Games about Marvel superheroes are on the rise. In recent years fans have seenMarvel’s Spider-Man, followed byMarvel’s Avengersand the upcomingMarvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.Now there’s another game accompanying them that’s significantly different from the others.Marvel’s Midnight Sunsbrings in tons of superheroes that other games haven’t, then applies them toXCOM-esque turn-based tactical combat.Marvel’s Midnight Sunssets it apart from its predecessors in another important way: It adds social elements. Players can use their custom protagonist called the Hunter as a means to explore the lives and relationships of many Marvel superheroes.
Midnight Sunsisn’t the only RPG to incorporate social elements. ThePersonaseries has become incredibly successful thanks in-part toits Social Link and Confidant systems. The systems allow players to befriend NPCs and learn about their lives, gaining mechanical rewards for getting to know each character.Personahappens to be one of the best franchises forMidnight Sunsto pull inspiration from when making its social elements. The way thatPersonagames handle the protagonist’s relationships - and the ways in whichPersona’s social system has changed over time - tellMidnightSunsa lot about what it should or shouldn’t do.
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Persona’s Strengths Should Inform Midnight Suns
Midnight Sunsshould use a system of time that works likePersona’s. InPersona,it’s up to the player to decide when to meet with their Social Links and Confidants. Players organize their own time inPersonagames, choosing their own moments to check in with friends.Midnight Sunsmight be tempted to make social elements tied directly into the plot via small windows and limited time for realism’s sake.Personaproves that player accessibility is more important than realism. It’s better to makeeachMidnight Sunscharacter’s life storyavailable at the player’s convenience rather than monopolizing their time.
Midnight Sunsshould also make sure each individual character and relationship is mechanically meaningful. InPersona 5,the franchise expanded Social Links into Confidants, vastly improving the mechanical impact they have on the game. Confidants provide unique abilities that vary in power, but many of them have the potential to completely change the way thatthe JRPG side ofPersona 5is played. Ideally,Midnight Suns' characters are just as impactful.Midnight Sunshas team attacks that sound like great rewards for befriending characters, but hopefully the social sim mechanics are a little deeper than just unlocking team attacks.
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Social Elements Serve Midnight Suns Well
One last thing thatMidnight Sunsshould learn fromPersonais that it shouldn’t punish players for making mistakes when trying to befriend characters.Personaused to come with a risk of Social Links losing trust in the player character, making their relationship collapse, butPersona 5abandoned this. Players want to befriend colorful characters without fearing the sudden death of that relationship.Midnight Sunsalsooffers a unique opportunity to Marvel fans, letting them hang out with famous superheroes.
Midnight Sunsreally is a unique premisespecifically because of its decision to include a social sim side. Marvel fans have been watching their favorite characters live out their lives through the Marvel Cinematic Universe for years, but interacting with them directly is a different experience.Midnight Sunsoffers the rare chance to have conversations with them after fighting at their sides. Now its developer just has to deliver on the premise. Firaxis Games, the makers ofXCOM,are responsible for makingMidnight Suns,so the strategy side should be covered. Firaxis should consider looking to games likePersona 5to help perfect its social side.
Marvel’s Midnight Sunsreleases in March 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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