Marvel Rivals Black Widow Gameplay Has Serious Widowmaker…

Summary

Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play third-person hero shooter with a massive launch roster of Marvel heroes.
Black Widow's gameplay in Marvel Rivals resembles Overwatch's Widowmaker, with unique abilities for sniping and defense.
The game provides familiar playstyles for migrating Overwatch players while offering its own unique twist on hero shooters.

Overwatch Widowmaker players who jump into Marvel Rivals when it launches later this week may feel at home with Black Widow, whose gameplay trailer has just recently been revealed. Black Widow is just one of 33 Marvel Rivals heroes that will be available to play for free at launch on December 6.

Marvel Rivals is looking to become the quintessential Marvel game for multiplayer fans as a free-to-play third-person hero shooter. Taking a lot of inspiration from Blizzard's massive hit shooter Overwatch, Marvel Rivals will see teams of six duke it out over payloads and capture points across a variety of Marvel multiverse mashup locales, like Tokyo 2099, Yggsgard, Wakanda, an antarctic Hydra base, and more. The game's massive launch roster is made up of all the main Avengers, as well as other Marvel legends like Wolverine, Spider-Man, and even Squirrel Girl.

Marvel Rivals Iron Fist and Squirrel Girl

Marvel Rivals Reveals Iron Fist and Squirrel Girl Abilities

Marvel Rivals shows off gameplay footage of Iron Fist and Squirrel Girl, highlighting their martial arts skills and and long-range attacks.

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By J Brodie Shirey

Now, just a few days from launch, Marvel Rivals has gone ahead and revealed gameplay footage of one of the Avengers, Black Widow. The brief, 50-second trailer showcased snippets of Black Widow gameplay, revealing her to be a duelist who wields a deadly sniper rifle, with a playstyle that's very similar to Overwatch's popular sniper hero Widowmaker. The trailer shows Black Widow's potential for insane sniper plays, popping off a number of one-shot headshot kills in a row.

Marvel Rivals Releases Black Widow Gameplay Trailer

While it looks like Black Widow is most effective as a long range sniper, she has ways to defend herself against attackers who rush her spot. One particular moment from the trailer showed her roundhouse kicking an opposing Black Panther away before reeling back in with her grapple hook for a dual-baton melee follow-up for the kill. Black Widow's ultimate ability seems to be a large AOE plasma burst that softens enemies up for more effective body-shot sniper kills.

While Black Widow seems to be the main sniper hero of Marvel Rivals' roster, just like Widowmaker is for Overwatch, there are still some key differences. For one, Black Widow's sniper doesn't have Widowmaker's charge-up function that delivers a deadlier blow when players wait for that third ping. Additionally, Black Widow's sniper doesn't double as a close-range SMG, though she does still have ample defensive abilities that may require players to cycle her cooldowns efficiently. While Black Widow's trailer didn't show her using her grapple hook to reach higher ground, it could likely be assumed that it can be used in such a way, just like Widowmaker's grapple in Overwatch, though the kick she delivered to the Black Panther at the end of the reel-in may suggest it can only be used on opponents.

It would seem that Marvel Rivals is covering its bases well with regard to providing playstyles that migrating Overwatch players can recognize and feel comfortable with. As for Overwatch 2, its very important 14th season is due to begin on December 10 and will add a new tank hero named Hazard. It'll be very interesting to see how both games fare, and whether they will be able to co-exist as two of the biggest multiplayer hero shooters available.

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Third-Person Shooter

Action

Multiplayer

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Systems

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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!