PREVIEW – It’s official: one of the most anticipated superhero games, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, is slated for a 2025 release. Captain America and Black Panther have shared the spotlight before in Marvel’s Avengers and have appeared separately in other games, but Skydance New Media’s new adventure promises a cinematic experience featuring these iconic comic book heroes.

With an impressive cast of characters and cutting-edge technology, this might just be the most stunning superhero game to date. Set in 1943 in Nazi-occupied Paris, the story is an entirely original WWII tale where players control four heroes through one of history’s darkest periods. Here’s everything we know about Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra.

When and on what platforms will Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra be released?

The announcement of Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra took place at the GDC 2024 State of Unreal presentation on March 20. Next year’s game release schedule is filling up with heavy hitters like Grand Theft Auto 6 and Pokemon Legends: Z-A, making it interesting to see how Marvel’s new game will compete.

The first look at Marvel 1943, created entirely within Unreal Engine 5, was shown at GDC. While scripted scenes often look better than raw gameplay, the game still impresses with its visuals, utilizing the latest advancements in Unreal Engine 5. Amy Hennig, Skydance New Media’s lead developer, explained that Marvel 1943 combines a cinematic experience with the player agency offered by video games.

Although there is no official confirmation yet, it is likely that Marvel 1943 will be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The new footage shown at GDC used Unreal Engine 5.4, and while it might be possible to bring the game to older generation systems, it would probably require too many technical compromises.

The story, setting, and characters of Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is set in a pivotal year of World War II, with players exploring the streets, rooftops, and forests of occupied Paris through the eyes of four main characters: a young Steve Rogers (Captain America), Azzuri (T’Challa’s grandfather and the Black Panther of that era), Gabriel Jones (an American soldier and member of the Howling Commandos), and Nanali (a Wakandan spy operating in Paris).

Details on the story are still sparse, but it’s clear that all four heroes will need to unite to save Paris from Nazi occupiers and the growing threat of Hydra. Captain America and Black Panther don’t start off on the best of terms; the trailer shows them facing off against each other despite their shared goal of stopping the Nazis and Hydra.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra gameplay

So far, Marvel 1943 has mainly showcased cinematic experiences, but the GDC preview finally offered glimpses of the gameplay, which appears similar to the third-person perspective seen in the Resident Evil 4 remake.

We’re eager to see how the gameplay differs when controlling Gabriel Jones or Nanali, but it looks like Captain America will be a master of his shield, using it to knock out enemies and showcase his boxing skills. Black Panther, on the other hand, will have several stealth abilities to move silently and ambush enemies, aided by Wakandan technology that turns him into a battlefield ninja.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra technology

Inspired by Marvel comics, films, and TV series, Skydance is leveraging the latest Unreal Engine 5.4 tools. The MetaHuman Animator has helped create incredibly lifelike performances, while other Unreal Engine tools have allowed Skydance to craft realistic environments for the game.

Amy Hennig highlighted that creating an immersive game experience requires seamless integration of characters and environments. The story set in 1940s occupied Paris necessitated authentic and meticulously detailed settings.

Another interesting development aspect is the use of Unreal Engine 5.4 for clothing animation, ensuring that garments move realistically with the characters. In recent years, studios have made significant strides in digital clothing, and Marvel 1943’s wardrobe reflects the personalities of its characters, making sure the heroes’ outfits look as real as the world around them.

Marvel 1943: Rise Of Hydra voice cast and soundtrack

In Marvel 1943, Khary Payton lends his voice to one of the characters. Known for his roles in various films, TV series, and video games, Payton is especially famous for voicing different incarnations of Cyborg in DC Universe projects. The game also features Howard Stark, Iron Man’s father, who played a crucial role in aiding the Allied forces during World War II.

Skydance has brought on award-winning composer Stephen Barton to create an original score for Marvel 1943. Barton’s extensive work includes contributions to the soundtracks of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, MultiVersus, and the third season of Star Trek: Picard.

-Gergely Herpai „BadSector”-