When Tribute Games and Dotemu join forces (again) with Marvel to build a fresh beat-’em-up for the modern era, expectations naturally run high. With MARVEL Cosmic Invasion, the teams deliver on many of those hopes – especially if your idea of fun is chaotic co-op slug-fests, nostalgic pixel-art flair and a roster packed with familiar faces. That said, the game doesn’t completely escape the limitations of its genre, and its ambitions sometimes feel just a bit too restrained.
From the get-go, the game embraces its premise: the villainous Annihilus launches a galaxy-spanning assault, and heroes from Earth and beyond (Marvel’s cosmic side included) must band together to stop the Annihilation Wave. The story acts mostly as a springboard for action rather than a deep narrative – it doesn’t bend itself toward complexity or character development, but it’s serviceable enough to justify a planet-hopping tour from New York to the depths of the Negative Zone. What you get is a light, action-first campaign that evokes the feel of classic arcade brawlers more than modern blockbuster epics.
Where Cosmic Invasion really shines is in its combat. The “Cosmic Swap” tag-team system lets you pick two characters for each level and swap between them on the fly – a mechanic that adds depth and encourages experimentation rather than mindless button-mashing. Each hero feels distinct: some rely on brute force, others on reach, projectiles or aerial mobility. This variety keeps early playthroughs fun and allows players to find pairings that suit their style. The tag-system, in its best moments, offers exhilarating combos and a satisfying sense of strategic layering, especially once you start mixing different hero abilities together.
Visually and stylistically, the game is a love letter to a bygone era of gaming and comics. The pixel-art is vibrant, detailed and full of energy – from character sprites to backgrounds to visual effects, everything feels lovingly crafted. The aesthetic brings an old-school arcade vibe with modern polish, and many of the environments come alive with color, movement, and comic-style flair. Sound and audio design contribute respectfully: punches, blasts and powers hit with punchy feedback, and the overall presentation supports a fun, fast-paced beat-’em-up experience.
Despite all that, the game does carry some drawbacks. For one: longevity and variety suffer. The core campaign doesn’t run especially long, and after a full playthrough – where you likely unlock all characters and reach the level cap for a favorite or two – there’s a feeling that you’ve seen a lot of what the game has to offer. Enemy variety is limited, and too often you’re fighting the same types over and over. Boss fights are uneven and could use some balancing – some require effort, but many are forgettable or easily breezed through. In combination with a lack of character-progression depth (movesets barely evolve as heroes level up), replaying for “more of the same” doesn’t feel as rewarding as one might hope.
Furthermore, while certain heroes are more fun to play with than others – those with ranged attacks, good aerial mobility, or flexible tag-team synergy stand out, but a portion of the 15-hero roster never feels truly compelling. That imbalance undercuts a roster that should be a selling point and makes choice less meaningful, especially in solo or short-session play. However, it’s a blast when playing in co-op, and we imagine this is where its lasting appeal will be.
All told, MARVEL Cosmic Invasion isn’t a reinvention of the beat-’em-up genre, nor does it aspire to be. What it strives for – and mostly achieves – is a joyful, flashy, accessible and cooperative homage to arcade brawlers, wrapped in Marvel iconography. For fans of classic side-scrolling action, or those who love the idea of duking it out as their favorite heroes with friends, it’s easily one of the better modern entries. But for anyone hoping for deep storytelling, long-term progression or wide gameplay variety, it’s best appreciated in small doses – ideally by playing couch-co-op with buddies.
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is exactly what it promises – a colourful, energetic, comic-book-style brawler. It’s not flawless, but for the right crowd (especially cooperative players and nostalgia lovers) it delivers plenty of punch and fun, and it’s a easy recommendation if you’re a fan of the genre and enjoy MARVEL.
Score: 8.3/10
Press Play Media 