Marvel's Midnight Suns gameplay reveal shows off deck-building combat

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Midnight Suns mixes XCOM-like gameplay with deck-building battles

Marvel's Midnight Suns
(Image credit: Marvel)

The Marvel's Midnight Suns gameplay reveal trailer debuted a new deck-building combat system we hadn't seen in the tactical RPG's cinematic debut.

In case you missed its reveal last week, Marvel's Midnight Suns is an upcoming tactical RPG from Firaxis, the studio behind the Civilization and XCOM games. We recently spoke with creative director Jake Solomon, who explained a few ways Midnight Suns gameplay is distinct from XCOM, but the fact that deck-building is key to the game's combat is new. Check out the new system in action in IGN's exclusive gameplay reveal:

This latest trailer doesn't actually give us a whole lot of gameplay, but what we can see still looks vaguely XCOM-like, with players and NPCs scattered around a small-ish map with places to find cover and turn-based combat. In a brief snippet of combat footage, we can see Wolverine draw a card called Power Slash and knock back his opponent a good deal. 

We also get to see Doctor Strange use a move called Agamotto's Gaze and Magik use a card that opens up a portal and swallows her enemy whole. Brief cinematics play as characters execute their moves, adding a level of flair not seen in XCOM and XCOM 2.

Another unique feature of Marvel's Midnight Suns is its hub area, The Abbey, which moves to a traditional over-the-shoulder third-person perspective and allows for free movement. The Abbey sections of the game will offer the chance to hang out and get to know the Midnight Suns characters, though sadly we can confirm your relationships with them will be strictly platonic.

For everything else on the horizon, check out our extensive guide to new games of 2021.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.