- Free Steam demo with two levels and nine playable heroes, Steam Deck support, and local/online multiplayer.
- Dual-character and assist system inspired by fighting games, with shared combos and special attacks.
- A story centered on Annihilus and the Negative Zone, with locations including New York and the Helicarrier.
- Final release planned for 2025 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC; target roster of 15 heroes with Iron Man and Phoenix leaked.
Dotemu and Tribute Games have made available a First free demo of MARVEL Cosmic Invasion on Steam, a classic-spirited beat'em up from the creators of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. The test allows PC users to experience the game firsthand, with full compatibility with Steam Deck to play without ties.
This preview includes two complete phases —the streets of New York and the Helicarrier— and a selection of nine superheroes with own movements: Spider-Man, Wolverine, She-Hulk, Storm, Venom, Nova, Phyla-Vell, Rocket Raccoon and Captain America. Additionally, you can switch between two characters per player in the middle of combat thanks to the Cosmic Swap.
What the demo offers and how to play it
The structure is that of me versus the neighborhood of a lifetime: advance, control areas and clear waves, with arcade-style lives and continues. In each phase there are objects to recover health and small changes of pace with traps, stampedes, pits or advantageous machine gun positions, elements that force us to change our strategy without breaking the retro essence.
The demo features a moderate difficulty and hints at the final game adjust the challenge based on the number of players. There is also an energy bar per hero that, when filled, allows you to unleash special area attacks to clear the screen when things get tough.
For those looking for a more nostalgic aesthetic, we have included CRT type filters that mimic the look of nineties arcades. They're optional, but they fit with the pixel art direction, which reinforces the reading of the action without sacrificing clarity.
Template, styles and synergies in combat
Each hero has his or her own distinct identity: Wolverine dominates close range With constant pressure, She-Hulk and Venom impose brute force, while Spider-Man shines with mobility and spatial control with webs. Nova, Phyla-Vell, and Storm add verticality thanks to flight and ranged attacks.
Captain America can throw the shield with rebounds and block projectiles, and Rocket Raccoon brings sustained fire and explosives. Far from being a simple change of appearance, the cast invites you to experiment with combinations that cover several situations, especially when you have two heroes in the game at the same time.
The assist system, inspired by versus, allows you to call the second character to perform Contextual actions: projectiles, elevations or irruptions that link combos and finishers. Chaining two coordinated specials is an effective tactic to clear the screen of enemies and save a compromised section.
Cooperative and available options
The demo enables both local and online multiplayer, as it happens in Marvel Rivals, which makes it easy to test team coordination and hero synergies without any complications. It's a path that really benefits from being played with friends, because the quick role swapping cushions damage, maintains active control of space and opens tactical opportunities.
In the final version, the study foresees cooperative for up to four players, so that each participant can manage their hero pair and assists. In this context, choose the pairs well —a close-range specialist alongside a ranged one, for example—will make all the difference in bosses and long waves.
Story and settings: The threat comes from the Negative Zone
The plot pits the heroes against Annihilus and its cosmic invasion, an offensive that extends from the Negative Zone and puts the entire universe in check. The demo starts in New York and jumps to SHIELD Helicarrier, but additional locations and encounters with recognizable villains have been hinted at in previous materials.
Among the winks, a boss has been seen who is reminiscent of the Supervisor (Taskmaster) with imitative patterns and visual references to Capcom's fighting games. Without straying from the genre's mold, the pace and shot changes provide variety to the fights without diluting the clarity of the design.
Platforms, calendar and context
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is announced for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 y PC. As of today, there is no fixed date, and the launch remains scheduled for 2025 without a specific window.
The demo on Steam has arrived as part of the Steam Next Fest in October and acts as a cover letter: two levels, nine heroes and multiplayer options for check the gameplay core before the commercial debut.
Total template and what the community points out
Outside of the demo, the studio has been teasing more heroes for the full version. In addition to the nine playable ones in the preview, Black Panther, Cosmic Ghost Rider, Silver Surfer and Beta Ray Bill, and the goal is to achieve a squad of 15 characters at launch.
In parallel, a datamine of the demo code has pointed to Iron Man and Phoenix as the last two pending names, something that is not official for now. Until it is confirmed, it is advisable treat it as a leak and wait for the corresponding announcement.
With this preview, the game makes its priorities clear: direct combat, fair reading and cooperation with a system of exchanges and assists that provides depth without being overly complicated. While the final content balances variety of stages, bosses, and hero selection, Tribute Games' project It has the makings to please those who enjoy classic beat'em ups. con un toque moderno.
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