The success ofMarvel Rivalshas proven that the hero shooter is here to stay, with no signs of slowing down. With new maps and cosmetics added to the game often,Marvel Rivalsplayers have something new to look forward to each time they log in.
Though the game does attempt to innovate,Marvel Rivalstakes a lot of inspiration fromOverwatchwith its character abilities and game modes. However, there is oneOverwatchmechanic that was dropped early in its lifespan thatMarvel Rivalsmay need to make use of.
Marvel Rivals Has an Interesting Approach to Character Classes
Overwatchestablished the framework for future hero shooters to follow, andMarvel Rivalstook this foundation and expanded on it. Like the current version ofOverwatch,Marvel Rivals’ rosteris separated into three subtypes, albeit with different names. InMarvel Rivals, Tanks are called Vanguards, Support has been given the label Strategist, and Damage characters are Duelists.
Each of the game’s Marvel heroes and villains fit into one of these roles. The classes assigned to some of these characters are to be expected, such as Spider-Man being one of the game’s most mobile Duelists and Hulk obviously fitting the Vanguard archetype. There are some that areunexpected choices inMarvel Rivals, though, but the creativity woven into their kits makes them work very well. Rocket Raccoon’s love of weapons and Loki’s selfish tendencies make them odd choices for Strategists, and yet, they both fit their assigned role.
Marvel Rivals is still in its early stages of its life, but it is not short of content. It has been less than a year since the game initially launched, and it has nearly caught up with Overwatch 2’s roster already, with the promise that more will arrive with each season.Marvel Rivals’ expansive rosteris great for Marvel fans wanting to play as their favorites, but it could present a problem thatOverwatchmay have once had the solution to.
Marvel Rivals Might Need To Use Overwatch’s Cut Defense Role
Overwatch Stepped Away From the Concept
WhenOverwatchinitially released, its roster of playable heroes was divided into four classes: Tank, Support, Offense, and Defense. Characters who were very agile and had higher fire rates were given the role of Offense, whereas Defense characters were typically those who had to hold certain positions, like Torbjorn with his turret, or control space to slow the enemy team down, such as with Mei’s Ice Wall. This is how it remained for the first couple of years of the game’s life beforeOverwatch’s Offense and Defense roles were mergedinto the Damage class.
The eventual removal of the Defense class fromOverwatchwas a major benefit to the game’s roster because it wasn’t a good fit for many of the playable characters. Some of thestrongest DPS characters inOverwatch,like Widowmaker and Junkrat, were initially given the Defense role despite their high offensive output and impressive mobility options.
The names of these roles also caused problems with how players selected their characters. MostOverwatchmaps divide players into Attack and Defend teams, and these can seem to align with the Offense and Defense roles. As such, players would often pick heroes from the role that correlates with which side they’re on, forming team strategies around this. Attacking teams with too many Defense heroes didn’t always sit well with some online players, even though some of thebestOverwatchteam compsmade use of them. The class names were narrowing player strategies, and the removal of the distinction between Offense and Defense gave players more freedom in their choices and tactics.
A New Role Would Benefit Marvel Rivals’ Roster
There are plenty more Duelists than any other role inMarvel Rivals, and it doesn’t seem like this will change any time soon. Jean Grey is set to join the roster on July 11, withBlade being added later inMarvel Rivals’ Season 3.5. Both of which are Duelists, adding to the potential bloat this role already faces. If 12 characters are planned to release each year, it may become more difficult to navigate through the roster.
A solution to this issue may be to adopt the Defense role thatOverwatchdropped, dividing the cast into more even groups. Duelist is a very popular role, and as such, it can have somewhat of a bad reputation because of those whoinsta-lock theirMarvel Rivalsmainbefore considering what would work best for the team. By splitting this role in two, there could be less stigma towards this class and make team comps feel more balanced.
One of the main issuesOverwatchfaced with its Defense role is its name. The class was a source of confusion as some of the characters in the Defense class could deal more damage per second than Offense heroes in the hands of the right players, and could actively push objectives. This is a problem thatMarvel Rivalsalready has a solution to with its naming conventions. Characters likeMarvel Rivals’ Ultron proves Strategists aren’t just healers, and the role’s name never implied this. It’s likely that aMarvel RivalsDefense class would similarly be called something broader to categorize the playstyle of its heroes without restricting when they should be picked.
Adding a Defense role toMarvel Rivalscould help to make the addition of new characters feel more varied and stop the roster from becoming too cluttered. However, it could also be beneficial to move some of the characters already in the game to this new category. AsMarvel Rivals’ sniper characters, Black Widow and Hawkeyewould immediately fit into the Defense role, but so too could characters like Moon Knight and Hela, who stay out of sight and make space for the team. Namor’s Aquatic Dominion ability also makes him a good pick for this class, as the Monstro Spawn can prevent enemies from flanking or regrouping.
WhileOverwatchset the hero shooter genre up to become what it is today,Marvel Rivalsis taking it to new heights. By going against expectations andfixing problemsOverwatchhas,Marvel Rivalshas set itself up to succeed. The distinction between Offense and Defense didn’t work out forOverwatch, but it seems like it could be a necessity forMarvel Rivals, especially if it fulfills its promise to release new characters frequently. Establishing a new role now could break the roster up and make it easier for players to manage.
