Ever wanted to be a superhero? Better yet, how about a Marvel superhero? With Marvel Powers United VR you can do just that. This promising new VR game lets you step into the shoes of your favorite comic book characters and team up with friends to save the world over and over again.
What is it?
Marvel Powers United VR is essentially a co-op brawler. You team up with up to four friends, each of whom chooses from a number of different heroes, and then take on individual missions that are around 10 – 20 minutes long. You’ll be tasked with objectives like defending certain objects and must then hold off scores of enemies, including occasional boss characters based on comic book villains.
The game is played from a first-person perspective, and each hero has their own unique abilities to play with. Thor can throw his mystical hammer, Mjolnir, for example, while Hulk’s super strength allows him to easily bat away enemies.
Heroes
A total of 18 playable heroes have been confirmed for the game so far:
Black Panther – As king of Wakanda, Black Panther a.k.a. T’Challa utilizes superhuman strength gained from the mystical heart-shaped herb, paired with a suit made out of an unbreakable metal named vibranium, to slash away at his foes.
Rocket Raccoon – Born from sadistic experiments, Rocket may be a little on the short side but he more than makes up for it with the size of his guns. A favorite among the Guardians of the Galaxy, he’ll make short work of those in his way.
Deadpool – Best known as the Merc with the Mouth, Wade Wilson is a hired gun that doesn’t know when to keep his trap shut. Mixing attacks up between guns and his trademark katanas makes him no joke on the battlefield, though.
Captain Marvel – Arguably one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel universe, Carol Danvers can take to the skies and emit deadly energy beams that will cut through the competition.
The Hulk – This is one time that you’ll definitely like him when he’s angry. When Bruce Banner loses control, The Incredible Hulk steps out of the shadows, bringing his unparralled strength with him. That’s bad news for the bad guys.
Crystal – A member of a race of superpowered beings known as The Inhumans, Crystal has one of the most unique powersets in the game. Utilizing her mastery of fire and water, she has great defensive capabilities to aid objectives.
Black Bolt – The leader of the Inhumans and king the Attilan, Black Bolt is cursed with a voice so powerful it can topple buildings. He’s usually confined to silence, but out on the battlefield he’s able to let loose.
Thor – God of Thunder, Son of Odin and… strongest Avenger? Thor wields his mighty hammer, Mjolnir, to smash through foes with little effort. As if hitting things with a hammer weren’t enough, he can also summon lightning to aid his cause. Handy!
Hawkeye – Perfectly suited for VR, Hawkeye brings his trademark bow and arrow into combat with a variety of arrowheads serving different purposes. You’ll still need a steady aim to get the most out of this character, though.
Black Widow – Master assassin and elite fighter, Natasha Romanov has more than enough tricks up her sleeve to get the job done. Switching up fighting styles with her usual weapons will be enough to take down any enemy.
Star-Lord – Peter Quill, leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, bring his high-tech kit onto the battlefield to get the job done. With dual-wielding blasters, a jet pack and the ability to think fast, he more than makes up for his lack of true powers.
Gamora – Daughter of Thanos and the deadliest woman in the galaxy. Gamora tears the enemy to shreds with his razor-sharp sword. We don’t yet know if we’ll be facing down her Dad, but if so we’ll need her for sure.
Captain America – Steve Rogers was transformed into Captain America when he was selected for a super soldier serum that transformed his initially week body into peak condition. Wielding his iconic shield, he was born to be a leader of any squad.
Dr. Strange – Stephen Strange had his hands ruined in an accident, dooming his medical career. He instead devoted himself to the mystic arts, which you can use to conjure a wide range of spells on your enemies.
Wolverine – A man that needs no introduction, Wolverine is arguably the most iconic X-Man out there, sporting three metal claws on each hand that dice through enemies with ease. It’s almost like the game were made for him.
Storm – Another X-Man with an incredible ability set, Storm possesses mastery over the weather, summoning chilling lighting bolts at a moment’s notice. We’ll be eager to see her teamed up with Thor.
Iceman – Bobby Drake has the ability to create ice out of thin air, giving him amazing defensive and offensive capabilities. You can make ice sliders to glide around levels, making him a great choice for heroes on the move.
Spider-Man – Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, giving him amazing abilities such as super strength and the power to stick to walls. He now fights crime as Spider-Man, an acrobatic superhero with amazing web-based moves.
Villains
Our heroes aren’t just fending off cannon-fodder; some of the biggest baddies in all of Marveldom are ready to take you down.
Ronan the Accuser – A walking tank of a Kree soldier with a giant hammer that we wouldn’t want to get in the way of.
Loki – Thor’s brother, the God of Mischief, appears on the battlefield with an array of tricks to trip you up.
Venom – Bonding with a symbiote once worn by Spider-Man, Eddie Brock becomes Venom, a bigger, meaner version of the wall-crawler.
Ultron – An AI construct created by Hank Pym (the original Ant-Man), Ultron is bent on saving humanity by eliminating it. He’s complicated like that.
Magneto – Arch-nemesis of the X-Men and Master of Magnetism, Magneto is one of the most powerful enemies you’ll face in the game.
Dormammu – The ruler of the Dark Dimension that often finds himself face-to-face with Dr. Strange, Dormammu is an unpredictable foe.
Madame Hydra – One of the most powerful heads of Hydra, she commands an overwhelming number of forces that will try to stop you in your tracks.
Scientist Supreme – With huge technological resources on-hand, Scitent Supreme powers the weapons that enemies will wield in the game.
Thanos – The big bad of the Marvel universe, on the hunt for the precious Infinity Stones. Thanos wield amazing strenght that makes him unmatched in combat.
Locations
Marvel Powers United VR’s levels offer a grand tour of the Marvel universe, taking you to locations both weird and wonderful.
Wakanda – A technological marvel hidden within Africa, Wakanda is the home of the Black Panther.
Asgard – Thor’s homeworld houses a race of gods and a city unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Knowhere – A mined-out head of an ancient celestial now floating in space, this is why the Guardians of the Galaxy put their feet up.
Sakaar – A distance alien planet that Bruce Banner was once exiled to, proving your strength is the only way to make it on Sakaar.
Jotunheim – Home to the deadly Frost Giants, if you don’t have a reason to be in Jotunheim you shouldn’t stay there.
Release Date, Price and Platform
Marvel Powers United VR is releasing exclusively on the Oculus Rift on July 26th for $39.99/£29.99 and you can pre-order here. Since the game is published under the Oculus Studios banner there’s very little chance it will ever show up on non-Oculus platforms like the HTC Vive.
