, even though the publisher hasn’t yet revealed the titles or themes of these works. Although it hasn’t been confirmed, it would make sense given the hero’s continued popularity and importance to the MCU. I think I can convince more people now that Black Panther Wakanda Forever is in theatres and some of you have seen it that if EA is making a Black Panther game, it ought to be a little bit spooky.
The first act of Black Panther 2 reads a little more like a thriller than most other Marvel movies, without giving away too much of the plot. Particularly noteworthy is a scene that takes place on a boat in the middle of the sea. Slowly, but surely, it becomes obvious that although these American troops on the ship think they’re the only ones out here, there’s something lurking in the water.
In order to find a particularly rare piece of equipment that can detect vibration, two divers go into the water. However, they are quickly eliminated by hidden foes. Soon, hypnotized soldiers on board the ship are lured to their deaths by jumping off the edge. A shadowy figure mercilessly spears a man through the chest and bats a helicopter out of the sky with little to no effort. I was holding my breath the entire time, anticipating a jumps care because this isn’t your typical Marvel action sequence. This scene actually has a lot in common with The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan, a 2019 horror game from Supermassive Games, in which a squad of soldiers on a boat is being murdered by paranormal forces.
Marvel Movies
With its most recent releases, Marvel movies have been dipping their toes into the horror genre. Werewolf By Night significantly increases the bloodiness compared to Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, which was a PG horror superhero adventure. In What If…? Marvel recognizes the deceased by airing a zombie episode. I want Marvel to incorporate that into its games as well. Marvel has been experimenting with letting comic book properties demonstrate just how terrifying they can be. So, EA, please think about adding a little bit of fright to whatever you’re working on, whether it’s Black Panther or not.
There are a couple reasons why I’d want a spooky Marvel game. Even if I’m hopeless at horror, I honestly believe that dread must somehow be incorporated into the equation with superpowers. It makes the hero more relatable and demonstrates that even though they may be stronger than you or I in terms of their physical, mental, and magical abilities, sometimes that strength is insufficient to solve their own problems. Power does not equate to pain reduction.
The fact that Infinity War and Endgame demonstrated that there were repercussions when the good guys lost was one of the reasons why they were so excellent. We saw a version of the cosmos in which they had lost and half of all beings had perished. We fear that reality, yet it is not terrifying. There are risks involved. There haven’t been any significant stakes since Endgame, which is part of the MCU’s fourth phase of movies. Since Loki, a Disney+ series, has revealed that a big bad of Thanes proportions is on the way, this phase has been about reintroducing a team that will be able to face it.
Compared to many other phase four films, Black Panther Wakanda Forever does a far better job of making us fear the harm the villain may inflict. Due to thanes, Wakanda has been forced to make its actual power and technological prowess known to the outside world after years of keeping it secret. Other nations, like the United States and France, are attempting to destabilize it and steal its technology and resources.
Not only is a hero at risk, but a country could also be split apart, evoking colonialism. More than the clashing of enormous Egyptian gods or a Captain America rip-off going amok in Europe, that reality made me uneasy. It doesn’t seem inconceivable for Wakanda to collapse given how brutal Wakanda Forever can be.
Marvel-themed video games have also had the impression of being on the safe side. The Arkham series and even Injustice have games from DC. Anyone else recall the time Superman murdered a kid? Despite the fact that Captain Marvel is sort of an adult, that was harsh. Wait until Billy is at least 18 years old, ok? And it’s not that I want Marvel to kill children—far from it—but I want to feel like the fighting has consequences.
I didn’t care that Captain America was dead at the start of Marvel’s Avengers since, after all, I knew he would survive. Spider-Man from Marvel has its share of gloomy moments, but for the most part, Peter Parker, your friendly neighborhood arachnid boy, seems unstoppable. Guardians of the Galaxy gave me plenty of opportunities to groove, but something about LEGO Marvel Super Heroes doesn’t exactly strike me as intimidating. Marvel video games that are on the lighter side of the spectrum have been plentiful. I just want to experience some weight to my defeat. As if Namur, or any other villain, could actually beat the crap out of me if I put one foot in front of the other.
Marvel’s heroes can experience hardships, as Black Panther Wakanda Forever shown brilliantly. The general themes of most Marvel movies are present, including unlikely heroes, just-in-time escapes, and geniuses acting in their most creative moments, but at least I got the impression that I shared the heroes’ fears. You never
