63) Marvel Cosmic Invasion (2025)

After working on the excellent sidecroller beat 'em up, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, the team at Tribute Games approached Marvel in hopes of developing a game in the Marvel universe. Getting the greenlight with the condition that the game launch with at least 15 playable characters, the team set out to compile a roster of popular and lesser known characters while taking artistic cues from Jack Kirby, Jim Lee, and John Byrne. They chose to adapt 2006's Annihilation storyline since it had yet to be explored in film or games, and the larger scope of the story worked well for what they wanted.

Setting itself apart from their previous outing, Cosmic Invasion sees each of the playable characters controlling and playing very differently from one another. As such, it's fun to try out and experiment with different playstyles to find your favorite. Captain America, for instance, is a really fun rushdown attacker that can easily set up combos and adapt on the fly. She-Hulk, on the other hand, is a hard hitting bruiser that can toss foes around like ragdolls. It's also fun to see how different characters interact with one another, as there's plenty of unique dialogue based on who you bring along. In an inspired choice, each player selects two heroes to play as and can swap on the fly, allowing you even more versatility in how you play.

The game is a treat for the sense, with beautiful pixel artwork, silky smooth animations that bring a bit of fun and characterization to the cast. The music is suitably heroic, and the voice acting is top notch across the board. It's a bit odd for me, a person who mostly interacts with the Marvel universe via the MCU and video games, to see Steve Blum credited yet not voicing Wolverine. That said, it is Cal Dodd, the voice from the 90's X-Men cartoon, as well as the recent revival X-Men '97, so I admit this is less a complaint and more me just not being used to it.

The game is exceedingly well polished, and is a ton of fun to play solo or with friends. My only complaint would be that it's on the shorter side, but it's easily replayable, especially with a group. The roster, though fun and varied, does feel as though it's lacking a few characters you'd expect to see. Cyclops, Gambit, and Magneto, as well as Hawkeye, Black Widow, and any of the Fantastic Four immediately jump to mind. Credit where it's due, the roster does feature some deeper cuts while mostly avoiding any obvious cross promotion, which is a refreshing direction that the Marvel Games brand seems keen to maintain.