Marvel's Avengers Expansion: Black Panther - War for Wakanda PS5 Review

Last year, Square Enix released the long-awaited Marvel’s Avengers to the gaming masses. Overall, fans were mixed on what the game did well and was disappointed by some of the title’s less than ideal features. One year later though, the game stands as a much-improved version of what we got then, and a solid recommendation to Marvel fans! And on top of that, a brand new expansion War of Wakanda featuring Black Panther was just added to the game, adding the new hero and a bunch of new missions to beat ‘em up through.

Black Panther is ruthless towards anyone who threatens his homeland.Courtesy of Square Enix

A Catch-Up

Since the game was first released on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, the team at Crystal Dynamics has worked hard to iron out a lot of the issues that made the game a chore to play. On PS5, the game’s action comes to life and feels great. The level-up structure of the heroes makes the game a bit too grindy at times still, but if you have a character you love and stick to playing as them and maybe a couple of others, it is not too bad. There are times when the game achieves its goal of bringing the Avengers fantasy to life as you and your team of heroes battle evil. Kate Bishop and Hawkeye have been added to the game, too with their own story missions. Kate and her missions are a lot of fun, but for being the main Hawkeye, Clint Barton’s are not as much so. Between the two of them it feels like you do not need to level them both up for your team, but instead, pick one as your designated team archer.

The game is in much better shape than it was when it first launched.

War for Wakanda

Acting as Avengers’ biggest expansion yet, Black Panther - War for Wakanda adds the fan-favorite T’Challa to the roster as he enlists the help of the Avengers to stop the cunning Klaue from invading Wakanda and stealing their precious Vibranium. When you first take control of Black Panther, things take a bit of getting used to in battle. In the films, T’Challa’s suit effortlessly absorbs damage like nothing, but Crystal Dynamics had a challenge in translating the Vibranium suit’s strength into gameplay. More so than maybe any other hero, you’ll be using Black Panther’s counter move constantly to repel the new, more aggressive enemies. The next thing you’ll notice is the vocal performance from God of War’s Christopher Judge who plays T’Challa. He slides into the role perfectly, and more so than a large chunk of the main cast, feels so right in the part. In general, Wakanda feels more authentic and well made than the majority of the main game’s levels and characters. The voice cast meshes into the experience well, and the design of the world captures the secret nation’s wonder and technological might. From a gameplay standpoint, Black Panther's agility and ferocity become really fun to fight with once you put a few points into his skill tree. The story missions for War for Wakanda will last you about 5-8 hours depending on your skill level and provide some genuine challenge at points. It is not the longest story, sure, but it felt right for the story and amount of new gameplay twists the expansion had to offer. I was glad that it did not overstay its welcome, and after all, you can use Black Panther in all of the rest of the game’s content so it is just the beginning.

Wakanda is beautifully realized.Courtesy of Square Enix

Battling Villains

Something War for Wakanda does not much improve on are its boss fights. One of the first battles you engage in as Black Panther is against Captain America villain Crossbones, who ultimately functions like another grunt enemy type you encounter later on in droves. For a universe so rich with great villains to include, Marvel’s Avengers still cannot manage to take advantage of the possible greatness of boss battles waiting to be fought. The expansion’s final boss leaves a lot to be desired, too, but is appropriately tough at least for a final climactic battle.

Marvel's Avengers can't seem to nail boss battles.Courtesy of Square Enix

Final Thoughts

“Marvel’s Avengers was a bold idea from the start. The concept of making so many different superheroes fun to play, in a story that is compelling from the beginning but has room to be expanded upon for years would be amazing if it came out in great shape. Unfortunately, the game is held back from the design being split between a fun single-player experience and a meaty multiplayer RPG. I feel like one or the other would be much better, but instead, we have a game that doesn’t exactly know what it wants to be. Even though characters like Ms. Marvel make the story engaging, the gameplay suffers from uninteresting design, bad performance when it matters most, and a ton of glitches. One day I hope Avengers turns into a great game, and I think it can! More heroes, storylines, and performance fixes would go such a long way for this one. I am very interested in seeing how the game will look a year from now, and even though I had a hard time enjoying it now, I am optimistic about the game’s future especially in the next generation.” -Our Final Thoughts on Avengers at launch.

With War for Wakanda and the next-gen update, Marvel’s Avengers has morphed into a solid superhero gaming experience. The game’s core design, combat diversity, and areas are still not masterful, but the game comes together in the heat of the moment. Coupling different powers and taking on hordes of enemies is a great time, and if you just want to sit back and enjoy feeling powerful like an Avenger, I can finally say it is worth it. There is a lot more content now than there was a year ago, and the main experience is just much more stable and smooth. Marvel’s Avengers will never be a 10/10 game with how it is structured and designed, but that is okay! It has come around to provide enough enjoyment and action-packed moments to justify its price tag, as long as you know what you are in for. Christopher Judge is great as the Black Panther, and Crystal Dynamics has claimed that Spider-Man is coming to the game as well before 2021 is out. Hopefully, publisher Square Enix gives the team the time and attention they need to keep adding quality content to the game for at least a couple of years to come.

Klaue's mercs look kinda goofy, but pack a serious punch.Courtesy of Square Enix

Pros

• Engaging Superhero Combat
• Wakanda is Beautifully Realized
• New and Challenging Gameplay Twists

Cons

• Some Frustrating Traversal Puzzles and Encounters
• Boss Fights are Still Subpar

Black Panther - War for Wakanda Expansion Rating:

The Expansion's Comic Book Style Cover.Courtesy of Square Enix

Available Now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC!

*Base game code provided by Square Enix for review, but Black Panther - War for Wakanda expansion is free for all players.