Iron Man started the MCU in 2008, but even though that movie was a success, it didn’t mean the expanded universe idea was going to work. 2012’s The Avengers was the real proving ground, and it did overwhelmingly well at the box office and among critics. At long last, the MCU truly felt like "a thing." Today, everyone watches or engages with superhero content in some variety, on the same level that viewers may watch Friends or The Office.
Even though the MCU films can be engaging, sometimes they are more like spectacles than grand art with sweeping narratives. In the video game space, there are at least five examples of games that have better writing than MCU movies in specific ways. Without spoilers, let’s check those games out.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
A Fully Featured Peter Parker Epic
Marvel’s Spider-Man is the first adaptation of the iconic character that Insomniac Games worked on. Thankfully, it isn’t another rehashed origin story, as Peter Parker is already a well-established adult in New York City, and as a superhero, he wears the guise of his red and blue jumpsuit. He tangles with a few familiar villains, like Kingpin, but other villains appear who had yet to be established. The main villain is Doc Ock, who is also a big reason why the story works so well. Like many stories involving Doc Ock, he becomes a father figure to Peter — after he loses Uncle Ben — before he becomes a villain.
Eventually, Ock's inventions get the better of him, and Peter, as Spider-Man, has to stop him, which tugs at his heart. Beyond the typical superhero stuff, what this game gets right above all is Peter himself. He helps out MJ and Aunt May when he can, and works to feed the homeless, which also leads to another, lesser-known villain appearing: Mister Negative. Miles Morales, pre-transformation, is also involved in a supporting role. It may seem like a lot, but Insomniac manages to weave multiple narrative webs together to give Marvel’s Spider-Man one of the best modern Spider-Man stories to date, from the comics to the movies, with plenty of heart, laughs, and action along the way.
Batman: Arkham City
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman is not a Marvel character, but the story told in Batman: Arkham City is still one worth praising above some MCU films. After the first game, Batman: Arkham Asylum, the villains escape into a section of Gotham City, which leads to the area being quarantined. Now, Arkham Asylum exists within a city, where villains of all types are free to roam; at least, until Batman can help put them back behind bars. Taking place mainly over a long, dark night, players have to tangle with the best of the best of Batman’s rogues gallery. Two-Face, The Penguin, The Joker, Mr. Freeze, and many others are running rampant in the city.
It may seem like too much of a good thing, but each villain has a good side story that ultimately impacts the overall narrative. It’s well-acted, from returning voices from the 90s Batman: The Animated Series cartoon to new additions, which helps sell the draw of these villains. Batman: Arkham City is a good example of how to deal with multiple villains in a story without it feeling bloated, unlike some of the bigger MCU films with villains who tend to get the short end of the stick in collaborations (Spider-Man: No Way Home is one example). It’s also just a fun and brutal action game where it's satisfying to play as Batman, who is well-represented thanks to the golden voice of Kevin Conroy, may he rest in peace.
Marvel’s Avengers
A Better Origin For Kamala Khan
Marvel’s Avengers is not just a game where players can choose to be Earth’s mightiest heroes; it’s also an origin story for Kamala Khan, but one where she gets to help The Avengers reassemble after a devastating incident leading to Captain America's death. Her character and powers are better represented in this game than any MCU TV show or movie that Kamala has appeared in. The only thing the MCU does better is showcasing the Khan family, but in Marvel’s Avengers, the family dynamic is more about Kamala fitting into her superhero role.
In this story, Kamala is learning the ropes of her elastic powers, all while trying to convince The Avengers that their time is not yet over. It’s a loot-based live-service game at its core, and is not the best example of the genre among others out there, but there is no denying how fun the story is with all the set pieces players get to experience. Also, besides Kamala, the other depictions of The Avengers are solid, with Nolan North standing out as a good version of Tony Stark that doesn't need to be immediately compared to Robert Downey Jr. in the MCU. While the overall package may not have lived up to the hopes of Marvel game fans, the story is certainly worth experiencing.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Silly, But Meaningful
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is not tied to Marvel or DC. Instead, it's a direct sequel to South Park: The Stick of Truth. In the first game, the South Park kids and a new kid (who represents the player) were pretending to be in a fantasy land battling over a magical stick. In this sequel, the fantasy theme is swapped out for superheroes, with players choosing their build at the start. Like the first game, the fourth-wall-breaking comedy is alive and well, which pokes fun at DC, the MCU, and video games.
Fans of the superhero-themed South Park episodes will see plenty of returning characters and references, from The Coon to Mintberry Crunch. Fans of the Deadpool movies and the She-Hulk TV show will appreciate the bits in South Park: The Fractured But Whole, as Matt Stone, Trey Parker, and the other writers did not hold back on getting risqué. While it lacks heart and anything truly engaging from a mystery angle, this game’s story and comedy will certainly entertain players from minute one.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
