Rating: 4/5. Loved the writing and the stratgey game. Game had some bugs though, and I'd probably enjoy it more if I was a true marvel-head.
Gonna drop a short writeup here about a game that's probably very easy to find info and reviews about. Because unlike my usual fare, this isn't some tiny indie, but a AAA game attached to a huge franchise. It took me almost 85 hours to complete (although I did basically 100% it) - but I didn't mind because I really liked it!
The game is half a strategy game, and half an rpg type game where you make friends and explore the Abbey grounds solving mysteries. I really enjoyed both aspects. The combo of turn based strategy and deckbuilding was a big win for me, and I feel like it's going to have somewhat ruined non-deckbuilding TBS games for me now! Every aspect of the fights was super well done, from the balance of the cards + environmental effects, to the animations, and even to fun splash-screens that big attacks get you. The engine is used for so many different types of battles and subgoals that it never really got old, even when I was grinding to get my last hero to maximum friendship (which I assume most players won't do).
I also really liked the exploration side of the game, chatting with characters and learning about Hunter's past. This game has SO much content - I can't believe that after 80 hours I was still encountering brand new conversations. The voice acting is wonderful and the writing left me chuckling - what can I say, I enjoy Marvel's quippy style. Not all the writing was perfect, but in 80+ hours of it, I can't complain. I also liked the story, and although the ending was a bit abrupt, it made sense and felt earned. And I loved the Abbey grounds - they were super beautiful, and wandering around them was lovely.
(Dr. Strange was my favorite character by the end)
The only reason I'm not giving this game 5 stars is just because, while I really enjoyed it, I can't say it's in my top favorite games. I'm just not a huge marvel fan, and would probably have enjoyed this more if it was disconnected from that franchise. It also had a fair share of bugs, from rendering people in weird places to straight up crashing and losing progress when trying to upgrade cards. For the price (and the size of the studio making it), I expected better performance. But it's still a fun game that I thoroughly enjoyed!
