5 Best Underrated Superhero Games

There are so many superhero video games that, naturally, many of them have fallen through the cracks, destined to be lost to time or end up as an underrated gem. You’d be surprised at the calibre of games that get left behind, as, while some are understandably not particularly good, many are as legendary as the playable superheroes within them. Fortunately, with the power of the internet and plucky writers like myself, we can bring these lesser-known and underappreciated masterpieces to the forefront and give them another chance at the spotlight.

From indies that never quite garnered the reception they should have to AAA titles that somehow didn’t manage to capture the collective adoration of fans, these superhero games are undeniably worth your time. Sure, there’s a flaw here and there that almost certainly led to their criminal lack of appreciation, but, for the most part, these games are just as good as their more popular counterparts. So, if you’re looking for a truly exceptional superhero game with a lot to offer that you may not have heard of or played, then these are the games for you.

5. Capes

There aren’t that many indie superhero games, something that is perhaps not so surprising considering how much effort goes into devising a team of new and unique heroes alone. Which is why, when one does come along, it is prudent to pay attention. Capes is one such game, a turn-based superhero title about reclaiming the world from supervillains. You’ll control a roster of brand-new heroes, each with their own powers, in a series of tightly designed encounters that require a strategic mind and the careful consideration of each character’s abilities to win.

It’s hard not to fall in love with Capes and its hugely ambitious take on the superhero genre. Sadly, largely due to a mixed reception at launch, Capes never quite got the recognition it deserved. It has its flaws, namely its small and occasionally repetitive missions, and a lack of meaningful choices when it comes to upgrading your heroes. However, a series of updates has addressed some of these issues, and the rest can mostly be overlooked as a symptom of budgetary restrictions. Sure, it doesn’t quite achieve the same level of polish as some of its contemporaries. Still, Capes is a very interesting spin on the superhero video game genre with a cast of memorable characters that frankly deserve their own comic.

4. Captain America: Super Soldier

When we think of movie tie-in games, we usually picture low-effort cash grabs that drag out a two-hour plot across 10 hours of meandering linear levels. However, while a lot of them were absolutely atrocious, there were quite a few genuinely great movie tie-in games worth playing, one of which was the fantastic Captain America: Super Soldier. Sure, compared to other single-player superhero titles of the time (Arkham Asylum released two years prior), its flaws begin to show. However, as a fairly transformative adaptation of the film that introduces new story elements and fleshes out underutilized characters, it is superb.

Beyond that, Captain America: Super Soldier delivers the very best version of the titular superhero. Crucially, the combat (which was so good it influenced the Winter Soldier’s action choreography) is excellent and easily the greatest part of the game. It is always going to be fun beating up a bunch of Nazis, but Captain America: Super Soldier adds a level of weight to each punch, kick, and shield bash, giving combat a nice, crunchy, visceral touch that you wouldn’t expect out of a 2010s superhero movie tie-in game. Frankly, Super Soldier feels like the definitive Captain America game, and will always be worth playing for fans and those looking for a concise, enjoyable, linear, single-player adventure.

3. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

It is a joke at this point just how atrociously bad X-Men Origins: Wolverine is. It isn’t the laughable portrayal of Deadpool (or any of the side characters, for that matter) that really ruins it, although it certainly doesn’t help. It is the fact that they wasted the opportunity to deliver a compelling Wolverine origin story in movie form, something I’d still love to see. However, as surprising as this may be to hear for the uninitiated, the X-Men Origins: Wolverine tie-in game is so good that it almost makes up for the catastrophic failings of the film it is based on.

It is a miracle that X-Men Origins: Wolverine even exists, but I am extremely grateful that it does. This is a truly faithful portrayal of the extremely violent and brutal titular character, with players able to tear their foes apart with a flurry of delightfully gory attacks. Raven Software, the same folks behind many of the Call of Duty games, clearly understood the assignment, and while it was somewhat constrained by the film it was adapting, it took great liberties to deliver a more satisfying and accurate experience that remains a legitimately phenomenal game to this very day. Indeed, Marvel’s Wolverine should take inspiration from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, if it hasn’t already, as it is easily one of the best representations of the character in video game form.

2. Marvel’s Avengers

I know that Marvel’s Avengers is one of the most controversial Marvel games ever made, and, therefore, many likely feel it doesn’t deserve a place on this list. However, despite an initial rocky launch and a plethora of bad decisions, the game has flourished rather exponentially, becoming a genuinely great experience that allows you to play as a wide range of expertly adapted Marvel characters. The game suffered extensively at launch from a lack of meaningful endgame content, frustrating microtransactions, and a slow drip-feed approach to content updates. Now that all of the updates and free expansions are out, the microtransactions handed out for free once the game was delisted, and the endgame content expanded upon significantly, Marvel’s Avengers is a much better game.

I’m not trying to overlook its many obvious and agonizing flaws at launch, but it would be unfair to say that it has always been bad. After all, the foundations were all there at launch: the fun and fluid combat, the stunning visuals, and the surprisingly engaging narrative. Now that it is much cheaper and updated, it is absolutely worth giving Marvel’s Avengers another shot. You’re getting a huge pool of unique heroes to play as, an exhaustive list of missions to partake in, numerous expansions with new locations to explore based on popular runs from the comics, and a main story that delivers the same highs as its movie counterparts. If you can find a copy, Marvel’s Avengers is absolutely worth playing.

1. Marvel’s Midnight Suns

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is ostensibly Marvel’s Avengers meets XCOM, a combination that my comicbook-loving, strategy-obsessed brain finds immensely appealing. It brings together a huge roster of playable heroes and antiheroes (even more if you buy the easily recommendable DLC) and lets you hang out with them in the main hub before embarking on thrilling missions. The former life-sim aspect of the game is extremely compelling as it showcases a side to these beloved superheroes that you don’t really get to see in the movies, or indeed video games. However, the combat is where it truly shines, in large part thanks to it being developed by the same folks who brought us the excellent XCOM series.

In battle, you control a selection of the heroes you’ve unlocked and utilize their unique deck of cards to enact powerful abilities against your opponents. It blends action-packed animations with careful strategic planning to create a slower-paced yet nevertheless frenetic combat system that I feel better emulates the feel of battles across comic panels. Every hero is a genuine pleasure to play as, and you’ll want to use them all across the game’s relatively lengthy runtime. Marvel’s Midnight Suns is easily one of the best superhero games ever made, and the fact that it largely falls under the radar and goes underappreciated is a legitimate shame.

What underrated superhero games would you recommend? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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