Do we have to look at the kitchen again from that day on? As we complete planning in the lead-up to a big event, we also look forward to what that appointment entails. Sometimes you sit in a room and can watch a presentation with the ability to ask questions and answers afterward, and other times you walk into a room with consoles or computers and get game time. It’s often a combination of both: listening first and then playing. Of course, playing yourself is always best. You can say more about the game if you are able to test the gameplay for yourself. No matter how good the theory is, if things don’t go well in practice, the game can still be quite disappointing. So playing yourself is always better.

It is useful to receive some guidance in this regard one way or another. If you’ve ever attended an event like Gamescom and stood in line, you know that once it’s your turn, you’re often shown a video first that explains a few things about what you’re about to play. Such a video tutorial may seem very unnecessary to those who already know the game and know what to do, but it contains useful information for others. Instead of a video, you can sometimes play a tutorial or there are staff who provide some support on request.

It makes sense, right? Okay, now let’s jump to the moment I walked into the NetEase Games booth at Play Days, where a row of Marvel Rivals-equipped PCs were set up. “Hey, good thing you’re coming to play our game. You can sit there, good luck. Within a minute I was sitting in front of the screen with the controller in my hand. Can you feel where this went wrong? As a reviewer, you can feel quite lost if you’re thrown in at the deep end Without any introduction. Fortunately, the game mode where both teams have to maintain control of the car that needs to be steered through the level was fairly straightforward but obviously my first time playing Rivals was a bit difficult.

Escape from amateurs

It took a few games before I started getting into it. These first pots are not easy. You’re more interested in the question “Where are the buttons for each type of action?” Then with “What do I need now to help my team?” You don’t know the maps, you don’t know which ones are visual or audible indicates Specific attacks from opponents, and you may sometimes mistake the red lines targeting you for enemy attacks, rather than what they are, which are reinforcements coming from a teammate. Running away from buffs is not the best way to win Marvel Rivals games.

Anyway, enough complaining, but the reasonable conclusion is that there is a learning curve. The good news is that the game itself has a tutorial and a training room where you can try out all the heroes without constantly annoying other players. This seems useful up front because – and this is a positive, of course – Marvel Rivals has so many options that you probably won’t be able to take optimal advantage of them without prior knowledge. And it’s precisely these options that could make Marvel Rivals a formidable competitor to Overwatch 2 and Valorant.