One of Marvel Rivals' Most Annoying Problems May Not Be…

In a sea of live-service games jostling for superiority, Marvel Rivals has risen to the top, becoming one of the most consistently popular free-to-play titles on the market. A lot of this can be explained by its uber-successful source material, but as audiences learned with Marvel's Avengers, it takes more than just brand recognition to make a solid GaaS experience. In other words, Marvel Rivals clearly has some special sauce.

Perhaps it's because of this X-factor—whatever drives players to return for yet another round, or get invested for an entire season—that some can overlook Marvel Rivals' rougher edges. Occasional performance issues and an unbalanced roster are two examples of areas where Marvel Rivals could improve, and these problems, like so many others, can be expected to clear up thanks to the live-service formula. After all, NetEase's business is running and maintaining Marvel Rivals for the next several years, so general polish and rebalancing, either through backend tweaks or new content, are safe assumptions. But there are other, smaller parts of Marvel Rivals that could use a facelift as well, and audiences shouldn't be so confident that NetEase will address them. One such pain point is Marvel Rivals' character selection screen, which is inexplicably bad—and will probably remain so for quite some time.

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By Luci S

Marvel Rivals' Character-Select UI Is Sub-Par, But It Will Likely Stay That Way

Why Marvel Rivals' Character-Select Screen Is So Bad

There are certain elements of game design that are more or less boilerplate: left-click for shooting, right trigger for acceleration, et cetera. This extends to UI design as well. But occasionally, a developer will shirk tradition in favor of something bolder or more creative. Sometimes, this can lead to innovation, as visionaries can issue much-needed shakeups to stale systems or conventions. Marvel Rivals' clunky and obtuse character-select UI is not an example of this, however.

Games that feature multiple player-characters, like Overwatch or Mortal Kombat, don't tend to get too avant-garde with their character-select screens. Generally speaking, a character-select screen serves a mostly practical purpose, a pleasant waiting room for players to prepare and get hyped for the match ahead of them. As such, they are designed to be as frictionless as possible, and a straightforward, grid-like style of organization serves this end. But Marvel Rivals instead opts for an awkward semi-wheel for its character-select UI, which is both unappealing and difficult to navigate.

The "wheel" on the Marvel Rivals character select screen is a quarter-circle, which means that up, down, left, and right are somewhat ambiguous. This is especially pronounced at the spot where the semi-circle's curve is the most dramatic, as character portraits will often be positioned diagonally, relative to each other. When navigating the menu with a gamepad, it's easy to make mistakes or get confused, albeit in small ways. But these little annoyances add up over time, especially when considering that there's no obvious benefit to this semi-wheel design.

It's not exactly aesthetically pleasing, and its small size coupled with Marvel Rivals' ever-expanding roster results in having to scroll through different sections to access certain characters. This is an unnecessary roadblock that further complicates an in-game process that should actually be quite simple.

...these little annoyances add up over time, especially when considering that there's no obvious benefit to this semi-wheel design.

But of course, these criticisms are hardly novel: Marvel Rivals players have been airing their grievances about the character-select screen since the game was in beta; this is why the UI is unlikely to change. It's clearly a creative choice by NetEase, unpopular though it may be, and if the game's success hasn't yet been impeded by the clunky design, then it seems unlikely that it's at the top of the priority list.

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Third-Person Shooter

Action

Multiplayer

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 84%

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Released: December 6, 2024
ESRB: T For Teen // Violence
Developer(s): NetEase Games
Publisher(s): NetEase Games

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Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!
Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!

A Deep and Varied Marvel Roster
Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.

Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game Dynamics
With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there's never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.

Dynamic Hero Synergy
Coordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot's back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man's armor for massive damage, and so much more!

Creative Environment Destruction
Tear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!

Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch Updates
The Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!