Everyone has their gaming guilty pleasure, and mine is undoubtedly that of Marvel Rivals. Don’t get me wrong, this hero shooter has truly taken the world by storm, and it isn’t shameful in itself to jump on for a few games of action-packed brawling.
But grinding through every challenge as soon as it is released, in order to accrue enough Units to purchase the latest Scarlet Witch skin? Maybe I need to get my priorities straight…
Blade is Here!
Or…. maybe not!
Season 3.5 of Marvel Rivals is here, and the second part of Season 3 brings with it a brand-new hero for players to get excited about. Fresh off of his introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in last year’s Deadpool and Wolverine, comes the sword-wielding, gun-toting, vampire-slaying Blade.
Classified as a Duelist in Marvel Rivals (the game has tanky Vanguards, damage-dealing Duelists, and healing Strategists), Blade is the perfect accompaniment to Phoenix, who also arrived as a Duelist with the launch of Season 3.0.
Deploying a unique fighting style where you constantly switch between having a sword equipped, or drawing your gun, Blade specialises in close-to-mid-ranged combat, where the key to success is constantly keeping your abilities active by dealing damage.
With his super-powerful lifesteal function, as well as the ability to inflict anti-heal on his foes, you’ll be slicing through the competition in no time!
New Maps, New Modes – More Fun!
As well as the new character drop, developers NetEase Games are keeping tight-lipped about a brand-new game mode coming to Marvel Rivals – Resource Rumble. Both the mode and its accompanying Throne of Knull map launches on August 22nd – our patience will be tested! – and continues the symbiote theme that Season 3 has become known for.
The map will also give more clues as to the role of Knull – the all-powerful villain of Season 3, and how he fits into the wider Rivals lore. Stay tuned for more details regarding the Throne of Knull map, and Resource Rumble, coming soon.
Our guess? Resource Rumble might be something to do with having character abilities limited to a certain amount of uses per match, adding a whole new layer of complexity to the game. Or it could be a Valorant-esque take on the game, where you purchase abilities between rounds. This mode is also set to launch into Competitive at a later date, so NetEase are keen to roll this one out to the masses!
Team-Up Tweaks
Rivals is all about the Team-Ups – extra abilities that are activated if multiple characters are present in a team comp. Blade is being added to the Lunar Force Team-Up, ensuring he can remain invisible for a short period of time, whilst additional changes are really shaking up the meta for Season 3.5.
Notably, the rez comp that has dominated the game’s competitive scene is being removed, as Adam Warlock, Star-Lord and Mantis’ Guardian Revival is no more. There’s also a few more alterations to the likes of Groot, Iron Fist, and Loki – check out the Dev Vision below for full details.
Play Now!
Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 is now here, and it seems that a certain guilty pleasure will be sustained for a good while yet! Remember, Rivals is completely free to play on Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC, so why not check it out today? The Xbox Store will have the link you so desire.
