Somehow each time my partner and I have played through, we have satisfyingly managed to just make it.
The Game Scout
My first play-through of Marvel Champions was a thrilling experience (if you discount the time spent scouring the Rules Reference to settle small debates about the rules) It feels like a comic, it feels like a boss battle and it feels like a genuinely co-operative game once your are comfortable playing simultaneously.
If this would be your first Fantasy Flight game, then this is an accessible place to start. If you’ve played their games before, there are borrowed mechanics that will make the game easier to get into. The cards make total sense for each character. They bring to life what it might feel like to be Spiderman and Captain Marvel battling Rhino as he blasts his way into S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. Each play-through feels different to the next depending on the hero you play as. Immediately after playing, I went straight online to find the Captain America Hero Pack (disappointingly sold out) because I couldn’t wait to experience the feeling of playing as Captain America.
Somehow each time my partner and I have played through, we have satisfyingly managed to just make it. The game is balanced in a way that you never feel quite on top of attacking the villain, thwarting his evil schemes, defending against his attacks and recovering yourself in your heroes alter-ego. When it feels like failure is imminent, a final push from the heroes saves the day. It couldn’t be more classic comic if it tried.
I’ll be playing again soon to exhaust the possible combos of heroes and villains. I imagine this time next year, the cleverly designed box (primed and ready to accept a large number of expansions) will be full of even more possibilities.
The Game Scout
The Game Scout 