Tactics RPGs have long been a popular, if niche, genre. At their best, the genre blends the core elements of a traditional RPG like quality storytelling and character development with a more nuanced and strategic approach to combat. There’s been a slew of high-quality entries in the genre over the past few years, andMarvel’s Midnight Sunsis shaping up to be one of the biggest yet. While the genre itself is fairly niche, the same definitely can not be said aboutMarvel.
There are major companies involved with the publishing of tactics RPGs. A good example is the upcomingProject Triangle Strategy,a spiritual successor toFinal Fantasy Tacticsfrom Square Enix. But projects likeTriangle StrategyorGears Tacticsaren’t necessarily major focuses of the studios they hail from, despite the quality of the games. The same is hard to apply to the Marvel IP, as it’s easily one of the biggest brands in the world.
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Marvel Enters the Tactics RPG Arena
The sheer size of Marvel’s popularity is part of why theannouncement ofMidnight Sunswas so exciting for fans of tactics RPGs. There’s inherently going to be a crossover genre fans and Marvel fans, so the idea of taking to a grid-based battle system with the iconic comic book characters is appealing to many. With the high pedigree of Firaxis, creators ofXCOM, the game is shaping up to be the first truly AAA entry in the genre in a long time.
This isn’t meant to diminish the merits of other games in the space. The aforementionedGears Tacticsis a respectful spin on tactical gameplay, and other releases likeWasteland 3andThe Banner Sagahave all made big strides in the space. These titles and others like them have led what’s felt like a renaissance in the genre going back to the release ofXCOM: Enemy Unknown.Midnight Suns’take on tactical RPG mechanicsand presentation feels like the culmination of this movement.
Midnight Sunsis coming at a high point for interest in the style of gameplay it’s looking to build on. The surge ofD&DandFinal Fantasy Tacticson streaming sites like Twitch, with the former being a basis for the core of tactical RPG gameplay today, puts the new Marvel title in a good place. Knowing that Marvel doesn’t lend out its properties lightly also implies a certain level of quality in graphics and storytelling. The first trailer has already shown off some interesting versions of the characters, and blending the more popular characters fromAvengerswith the darker, more mystical world of the originalMidnight Sonscomics is an interesting choice.
Midnight Sunsblends new card-based elements into its gameplay, a story that feels straight out ofDiablo, and a focus on interpersonal relations between Marvel characters that already feels very distinct from other games on the market.Midnight Sunsis also introducing a customizable character, which is a step in the right direction for RPG fans. While the game isn’t out yet, early footage and gameplay shown so far inspires a lot of hope thatMidnight Sunsmight be the first truly AAA title for tactics RPGs in a long time.
Marvel’s Midnight Sunsis set to release in March 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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