Marvel's Midnight Suns

About Marvel's Midnight Suns

Firaxis Games dropped Marvel's Midnight Suns in December 2022 after their work on Civ. This tactical RPG lets you play as a custom hero called The Hunter and lead a squad of iconic Avengers against Lilith and her demon army. You fight on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, or PC with single-player action only. The story picks up after Doctor Strange and Iron Man retreat to the Abbey following a failed rescue mission. You build a deck of cards to handle magic and combat while managing relationships with characters like Spider-Man and Ghost Rider. It feels like a turn-based strategy game wrapped in Marvel skin, focusing on card management rather than pure action or open-world exploration.

Gameplay

You spend most minutes building decks before battles start. Each hero gets unique abilities represented by cards you play during your turn. The combat loop involves drawing cards, positioning units, and triggering combo effects to defeat demons. You can buff allies or debuff enemies depending on the card played. Between missions, you wander the Abbey hub to talk to teammates and upgrade gear. These interactions unlock new dialogue options and modify story outcomes based on your choices. You might spend an hour upgrading weapons or just two minutes fighting a wave of minions. The game tracks 72 achievements with a low average unlock rate of 22.3 percent, suggesting the combat gets tough near the end.

What Players Think

Critics and players gave it solid marks with an IGDB score of 80.3 out of 100 from 68 ratings. Most people stick around for the strategic depth rather than the story. Average playtime varies wildly since completionists chase every secret while others quit after the main campaign. The rarest achievement "Shocking Development" only unlocked for 1.70 percent of players, proving some tasks are genuinely difficult. Community moods lean toward appreciation for the card mechanics but frustration with mission pacing. Reviews often highlight the Abbey interactions as a strong point despite the repetitive combat loops. No one claims it is perfect, but many agree it stands out from standard superhero games.

PlayPile's Take

This title works best if you enjoy deep tactical planning and card building over fast reflexes. You can grab it now for $8.09 on Fanatical after its historical low dropped last week. The game demands patience since the achievement unlock rates show many players struggle with specific challenges. Firaxis nailed the superhero roster but the story lacks emotional punch compared to the gameplay. Skip this if you hate reading stats or managing decks between fights. Finish it only if you want to see how the Hunter handles Lilith without any multiplayer support.

Storyline

Hydra scientist Doctor Faustus resurrects Lilith, hoping to use her to help Hydra conquer the world. Six months later, the "Midnight Sun" approaches Earth, destabilizing magic and heralding the return of Lilith's master, Chthon. Doctor Strange, Tony Stark, and Carol Danvers attempt to retrieve a page of the Darkhold from Johnny Blaze but are forced to retreat to the Abbey to recruit the Midnight Suns and resurrect the Hunter, Lilith's child and killer. Lilith enthrals Venom to help her abduct Wanda Maximoff and destroy Strange's mystic shield. The heroes, joined by Spider-Man, capture Faustus to learn Lilith's plans, but Hydra operative Crossbones kills him before they can get answers. Meanwhile, Lilith enthrals Bruce Banner and Wanda, using a gamma accelerator to empower them. The heroes rescue Wanda, banish Sabretooth, and destroy the Parchment, but Lilith unleashes the demonic Hulk and summons demons worldwide. The heroes confront Lilith, who reveals her plan to destroy Chthon but inadvertently allows him to possess the Hunter. The Hunter expels Chthon, and Lilith sacrifices herself to destroy the Darkhold, restoring her human form. She, the Hunter, and Chthon's realm are consumed by the Darkhold, leaving the heroes to believe they are still alive. Meanwhile, Doctor Doom seizes the Darkhold for himself, deeming the previous users "amateurs."