Marvel's Avengers Beta is now available and players can have a stab at trying all the playable characters made famous by The Avengers movies. The entire roster can be tried out and this guide will focus solely on Iron Man and what he can do.
Even though the closed beta ran from August 7th until August 9th, there will be an open beta available from August 21 to August 23. Marvel's Avengers is a new superhero videogame developed by Crystal Dynamics and will be released worldwide on September 4, 2020. Being a third-person action-adventure game, Marvel's Avengers is a cinematic experience where players can choose between their favorite character and play either solo or cooperatively. Between; Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow, Ms. Marvel, and Iron Man, players are free to send out their preferred hero and smite both new and classic Marvel villains. An event on the Golden Gate bridge (when battling the Taskmaster) released an airborne substance called "Terrigen Mist". This is turning citizens into superpowered inhuman creatures and it is tearing down civilization in rapid order. After the apparent death of Captain America on this fateful day, the Avengers break up and go into hiding as they're now considered "outlaws". This day is now called "A-Day" and the story picks up five years later where Kamala Khahn (Ms. Marvel) begins re-assembling the heroes to help her unravel a conspiracy regarding really happened on that historic event.
This action-adventure game comes with light RPG mechanics where players can customize their character with cosmetics that were sourced back to deepest trenches of the Marvel's eighty-year history. Not only do cosmetics add a new fresh of paint to the avatar, but they also add new stats and perks. Everything can be switched around to the player's liking. There is also a skill tree in which different abilities can be unlocked through the progression of the campaign. The core gameplay functionalities will vary depending on who is being controlled by the player. For instance, playing as the Hulk will result in strict melee and ground-based attacks while Thor can act more as a zoner and keep his distance. One of the more unique characters is Iron Man. He is mostly reliant on airborne attacks and launching projectiles from afar. Therefore, he is one of the best-ranged characters that are currently on the roster. Needless to say, he can also be the trickiest Avenger to take control of due to his distinct move set.
How To Play As Iron Man In Marvel's The Avengers
Iron Man basically comes with three different modes; ground, hover, and mid-air. These are pretty self-explanatory and they each offer something new regarding his overall playstyle. His ground-based attacks are fundamentally the same as all the other characters. Stark will punch and kick his enemies into submission while spicing things up with repulsor blasts mixed within the animations. With a simple touch of a button, Iron Man can hover above the opposition and bombard everyone down below. He can also use melee in this mode, resulting in cool-looking air-combos if executed properly. Thus, jettisoning across the air with his boots is also possible and it will feel like controlling a rocket. It's an excellent way to escape overheated battles and gain some distance. The only way to attack while in this mode is by shooting repulsor beams out of his hands.
Iron Man's Abilities In Marvel's Avengers
Of course, due to the speed, landing attacks take surgical precision and it's not recommended as Iron Man's primary attack until players garnered a good sense of how he feels. Aside from his classic repulsor beams, Iron Man comes with two other projectiles; rockets and uni-beam. These can be switched on the fly by using the d-pad. The uni-beam is handy with chewing up the life bars of enemies while rockets knock it down in chunks. Every hero comes with three special moves called "Heroics". They're activated by using the shoulder buttons that's akin to the special abilities in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. They all have a cooldown period and players will be notified when they are ready to go.
Iron Man's Heroics are the following:
- Right Shoulder Button - Iron Man will shoot a mega-beam out of his chest, inflicting massive damage.
- Left Shoulder Button - A crowd-clearing shock wave will explode around Iron Man's radius.
- Both Buttons - Iron Man will transform into his 'Hulkbuster' armor and will display devastating melee and ranged attacks.
Under Iron Man's health bar, there will be a 'golden colored bar' underneath it. That's basically his ammunition. Whenever players launch a projectile, the bar will be depleted and it will take a few seconds to recharge. So, even though spamming attacks while in the air is a good tactic, it can leave players vulnerable. It's suggested to use melee to soften up enemies and finish them off with a shot, or vice versa. In many cases, Stark can be suitable as since he can fight at a distance. Of course, this can be an alternative way to use him, if players think it would be necessary. He's not the strongest character for being 'up close and personal' with the enemies, but he does have superior methods of ranged attacks in comparison to the other Avengers.
Iron Man is definitely the most versatile character in the roster and his attacks can be a spectacle to see. Thus, his unlockable costumes can also be a treat for the eyes. His aerial options give him an extra edge during combat and his special abilities can squash enemies if timed correctly. He may come across as a tad too advanced as a starting character. However, he's definitely worth checking out when new players get a handle of the game's basic combat control scheme.
Marvel's Avengers is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Google Stadia, and Microsoft Windows.
