Review: Marvel Cosmic Invasion Space Punches
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
DotEmu has already managed to establish itself as the queen of modern Beat ’em up games thanks to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge from 2022, which was simply a love letter to genre fans with excellent gameplay, great visuals, and a divine soundtrack.
Now, three years later, the company returns once again to the beloved genre and launches a new shiny game (in collaboration with the talented developers at Tribute Games) – Marvel Cosmic Invasion, which puts the same great gameplay features on the front stage with some especially refreshing changes here is everything I thought about it.
Cross galaxy quality
Those who know me know how much I love superheroes in general and Marvel ones in particular, and therefore it will not surprise anyone that my expectations for Cosmic Invasion were really high.
So does the impressive quality level that Tribute Games and DotEmu gave us with their previous game remain? In one word: yes.
Cosmic Invasion presents a simple, not too deep storyline just as a quality Beat ’em up game should give us after all, it is a genre that lives on its gameplay, and naturally,
I have no problem with the story being pushed aside.
But for those who care, what we got here is a classic story about a cross-universe disaster that puts us straight in the middle of the action as we take control of some of the most beloved superheroes of the brand and fight various threats aiming to prevent the ultimate destruction of the universe promoted by Annihilus, the main villain.
The story we got here is cute and rhythmic exactly as it should be, in my view it decorates the game nicely and gives it a good framework that allows gameplay to be in the spotlight.
In terms of game length, it is a relatively short experience of 3-5 hours for the story and up to 20 hours maximum if you are someone who wants to collect and unlock all the extra content beyond the story personally I think it is a good length for a game of this style but I will understand players who say it is too short.
Throughout the game, we go through different stages each time in a different location across the universe, completing various challenges that mostly involve moving through screens where we defeat waves of enemies, and at the end of each stage we face a large and more challenging boss fight.
This is a very classic structure for a game in the genre and I personally really liked the stage design and the locations unlike Shredder’s Revenge which was relatively grounded and “logical” in the locations it presented, in Cosmic Invasion we get a wider range of targets to visit from the streets of New York to different locations across space and the galaxy directly related to various superhero teams and the game manages to surprise us and provide great variety at each stage, which is good.
Each stage also includes three different challenges that we can complete to raise the difficulty a bit (they are much easier than those in Shredder’s Revenge and I personally support this ease) and secret items that allow us to unlock various rewards such as character files and other fun extras. Beyond the main story mode, we also get a dedicated Arcade mode where we can experience the game with classic arcade machine rules from the 80s and 90s.
A world of heroes
If you thought the variety and creativity level in Shredder’s Revenge was impressive (I mean the character arsenal including all expansion packs), be ready for Cosmic Invasion which is equally impressive the character roster includes no less than 15 different superheroes (some unlocked in later story stages), including very popular superheroes such as Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine and even Rocket Raccoon alongside less known heroes for those who haven’t read much comics like Phyla Vell, Beta Ray Bill, and Cosmic Ghost Rider.
Not surprisingly, let me gush about the character design and visuals and say the animation work here is top-level with dedicated battle animations and moves for each character, the ability to upgrade and unlock improvements for each hero the more we play with them, and even the ability to change the color of your character’s suit for extra flair and customization everything here simply screams quality and I haven’t even mentioned that each character has a unique attack arsenal that can also be upgraded as we progress in the game.
One of the central innovations in Cosmic Invasion is the “Tag-Team” system that allows us to choose two different heroes for each stage, and during the stages, we can switch between them at the press of a button.
The game enhances action and fun through “switch attacks” that combine the abilities of both heroes into a strong attack ending with controlling the second hero (you can also call the additional hero for short assistance without switching).
Beyond combined attacks, each hero alone has a completely different attack and combo arsenal from other heroes, requiring practice with each hero to maximize them each character has a normal attack and a special attack that can be activated after charging a dedicated energy meter, some even can fly alongside “large” characters providing a different combat experience.
The only downside I felt is that sometimes the game felt too easy compared to other games in the genre because the special attack meter charges quickly, but it is not a significant issue if you just want to brawl with your favorite heroes.
What I loved most is that the Tag Team system works in multiplayer with friends, allowing up to 8 different heroes in one stage when playing in a full 4-player lobby.
Cosmic Invasion offers multiplayer including a “Drop-In-Drop-Out” system allowing players to join and leave stages without restarting, plus the ability to play locally or online, with the game adjusting difficulty and enemies based on the number of players in the lobby.
There is also full Crossplay support.
A celebration of colors
I cannot finish this review without mentioning visuals, performance, and soundtrack the game looks amazing, runs perfectly (tested on Steam Deck), and of course has a great soundtrack not fully on Spotify yet.
Bottom line
If you said endless fun and a superhero celebration, you said MARVEL Cosmic Invasion.
One of the best games of the year with addictive gameplay, visuals, performance, soundtrack and great options for single player and multiplayer.
One of the best treats for 2025, making it one of the best gaming years recently.
