The future of Marvel games certainly looks bright. Insomniac Games is working hard on its Marvel’s Spiderman following and Marvel’s Wolverines, with fans having high expectations for both PlayStation exclusives. Amy Hennig’s Marvel Project has a lot of potential, as does Dimensional Ink Games’ upcoming Marvel MMO. With Marvel’s Avengers always get content, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy successful enough to deserve a sequel, and Marvel’s Midnight Suns spanning a new genre, all kinds of players have Marvel content to look forward to.
However, given the current popularity of the Marvel brand, it wouldn’t be surprising if more games were announced and released over the next few years. Although there are strong arguments for games based on Doctor Strange and Black Panther, a project focused on Captain America might as well work. With powerful storytelling potential, exceptional gameplay, and diverse settings, a lot can be done with a game that takes a close look at the man behind the shield.
How a standalone Captain America game could work
While Captain America has a prominent role in Marvel’s Avengers and has featured in games that bring together multiple heroes like Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, his solo releases have been extremely limited. 2011 Captain America: Super Soldier was the only modern AAA version for the hero, and although it is better than others mcu related games, much more can be done with the character.
From a story perspective, a Captain America game could follow a number of different paths, but most interesting of all would see all eras of the hero covered. The first act of a hypothetical Cap-directed game could cover his origin story, with players seeing him injected with the Super Soldier Serum and experiencing his battles during World War II. A second act could focus on modern Cap, highlighting his encounters with Winter Soldier and adapting iconic storylines like Captain America’s Death. A third act could see Steve’s shield being passed down to Sam Wilson, allowing players to control a new version of the hero.
By spanning a few different eras, the game would be set up to have varied gameplay. Players could take on Hydra in three different time periods, with villains getting new leaders, outfits, and tech as the story progresses. This would allow the game to naturally increase in difficulty, with Hydra’s more powerful technology making sense due to the passage of time. From the bloody war zones of WWII to the cities of today, players would have various settings to fight. An upgrade tree for Cap could unlock new tricks for his shield, opening up additional combo abilities. With such a rich history, there are also plenty of opportunities for unlockable combinations.
Another opportunity a Captain America game could capitalize on is Steve Rogers’ various partners. In the first act set in the past, Steve’s sidekick Bucky Barnes might follow. The modern second act could feature Falcon as Steve’s partner, while the third act could feature a Falcon and Winter Soldier team, just like the mcu. While co-op is possible, these characters could also be AI companions like in the Unexplored series. Another possibility would allow players to take control of it in certain sections, such as Miles Morales and MJ in Marvel’s Spiderman. Being able to fly as a Falcon or wield the metal arm of the Winter Soldier seems too good to pass up, as do the potential team-finishers between the various characters.
Finally, if a Captain America game spanned Cap’s entire career of heroism, there would be several opportunities to tell a compelling story. Strong writers could show the similarities and differences between the 1940s and America today, pointing out areas where the country still needs to improve. With a character like Captain America, it’s impossible not to get political, so looking into relevant topics would be key. Given the potential of a Captain America game has from a narrative standpoint, and how fun it would be to play, hopefully a character-driven project will one day become a reality.
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