Marvel’s Avengersis poised to introduce players around the world to the game’s most high-profile superhero yet: Black Panther. The “War for Wakanda” expansion, free to all new and returning owners of the Crystal Dynamics / Square Enix game this Tuesday, August 17th, changes up the meta in a big way and offers a brand-new playground to play in. That’s right, gamers will be traveling to the hidden, technologically super-advanced, and jaw-droppingly beautiful land of Wakanda in order to step into the shoes of T’Challa and his super-powered alter ego. And while the other Avengers will be on hand to assist in Black Panther’s battle against the invading forces of Klaw, after that self-contained story is all said and done, T’Challa will be free to roam around the wider world ofMarvel’s Avengersin order to participate in the grind.
I recently had a chance to check out a preview of the “War for Wakanda” expansion, including Black Panther’s character-driven story, action-packed and versatile move set, and the stunning visual shift present in Wakanda. That last bit is the most eye-catching element of the new expansion. From Black Panther’s epic and detailed super-suit (looking great on the PS5), to the warrior women of the Dora Milaje, to the Golden City Birnin Zana, and the above-ground and subterranean paths of Wakanda proper, this is a beautiful place to play. Even the crackling-with-energy mercenaries of Ulysses Klaue bring a high-contrast, high-impact change to a gameplay loop that has honestly become a bit same-y and predictable. The basics of the game are still there a year later, but this DLC adds a couple new wrinkles amidst the dream come true that it is toplay as Black Panther!Let’s get into it.
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Black Panther’s Power Set
When Black Panther was first announced as an upcoming playable character, I thought I could see the writing on the wall: This would be a basic Captain America reskin to give T’Challa the size and strength needed to embody the classic character without any other nuance to the move set. I’m happy to say I was wrong in that regard. Black Panther moves like Black Widow but hits like Captain America while also bringing his own signature skill set to the party. T’Challa boasts a cat-like agility that’s closer to the more nimble members of the Avengers while delivering crushing melee combos that can absolutely maul basic mobs and even chip down tougher enemies to trigger a takedown lickity-split. It was quite fun to watch Black Panther use his insanely versatile and varied suite of attacks to pick enemies apart, though I’ll have to wait for a hands-on try to see just how responsive the character really is. (I have to say, whileChristopher Judgehas done impressive work on screen and as a voice actor—I mean, Kratos, come on—I’m not fully sold on his delivery as T’Challa. Try as I might, I can’t separate the character from the performance of the late, greatChadwick Boseman.)
I’m also happy to say that the skill tree progresses in a familiar way to the other characters unveiled so far, but the specific skills in question feel at least as nuanced if not more so than T’Challa’s fellow heroes. If you’re comfy playing as Widow or Cap, you should pick up the particulars rather quickly. It’ll be fascinating to see which builds players gravitate towards for Black Panther since there’s quite a bit of diversity when it comes to gameplay styles and whether you want your superhero to play an offensive, defensive, or support role. And if you’re sold on Black Panther’s melee abilities but wonder what his ranged attacks are going to be, I’d like to introduce you to hiskinetic vibranium daggers.
As for the Heroics, Black Panther’s got some cool moves to add to his repertoire. The Support Heroic factors in the famous Kimoyo Beads, allowing you to tweak that offensive / defensive / support status for either attack buffs, orb drops, or healing boons. There’s a lot of variety within each of these trees, too. Do you want your Kimoyo Beads to hang out near you and your allies to keep their health and armor up? Or would you rather they harass your enemies and do either direct or status damage to them? The choice is yours!
For the Assault Heroic, Black Panther uses the “King’s Mercy” to channel a Vibranium Spear. This has the option of pinning enemies, similar to Cap’s shield or Thor’s hammer, and can also damage numerous enemies in its wake. (Plus any skill that has “Break Block” instantly has my attention in this game.) This tree is obviously more offensive-minded by design, but you do have specialization tweaks to generate orbs or pump up that intrinsic meter. This is all complemented by the hero’s Utilities, including wall-running and perching, double-jumping, and vaulting.
The Ultimate Heroic, however, allows Black Panther to go all-out as Bast’s Chosen. Reducing damage taken, increasing damage dealt, and using intrinsic skills without consuming intrinsic energy is just the baseline for the Panther Goddess' champion here. You’ll also be able to block or parry otherwise strong and unblockable attacks, and extend the duration of the Ultimate with core upgrades. Specializations include summoning spectral Wakandan warriors, reviving and healing teammates or activating a self-res, or debuffing enemies; and boosting either damage dealt or teammates' intrinsic meters, or, oddly enough, teleporting Black Panther to a nearby enemy.
A pretty versatile power set. And you’ll need all those skills in order to take on the heavily armed forces of Klaw and protect Wakanda, with a little help from your friends.
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While you’re certainly get a heaping helping of Black Panther’s backstory and the iconic culture within Wakanda, the driving force of the conflict in “War for Wakanda” is that recurring thorn-in-the-side, Ulysses Klaue. The narrative here includes a generational conflict between the royal family of Wakanda and the Klaues (please tell me Marvel Comics never introduced a Santa Klaue…though I wouldn’t be mad at Crystal Dynamics for a Santa skin), but the most pressing matter is this: Current Klaw has found a way to access Wakanda’s vibranium resources, corrupting them in the process, and threatening the borders of Wakanda itself. Should Klaw and his mercenaries take control of Wakanda and the vibranium, the whole world would be at his mercy, which is of course why both Black Panther and the Avengers are dead-set on taking him down.
After a brief skirmish between T’Challa and Klaw’s lower-level mercenaries, you get a chance to return to the palace and explore a bit. It never gets old seeing the NPCs bow and salute you as their king as you walk the halls of your forebears. Okoye is often in your ear giving directions, though occasionally Shuri has words of advice as well; they’re basically taking the place of J.A.R.V.I.S. while in Wakanda. Blissfully, “War for Wakanda” has upped the puzzle game ever so slightly here; at one point, T’Challa must navigate subterranean tunnels lined with traps, turrets, mines, and other defensive measures, as well as solving relatively easy glyph puzzles to access certain rewards. The familiar loot mechanics of the overall game are present here, too, just slightly tweaked, Wakanda-style.
Your adventures as Black Panther will eventually cross paths with the Avengers themselves. You’ll overlook their interference and Shuri’s decision to let them cross the border into Wakanda to team up and take down Klaw’s incredibly powerful and numerous forces. (Oh, and if you could destroy the occasional corrupted vibranium outcroppings along the way, that’d be great.) Some of the missions look pretty damn tough, even with Black Panther’s fully kitted-out skill set and a team of Avengers outfitted likewise. The hands-off gameplay came very close to losing a base defense mission, which cut off right before a big battle against Klaw himself. However, there’s a surprise villain who pops up as a one-on-one fight vs T’Challa which I’d rather not spoil here, though fans of Marvel’s mercenaries might not be surprised to see this character show up…
Overall, “Black Panther - War for Wakanda” looks like the freshest and most original addition toMarvel’s Avengerssince launch about a year ago. I’ve enjoyed the DLC with Kate Bishop and Clint Barton so far, less so the Omega Threats, Tachyon Storms, and Hives. But the introduction of Black Panther will hopefully mean a fresh injection of players who want to play as their favorite character and experience the story so far.
The story, the skill set, the superhero himself is all I need to get excited forMarvel’s Avengers: Black Panther - War for Wakandaexpansion. I can’t wait to get into the game and see how the story unfolds. (And if Santa Klaue arrives this Christmas, I won’t be that mad about it.)
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