Summary
At the moment, gamers are probably aware of a whole host of Marvel games currently in development across multiple studios.Insomniac Games is working on itsWolverinetitle, Motive Studio is toiling away at itsIron Mangame, and Skydance Interactive has just released a story trailer for their upcoming Captain America/Black Panther title,Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra.
Fans of Marvel can rest easy as the narrative-driven adventure game is being spearheaded byone of gaming’s most influential women,Amy Hennig. Despite working on multiple projects over the course of her decades spent within the video game industry, it’s her work as a director on the superbUncharted trilogyon PlayStation 3 that is her claim to fame. Not only did she introduce gamers toone of the most iconic thieves in gaming, but she also delivered some of the best narrative gaming experiences players will have enjoyed to date. So here are a few key things Amy Hennig should bring toMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra.
Whether players have experiencedUncharted 2: Among Thievesor simply heard about its greatness, there’s no denying how tremendous the opening sequence was. From the get-go, players were introduced to an injured Nathan Drake, dangling from a cliffside while trapped inside of a train carriage, all caused by a very recent train wreck. It brought up so many questions, and gained gamers' interest and excitement, all while setting the scene for the grand-scale adventure that awaited.
That same excitement and intrigue is something that Amy Hennig should be bringing toMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. With the likes of Hydra finding their footing, a determined Captain America, and a no-nonsense Black Panther taking center stage, there should be no hesitation to create a bold opening moment. Whilesome games can take a rough few hours to get going, gamers can rest assured that they’re in good hands with Skydance Interactive’s latest title. If there’s one thing Amy Hennig will bring over from her time withUncharted, it’s knowledge of how to make a thrilling opening sequence that grabs a players' attention, and keeps them hooked from the word go.
There may be some worry among gamers out there that there are four playable characters inMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, and two of those characters were created just for the game. While most gamers will want to spend their time with the famed Marvel heroes Black Panther and Captain America, any gamer shrugging off the chance to experience new characters would only be doing themselves a disservice.
If Amy Hennig has proven anything during her time at Naughty Dog working onUncharted, it’s that she has helped shape plenty of great characters, includingone of gaming’s best action stars. That’s not even confined to the first game with the exceptional trio of Nathan Drake, Sully, and Elena Fisher. She helped craft even more standout characters, with the likes of Harry Flynn and Chloe Frazer in the franchise’s first sequel, one of which was so beloved, she continued to be a recurring character, and even led her own spin-off title inUncharted: The Lost Legacy. The same goes forUncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, introducing fortune hunter Charlie Cutter and the villainous Katherine Marlowe. There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that the new characters; Howling Commando Gabriel Jones, and Wakandan spy Nanali, will be just as interesting, and worthy of players spending their time with.
Puzzles and traps are par for the course for any treasure hunter expedition, but for a superhero game set within war-torn Paris, that mind-challenging predicament may not find itself present all that often. Though with Hydra likely wanting to keep their secrets and bases closed to the uninitiated, there’s bound to be some puzzling moments where gamers can get to work and find an inventive solution.
After all, wars are rife with secret codes begging to be cracked in favor of the Allied forces. So it makes sense there will be a fair share of more military-style puzzles implemented intoMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. It’s a mechanic that will surely find its way into the game and, with Amy Henning’sUnchartedhistory, there’s heaps of proof to suggest gamers will be getting some rewarding and inventive puzzles coming their way.
TheUnchartedfranchise has been at the heart of some truly spectacular set-piece moments. Whether that’sthrowing players out of the back of crashing planes, orforcing players to fend for their lives on a sinking cruise liner. TheUnchartedfranchise is jam-packed with memorable moments that gamers will want to talk about with their friends and replay all over again.
So there should be no question that Amy Henning will be bringing the same sort of high-octane adrenaline toMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. Sure, the game isn’t an out-and-out globe-trotting adventure, but it is a narrative-driven experience featuring superheroes set in World War 2. No, the game most likely won’t be adrenaline-pumping moment after moment, but when the occasion arises, players can rest assured that they’ll be thrown into some truly spectacular action sequences.
Yes, there’s always going to be an allure to playing big action sequences, but theUnchartedfranchise also showcased that not every moment needs players on the edge of their seat. There needs to be time to breathe, take in what’s just happened, and push the characters and story forward for the next exciting entanglement.
That’s something that theUnchartedgames captured perfectly in the past. Keeping the game well-paced, and the action exciting, but also taking downtime at the right moment to build relationships and push the threat of the overarching story. With the game taking place in Paris and Wakanda, there will need to be a chance to slow down and allow players to explore the world, take in the war-torn sights, and soak up the minute details.
