Video games are a popular hobby with the sloth-at-heart crowd.  I would not label myself a gamer because I do not play a wide variety of games, and I am not especially good at any of the games that I do play.  Still, I figured my reviews might be of interest, especially to other leisurely players.

One of the few games that I play is Marvel Heroes.  In this review I will review Marvel Heroes as a game, and in later reviews I will review the individual heroes/characters that I play.

Bias: I like superheroes and I like Marvel.  The only other games I’ve played with leveling systems are Pokemon and RAGNAROK, so my gaming experience is very limited.

The Awesome:
+ Superheroes = The Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men; they’re all here.  If you want the chance to fight baddies with lasers, guns, swords, and magic, all the while wearing a fantastic costume, here’s your chance.

+ Easy Combat = For those of you that do not like button-mashing – like me – rejoice!  Attacks are bound to keys A-H, with one attack per key, plus a right-click and left-click attack.  No button combos required.

The Good:
+ Free-to-Play = The game is a free download, your first hero is free, and in-game currency lets you buy more heroes without spending money.  Decent gear is relatively easy to find without having to pay, even at higher levels.

+ Character Choices = There are over 40 of heroes to play, and as far as I know, every character has at least once alternate costume you can purchase (for real money).  Some heroes – Iron Man, Spiderman, etc. – have several costumes.  There are also “team-ups,” which function as a sort of side-kick or partner for your character, and are often characters that may not get their own playable version (Groot, Agent Coulson, etc).

+ Not Grind-y = Grinding – AKA fighting low or mid level enemies to level up your character – gets old fast in most games.  Luckily, Marvel Heroes doesn’t require a lot of grinding.  Playing through the story offers a decent amount of experience points, and special levels/zones offer faster leveling.

The Bad:
– Free is Slow = Although all heroes can technically be purchased with in-game currency, accumulating said currency is slow.  At my leisurely play speed, I’d be lucky to earn enough in-game currency to buy more than 3-4 heroes a year.

– Wallet Leech = If you are anything like me, you will find it very hard to resist the temptation to spend money in this game.  Alternate costumes are fun, and the buy-one-get-one-free hero sales are difficult to resist.  Plus you don’t get a lot of free storage space, and what you do get fills up quickly.

The Ugly:
– Chat System = The in-game chat interface is bad.  There is no button to toggle it on/off, meaning you have to click.  Considering that your mouse is used for moving, aiming, and basic attacks, this gets irritating fast.  You can’t use the chat function during a fight unless you want to die.

Verdict: Worth trying out at the very least since it’s free.  There’s plenty enough free to stuff to keep you entertained and give you a fulfilling experience without having to pay.  And if you do decide to spend some money, you have a world of possibilities.