The way I started to rationalize it in my head after a few of these answers is that this game is kind of like a superhero-themed instance-based looter shooter that you can enjoy single-player or co-op. Yet, it also has a fully fleshed-out single-player campaign. It’s a hybrid in that sense.
The bridge mission at the start of the game is a good example in that it is single-player only – but later missions in the campaign will be multiplayer too. Hughes breaks down the barometer as “Any (mission) that isn’t specifically showcasing the story and powers of a particular hero” as a mission that will be open to multiplayer play.
Hughes also confirmed that there is a “base of operations” in the game where players can choose what missions to embark on.
I asked about the existence of a social hub a la Destiny but Hughes wasn’t ready to talk about that just yet.
According to Hughes, once you beat the opening bridge mission from the trailer you can also “jump straight into spoiler-land if you want to play any hero in any of the missions.” It’s a very fresh structure for a game of its kind, and it seems like the variety is necessitated by the unique nature of each Avenger.
When asked about the means of unlocking Avengers across the course of play – Hughes made note that we will “reassemble the avengers” after the events of a-day (the bridge level) mean heroes are outlawed.
I also asked whether Captain America was dead (he appears to die in the trailer thanks to a gigantic explosion,) but Hughes wasn’t ready to confirm or deny his status after the explosion – upon being asked whether he’ll be played by a replacement Captain America – Bucky Barnes or the like – Hughes was quick to shut me down “There is no replacing Captain America!”
In a similar vein – when asked whether we’ll see a Peter Parker and a Miles Morales Spider-Man, Hughes laughed and told me they weren’t announcing anything Spider-Man related today (he could tell I was keen to see Spider-Man!)
On monetization – after announcing that the game had no pay-to-win or loot boxes, Hughes told me that the only microtransactions in the game were based around the “things that allow players to express their own identity,” so think fan-favourite skins – but Hughes told me that they won’t have “gameplay abilities” tied to them, it’s purely on an aesthetic basis. It was also confirmed that outfits are unlocked over the course of the campaign without cost.
Crossplay and next-gen questions were met with a stony response – no news right now for both of those – but I did learn a little more about the levelling system before the interview wrapped up. Each hero has a particular level in Marvel’s Avengers rather than an over-arching progression meter across all the Avengers.
According to Hughes, the team wanted them to feel like superheroes from the start but through the levelling system and skill trees, you can tailor them to your own personal play style or add additional options.
So that’s a lot of information – and it sounds like Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have got a massive project ahead of them… and we’re sure to hear more about it at SDCC later this month.
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