Demo Talk: MARVEL Cosmic Invasion — A Beat 'em Up at Its Best
October 3, 2025
2D beat 'em up games, once an industry staple, have a lot to prove before getting audiences on board. The general perception is that these kinds of games are just too boring and shallow. It's for that reason that some of the biggest beat 'em up releases of the last few years have relied heavily on their brand name for marketing.
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is no different, only able to be realized because of its attachment to the Marvel IP. Behind all the well-known characters, however, is a fundamentally enjoyable experience. MARVEL Cosmic Invasion represents the beat 'em up genre at its best, both fun to play and a pleasure to look at.
Satisfying, Expressive Fighting
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is fairly easy to get into, as the controls are quite simple. This is absolutely to the game's benefit, because greater accessibility far outweighs the value of greater complexity in combat. That's not even an issue in Cosmic Invasion, by the way, because every character has their own distinct moveset. That does more than enough to keep the gameplay interesting.
Swapping between characters is fully encouraged, with an assist system adding more power into players' control. Some matchups against the different types of enemies also just happen to favor certain characters better. Switching out never feels bad, because everyone is really fun to play as. Martyr is just as enjoyable to control as Captain America.
Gameplay-wise, MARVEL Cosmic Invasion may lean more toward the simpler side of things, but there's still room for more complex executions. Combos absolutely exist, with some moves having proper follow-ups. Juggling is also totally possible, viable even against tougher opponents.
The Right Marvel Vibes
A good beat 'em up game needs its atmosphere to be as strong — if not stronger — than its gameplay. MARVEL Cosmic Invasion definitely delivers in that department. The pixel art is lovely, with the characters easily being the main highlight. A lot of thought has also clearly gone into the beautifully designed backgrounds. There are so many Marvel references that can be found. It all makes for a strong, cohesive world.
On the topic of good vibes, it would be remiss of me to not mention how fun MARVEL Cosmic Invasion can be when playing with friends. That's the true beat 'em up experience, and it does not disappoint. The sense of comic book action is superb.
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion understands exactly what it wants to be. From the combat to the music to the UI, it all feels perfectly right. The vision behind Cosmic Invasion deserves a lot of props, because something this polished doesn't happen on accident. The use of the IP is excellent.
