Marvel’s Midnight Suns shows off card-based combat and superhero chill time

Sounds like romance is a no-go, though

Following the recent reveal of Firaxis’ take on the Marvel universe, today we got some more footage of Marvel’s Midnight Suns. Alongside a trailer and a gameplay breakdown, we learned a few more details about the game; including that no, it sounds like there won’t be super-love in the air at the Abbey.

IGN showcased a first look at gameplay of Midnight Suns, a tactical RPG from the makers of XCOM and Civilization today. Rather than simply being XCOM with a layer of Marvel over the top, it looks like Firaxis is diving into some interesting ideas: namely, cards.

The gameplay seems to center around cards that you can pick up and add to your combat deck, with heroes gaining power and new abilities over time. The player takes the role of the Hunter, an ancient demon slayer and child of Midnight Suns antagonist Lilith, leading teams of three heroes on missions against the demon horde.

Being a leader also means getting to know your team, and as Firaxis showed off, you can chat with the various members of your crew back at the Abbey, the headquarters of the Midnight Suns. These dialogues even have choices, which can affect how your relationships with the various heroes evolve, unlocking new abilities in the process.

Although the Abbey is filled with eligible supers, it doesn’t sound like anything will evolve past friendship. IGN interviewed Firaxis creative director Jake Solomon during today’s livestream, and when asked whether these relationships could become something more, Solomon said he gets why people are asking, but no.

“I think that, you know, in your mind you can be whatever you want to be,” said Solomon. “But we are saying that you are just very, very, very close friends.”

Bad news for anyone trying to get some alone time with Wolverine, Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, or any of the other superheroes. But hey, maybe some of these mechanics can show up in a future Firaxis game. I’d definitely be down for an XCOM where love can bloom on the battlefield.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is set to launch sometime in March 2022 for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.