A review of Marvel’s new free-to-play game from NetEase

Marvel Mystic Mayhem blends comic-style storytelling with energy-based team combat across the Marvel Multiverse. With strong visuals and unique character abilities, it's a fun mobile RPG, though weakened by a dull level design and an unnecessary auto-play system

NetEase and Marvel’s new free-to-play title has already crossed 5 million pre-registrations since its announcement. Made by the same studios who designed the successful Marvel Rivals, expectations are predictably high; however, Mystic Mayhem is nothing like Rivals (which offered an Overwatch-like experience). Instead, it combines energy/mana-based combat with unique abilities for the many characters from across the Multiverse. With stunning artwork and spectacular visuals, I find that there’s a lot here to like.

The game’s two core strengths are its story and its combat. The story is wonderfully executed, using comic book-style animation sequences paired with solid voice acting and well-written dialogue to convey the camaraderie and banter that’s signature to the Marvel universe. I really enjoyed the dialogues, even from someone like Hulk, a character often reduced to single words and mono syllables in the MCU.

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In terms of combat, you fight with teams of three, and the game relies on an energy meter system (think Clash Royale or Hearthstone). You choose which special attack to deploy based on its energy cost and, over time, build up enough energy to unleash ultimate attacks.

These ultimates are very well designed – and for characters like Psylocke and Storm, I’ve found them to be quite beautiful. The game also introduces multiple upgradeable dimensions for each character, including levels and abilities, and offers a variety of game modes for players to explore.

One aspect of the combat experience that I really enjoyed was how the various characters are sorted into types, along with the implementation of a type-based matchup system. This means players are encouraged to seek balance rather than pure power, pushing them to experiment with less popular characters and explore synergies and strategies when chaining attacks. For example, I liked combining Hulk’s raw power with Storm’s rain-based abilities to deal massive damage during the mid-stages of a level. However, not all gameplay elements feel fresh, I found the level design bland and the time-based challenges monotonous.

A game doesn’t need to offer players everything – and I feel the automatic/idle gameplay system is extraneous here.

Apart from these minor flaws, this is a solid free-to-play game with great grinding potential, and those who enjoy collecting unique characters will likely have a great time.

However, I strongly recommend staying away from the automatic combat feature, it makes the experience feel shallow and reduces Mystic Mayhem to something out of the mid-2010s, like Deck Heroes.

Sneak Peek:

Title: Marvel Mystic Mayhem

Developer and Publisher: NetEase Games

Game Type: Energy-meter-based combat with unique abilities

Platforms: Android and iOS

Price: Free-to-Play with in-app purchases

Verdict (all scores out of 10):

Innovative Gameplay: 7

Game Handling and Quality: 8.5

Value for Time: 8

Potential Progression without in-game purchases: 8

Overall: 7.87

What Stands Out:

The game allows players to experiment with multiple characters from the Marvel Multiverse and test how they work together. The unique skills and abilities of the characters are well-designed.

The type-based classification of the various playable characters is well done. Team selection is an exercise of balance rather than power alone.

Fails to impress:

The idle/auto-play system seems like a waste in a game like this, where players can time and chain specific attacks and map precise AoE damage.

The lucky-draw-based hero drawing system is beautifully detailed but seems out of place and dated. It diminishes the overall experience.