Summary
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydrahas recently been doing the rounds thanks to a stunning story trailer that caught the attention of gamers and Marvel fans the world over. Whilst still eagerly awaiting gameplay footage, that hasn’t stopped players from taking note ofthings they hope to see inRise of Hydrawhen it releases in 2025.
Worked on by Skydance Interactive and headed byUncharteddirector Amy Hennig, fans of that series will be hoping some of thatUnchartedmagic influences the title. With so many great Marvel games already available, including last year’sMarvel’s Spider-Man 2. There are certainly a few key lessonsMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydracould take note of from the wall crawlers' latest outing.
5Worthwhile Collectibles
Sand Sublime
Collectibles in games are a staple. Although not everyone may be a fan of collectibles, when they work, they’re an absolute joy to hunt down and unravel. Some games are inventive with clever hiding spots, other games likeThe Last of Usdeliver even more great stories, and others, likeMarvel’s Spider-Man 2,disperse a range of different and appealing collectibles to draw players in.
IfMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydrawants to hit a home run with collectibles, then it’d be wise to take a page fromMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’sbook. Though it has spider-verse-inspired spider-bots littered across the city, and photo ops taking note of Peter and Miles' photography skills. Whilst photography is certainly Spider-Man’s strong suit, the rich history and alternate representations of Captain America and Black Panther are something that Skydance Interactive will 100% need to tap into when thinking about collectibles. Whether it be collectible trading cards of the characters or trinkets/items from the heroes' past, there’s no chance that the game can’t make some great collectibles tied to their wonderful starring character’s Marvel history.
Despite how cool the spider-bot collectibles are, the best collectibles inSpider-Man 2are thesand crystals that piece together Marko’s memory. Marko’s memory collectibles are scattered all over the city, but the real appeal is each crystal unlocks a new piece of Marko’s memory and what led him to the boss fight at the start. The fragmented story is a puzzle and incentivizes players to seek out and collect each crystal to fully realize the story of Marko and help heal his fractured mind. They are also protected by remnants of Sandman, meaning players will need to be ready for a fight to collect them. It may be a fun idea forMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydrato litter some guarded fragments throughout the game’s chapters, that’ll reward players with an interesting story that fills in some blanks and ties in with the overarching narrative.
4Expect the Unexpected
Surprise Redirection
One of the many things Insomniac Games has got right with theirSpider-Mangames is pulling the rug out from players when they’re progressing through the games’well-crafted superhero stories. Much likeMarvel’s Spider-Man, players are focused on stopping Mr. Negative, only for the third act to kick in and reveal a new primary antagonist. The same curveball is used in the stellar 2023 sequel, causing a big change to the narrative trajectory that many people probably didn’t foresee coming.
Now, that isn’t to say a game can’t have a great narrative without spinning on the previous antagonist to reveal a more sinister plot. Those kinds of twists don’t always work out, with a case in point beingFar Cry 3ditchingone of FPS games' best villainsearly on for a more traditional villain in drug kingpin Hoyt Volker. Though Hoy was still a serviceable villain, fans couldn’t help but wish the deranged Vaas had more time to chew up the scenery.
Thankfully,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2didn’t have that problem as it is filled with great characters. The game also had a pair of outstanding villains, Kraven the Hunter and Venom (but more on them later). The game was filled with exceptional story moments, and the idea of strong curveballs is somethingMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydramight be keen to learn from. Keeping a strong narrative is one thing, but switching up the players' expectations in new and exciting ways is something that can help keep the experience feeling fresh as they combat unexpected enemies and obstacles.
3Simple, Refined Combat
Accessible And Enjoyable
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is one of the most enjoyable superhero games to play. Its traversal is a pure joy to experience and the free-flowing combat makes the game a blast for players to play through. So it certainly won’t be a bad thing forMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydrato take a look at what makes Insomniac Games’Spider-Mangames such a fun time.
Nailing the movement and combat will be key to whether Skydance Interactive’s Marvel title truly swims or sinks. Whilst it’s expected that the gameplay for the new heroes Gabriel Jones and Nanali will be in the format of a traditional third-person shooter, for Captain America and Black Panther, the combat could prove to be similar to that ofSpider-Manor maybe theBatman Arkham series, as both characters share the same penchant for free-flowing combat and acrobatics.Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydrawould be wise to take note and work to deliver an engaging combat system that feels equal parts rewarding and satisfying for players to dive into.
2No Weak Links
Characters Worth Playing
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydrawill feature four playable characters: Captain America, Black Panther, Howling Commando Gabriel Jones, and Wakandan spy Nanali. Whilst most players will be excited about using one of the titular heroes, there will also be some reservations about how to handle the two newcomers, but that’s yet another area Skydance Interactive can learn fromMarvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Although Spider-Man is the title hero,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2also delivered story moments that thrust players into the shoes ofDaily Bugle reporter Mary Jane Watson. Though the gameplay for the character is a mixed bag, the sections in which players take control of the reporter are both few and far between. More importantly, the sequel also uses her sections to grant moments of stealth, along with some more distinct moments of action and horror. They add diversity to the gameplay across the game’s presumably long campaign.
1Ruthless Villains
Adversaries To Fear
A hero is only as good as his villain, and Spider-Man has a rogues gallery packed to the brim with them. Outside of Spider-Man, Captain America and Black Panther, both feature several truly incredible villains that fans will be hoping to feature in the upcoming game. However, it’s not enough to just include the well-known villain, it’s about creating a truly iconic version of that character that will get fans buzzing and players excited to tackle their looming threat.
Insomniac Games didn’t just go about making one standout villain. Oh no, they went ahead andtwo of 2023’s best gaming villains in one game: Kraven the Hunter and Venom. Kraven was established early on as a true threat to the player, as he mercilessly ends the lives of some of the prior games' villains in cold blood. It’s then a testament toMarvel’s Spider-Man 2that this ruthless hunter is then equaled, or even surpassed in the game’s third act by an incredible portrayal of Venom. This caliber of villainy is something that sets the bar for gaming villains in general, not just in superhero games. Having access to some truly terrifying villains,Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydrashould be able to present the likes of Red Skull or Ulysses Klaw in truly menacing lights.
