It’s been almost a full year since the announcement of a partnership between Marvel and Telltale for the development of a console game. Actually, going by Polygon’s account of the announcement, the partnership is meant to spawn a whole series of games based on Marvel properties. That would really represent a dramatic shift in how Marvel has approached gaming thus far. Generally speaking they’ve put minimal effort into the development of console titles, instead focusing primarily on apps, their huge MMORPG, and even slots and arcade games. But given Telltale’s current reputation for developing rich and compelling titles, Marvel’s ambition for the console market has been made apparent.
Frankly it’s a mystery what a Telltale/Marvel game will look like, because it is by far the most ambitious gaming concept yet for the comic book giant. But there are a few expectations we can reasonably discuss based on the two companies’ tendencies, as well as Marvel’s cinematic projects.
Story First, Gaming Second
This is really the only guarantee about the Telltale/Marvel collaboration, and doesn’t require a whole lot of explanation. If you’ve played Telltale games in the past few years you know that they prioritize storytelling in their titles, even to the point of releasing new episodes after a game’s initial release. We should expect more of the same with the Marvel series, no matter the specific subject matter.
A Deep Character Study
The most sensible expectation for a major Marvel console game would be for it to involve the Avengers and present a narrative that involves numerous popular characters. And perhaps that’s just what we’ll get. However, Telltale also has a major Batman game coming out before long, and a write-up by Entertainment Weekly about that game has to make you wonder about the Marvel project. With Batman, Telltale is taking the approach of delving into Bruce Wayne the man, evidently in a similar manner to that of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins film. There will of course still be superhero action to play out, but the personal story of Wayne will be the main focus. A similar approach with a Marvel game would be an unexpected and fascinating route, and one has to guess that either Steve Rogers or Tony Stark would be the focus.
Film-Specific Chapters
The problem with the character study idea is that it’s pretty limiting for a comic franchise (and entire universe) that has so many characters who are popular with modern fans. For this reason, another interesting idea that makes some sense for Marvel/Telltale is to incorporate episodes or chapters specific to different characters and films. This would actually be in line with the aforementioned casino-related branch of Marvel’s current video game offerings. As you can see among Gala’s selection of themed slot machine and arcade titles, there aren’t just games based on popular Marvel characters, but rather entire films. From Captain America: The First Avenger to X-Men to Iron Man 3, they are many examples. Telltale could have similarly defined episodes, either looking to past films or even to future Marvel projects.
Up-To-Date Character Reveals
Continuing with the idea of addressing future Marvel projects with their own episodes, it may also be fair to expect Marvel to reveal or promote characters through the Telltale game as they become more significant in cinema. This is something they’ve done through the casino games, apps, and perhaps most of all the MMORPG mentioned previously. For instance, looking at Marvel Heroes’ site right now, you’ll see a promotion for “Marvel’s Women of Power,” which comes as speculation about the upcoming Captain Marvel movie is heating up. But scroll down and you’ll find several announcements regarding Daredevil and Elektra, who became more prominent in the game just as the second season of Daredevil was released on Netflix. Marvel has established a pretty clear pattern of doing things like this, and expecting more of the same through Telltale seems relatively safe.
Cutting Edge Visuals
Finally, we should expect an absolutely beautiful game. Telltale has become one of the most respected names in gaming of late, and Marvel is well aware that its fans have been eagerly anticipating a major console effort. These two won’t disappoint, and flawless visuals will be a great way to grab some attention and appease critics.
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