and not recommended for those who rage easily, suggesting it can be stressful or frustrating. - Add a healer system (weight 0.01): Players suggest adding a system to ensure there is at least one healer per team, indicating a need for better team composition. - Recommended for hero-based game fans (weight 0.01): The game is recommended for fans of hero-based games, indicating it fits well within this genre. - Implement player kick system (weight 0.01): Players suggest implementing a system to kick disruptive players, indicating issues with player behavior. - Transparent reputation system (weight 0.01): There is a demand for a transparent reputation system, indicating players want more visibility into others' behavior and history. - Implement role queue (weight 0.01): There is a suggestion to implement a role queue system to avoid unbalanced games, indicating issues with team composition. - Try all heroes (weight 0.01): Players recommend trying all heroes to find a favorite, encouraging exploration of different characters and playstyles. - Avoid ranked mode (weight 0.01): Players advise against playing ranked mode, indicating potential issues or dissatisfaction with the competitive experience. - Recommended for Overwatch 2 defectors (weight 0.01): The game is recommended for players who have left Overwatch 2, suggesting it as a viable alternative. - Recommended for support mains (weight 0.01): The game is recommended for players who prefer support roles, indicating it has strong support mechanics or characters. - Add individual rankings post-match (weight 0.01): Players recommend adding individual rankings after matches, suggesting a desire for more detailed performance feedback. - Report players for legitimate reasons (weight 0.01): Players emphasize the importance of reporting players only for legitimate reasons, suggesting issues with false reporting. - Wait for updates (weight 0.01): Players recommend waiting for updates or new seasons for fixes and solutions, suggesting that the game has issues that need addressing. - Remove bots from non-dedicated gamemodes (weight 0.01): There is a demand to remove bots from non-dedicated gamemodes, indicating that bots may negatively impact the gaming experience. - Make crossplay optional (weight 0.01): Players suggest making crossplay optional, indicating a desire for more control over the gaming environment. - Practice in 18v18 mode (weight 0.01): Players suggest practicing in the 18v18 mode, which may offer a different or more chaotic experience compared to standard modes. - Regroup after losses (weight 0.01): Players suggest regrouping after losses, which may be a strategy to improve team coordination and performance. - Better off playing other games (weight 0.01): Players suggest that those seeking a competitive experience might be better off playing other games like Overwatch or League of Legends. - Quit after losses to manipulate EOMM (weight 0.01): Some players recommend quitting after every loss to manipulate the matchmaking system, indicating potential issues with the system's fairness. Other player notes: No miscpoints Emotions: - Frustration (weight 0.48): Players are frustrated primarily due to matchmaking issues, which often result in unbalanced teams and unfair matches. Additionally, game balance problems, toxic community behavior, and performance issues such as crashes and optimization problems contribute significantly to this frustration. - Disappointment (weight 0.16): Disappointment stems from the game's perceived decline in quality and fairness, with players citing poor matchmaking, lack of balance changes, and excessive monetization. The community's toxicity and the developers' focus on skins over game fixes also contribute to this sentiment. - Anger (weight 0.07): Anger is mainly caused by cheating, smurfing, and a toxic community that ruins the gaming experience. Players also express anger over poor matchmaking, unbalanced character abilities, and the psychological toll of playing certain roles. - Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction comes from enjoying the game's dynamics, fair monetization, and stable performance. Players appreciate the attentive developers, beautiful designs, and the overall high quality and engagement of the game. - Enjoyment (weight 0.06): Enjoyment is derived from the fun gameplay, diverse character roster, and engaging mechanics. Players also enjoy the team dynamics, character abilities, and the overall polished and competitive aspects of the game. - Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement is generated by the fast-paced gameplay, variety of character abilities, and the game's connection to the Marvel universe. The engaging and addictive gameplay, along with frequent updates, also contribute to this excitement. - Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is driven by the addictive gameplay, dynamic abilities, and the enjoyment of the game's characters and mechanics. Players are also enthusiastic about the game's direction, character variety, and frequent updates. - Joy (weight 0.02): Joy comes from playing as favorite characters, having fun with friends, and enjoying the game's variety and customization options. The beautiful skins, exciting matches, and rewarding moments of successful gameplay also bring joy. - Disappointed (weight 0.01): Disappointment is caused by monetization tactics, lack of effective penalties for trolling and AFK, and matchmaking issues. The community behavior and heavy use of FOMO also contribute to this feeling. - Frustrated (weight 0.01): Frustration arises from solo queue ranked issues and balancing problems, which make the game feel unfair and unenjoyable. - Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is evoked by comparisons to Overwatch and the opportunity to play as childhood dream heroes. The game's representation of childhood movies also contributes to this feeling. - Love (weight 0.01): Love for the game is driven by personal connections, enjoyment of the game's style and variety, and appreciation for character designs and additions. The hero roster and ranked experience also contribute to this emotion. - Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation comes from the frequent updates, developer care, and the artistic direction of the game. Players also appreciate the variety of game features and the developers' responsiveness to criticism. - Addiction (weight 0.01): Addiction is caused by the engaging gameplay experience and mechanics, which make the game too compelling not to play. - Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is inspired by the potential for future improvements and the game's surprisingly good quality. Players hope that the game will continue to improve and become more fun and casual. - Disgust (weight 0): Disgust is caused by the community's behavior, which makes players lose faith in humanity, and the developers' focus on sexualized character designs for skin sales. - Discomfort (weight 0): Discomfort arises from the menu transitions, which can be visually jarring, and the presence of certain character designs that some players find unsettling. - Amusement (weight 0): Amusement is derived from the chaotic and humorous nature of the game, as well as specific character movements and combat styles that players find entertaining. - Depression (weight 0): Depression is caused by the negative impact on mental health and the overall game experience, which can be emotionally taxing for some players. - Hopeful (weight 0): Hopefulness is inspired by the positive aspects of the game and the potential for fixes and improvements, which give players a sense of optimism for the future.}