Square Enix have revealed more information about Marvel’s Avengers during their War Table livestream.
The game’s first beta starts in the Golden Gate Bridge demo; around 25 minutes of gameplay at the start of the game that gives a taste of each Avenger. After this, the demo opens up much like the full game will, offering single-player hero missions, and eventually single player and co-op warzones.
One of these missions will feature Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) and the Hulk trekking to a secret facility in the forests of the pacific North West of America; seeking the Olympia Archive and the last known location of Iron Man’s AI- JARVIS.
A later mission (Missing Links) takes players to Russian frozen tundras, looking for a SHIELD base and the secrets within. One of these missions (possibly the latter) also features a battle against Abomination- a Hulk enemy we saw in the prior War Table (though did not have confirmation if it was him).
Players will be able to unlock Iron Man and Black Widow along side Kamala Khan and Hulk in four player co-op War Zones, Harm Rooms, and Drop Zones; once the single player content of the beta is completed.
Harm Rooms (Holographic Augmented Reality Machine) are virtual training areas where players can take on increasing waves of foes solo with AI players, or a total of four players in co-op.
Along with training players how to use their hero, players will unlock three challenge rooms. Those who play the beta and complete the Harm Room challenges will earn a rare nameplate for their online profile in the full game.
As stated in the prior War Table livestream, Warzones are 4 player co-op missions; or one player with three AI companions, complete with gear unlocked for those heroes. The beta will have five War Zones.
Players will always have their objective in the top left of the screen, but Tactical Awareness can be used to bring up more UI information on allies health, and points of interest such as bunkers with puzzles for loot (including comic covers). Missions are stated to take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours, while Drop Zones are “smaller and more focused” than War Zones with a single objective.
The beta will also offer a taste of leveling up heroes, with access to one of three starting pages for each hero (the others available in the full game). Every level grants a skill point, which in turn can be spent to unlock new abilities.
One of these abilities available in the beta will be Iron Man’s ultimate- transforming into the Hulk Buster. This allows Iron Man to knock down foes by dashing into them, as well as pummeling them with piston and rocket punches, repulsor lasers, and creating shockwaves. The livestream also hints at “alternate deployment methods.”
Companion AI was also re-iterated, and how they will use the skills and gear you have unlocked. The live stream promises the build of the entire team can change the outcome of a missions success.
The beta begins August 7th, and runs to August 21st through various platforms. You can find the full details here. Those who finish the beta will also unlock Huck Smashers Pickaxe (with a bonus Hulkbuster style) for Fortnite on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
One of the game’s free post launch heroes was revealed as Hawkeye. Taking inspiration from comics such as Matt Fraction’s My Life as a Weapon (with art by David Aja), Hawkeye will have his own mission chain, unique from the main campaign. It can be played in co-op or solo.
Hawkeye is part of the Avengers Initiative, free post-launch content with four additional heroes (Hawkeye included), and new missions and stories. The end of the live steam also hinted at the full game having over 50 enemy types, Hives, and Boss Lair game modes.
You can find the entire War Table livesteam below, and the previous War Table livestream here.
Marvel’s Avengers is launches September 4th for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia; and Holiday 2020 for PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.
