The Avengers are called the Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but who is the mightiest of them all?
In Marvel’s Avengers, you have a total of 9 characters (10 if you’re on PlayStation) to choose from. All of which play differently from one another with different skills, traversal system, and combat. So, you may be wondering who the best Avenger there is in this Avengers game. Well my dear readers, I’m here to present to you a ranked list of the characters of Marvel’s Avengers.
10. Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)
Kate Bishop taking aim.
You may know who Hawkeye (Kate Bishop) is thanks to Hailee Steinfeld and her portrayal of the character in the recent Disney+ show, Hawkeye. But Kate Bishop first debuted in the Young Avengers #1 comic in April 2005. Both Kate and Clint Barton both share the moniker of Hawkeye, so it’s no surprise when both they both show up in Marvel’s Avengers to assist the Avengers in their fight against A.I.M. Kate fights enemies with a combination of sword and her bow and arrow.
But she has a trick up her sleeve. After “borrowing” some tech from A.I.M., Kate was able to successfully integrate the technology into her gear, allowing her to teleport towards enemies and slicing them up with her sword, or shoot quantum infused arrows from afar with her bow with her Assault Heroic, Warp Arrow. Her Support Heroic, Decoy, allows Kate to send out a hologram herself to distract enemies while also dealing damage. Her Ultimate Heroic, Quantum Overdrive, can either release a barrage of energy arrows, or coat her sword with quantum energy for double the damage. In the comics, Kate can’t really do all of that. Just like her partner Hawkeye, Kate solely relies on her bow and arrows to do the job. Sure, it works in the comics, but in game, she’s going to need to expand her arsenal if she wants to deal some serious damage against A.I.M. Which is why I like the decision to have Kate seem smart enough to integrate A.I.M. tech into her gear.
Kate in the Marvel’s Avengers universe was on track to becoming an Avenger, until the events of A-Day happened. With the Avengers being disbanded, Kate and Hawkeye went to do their own thing and find Nick Fury, who disappeared shortly after the events of A-Day. Though Kate idolizes the Avengers, she does slightly resent the team for leaving her in the dark, but ultimately forgives them and joins the team as an official member in the end.
Kate is a great character and an excellent addition to the game, but her and Clint are both designed as range heavy characters, which is the opposite of me, since I prefer to attack enemies up close and personal. But just because I prefer to play as a tank/brawler, doesn’t mean I’m going to disregard Kate and her awesome abilities. She’s still fun to play, as with every character so far in the game.
Hawkeye (Kate Bishop): 79/100
9. Ms. Marvel
The Marvelous Ms. Marvel.
Kamala Khan is the youngest member of the Avengers who herself is also getting a Disney+ show in 2022. Kamala first debuted in issue #14 of Captain Marvel back in August 2013 and became a big symbol of Muslim representation in the Marvel community. Kamala is a big fan of superheroes and the Avengers, and an even bigger fan of Captain Marvel herself, which is why Kamala took on the title of Ms. Marvel as her superhero name.
Kamala is an Inhuman with the power to stretch her body to great lengths, grow as tall as a skyscraper or shrink to the size of an ant, and even change the way she looks. Though she doesn’t shapeshift in game, Kamala does fight with her polymorph abilities by smashing enemies with her giant and stretchable limbs. If things do get too heated, Kamala is able to heal herself and her fellow Avengers quickly with her Support, Heroic Healing Spirit, saving her and her teammates from the brink of defeat. Her Assault Heroic, appropriately named High Five, allows Kamala to charge up her hand for a really, really big high five, crushing her enemies with her gigantic palm. But my favorite Heroic is her Ultimate, Embiggen, which allows Kamala to grow at least 20 feet tall, making her a big smashing powerhouse that will make the Hulk proud, which is pretty great because she and Bruce Banner share a mentor/student relationship in the game.
I don’t really keep up that much with Kamala and her comics, but from what I’ve played from the game, I can see why people adore this character. Her endless optimism and cheery attitude do bring a bit of light in a world run by A.I.M. Her sense of duty and responsibility to her fellow Inhumans, as well as non-Inhumans, makes her feel like an Inhuman version of our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. I believe she brings out the best in the Avengers, something anyone would be proud to do. Kamala is the heart and soul of the Avengers, and it’s great that she gets the opportunity to shine in this game.
Ms. Marvel: 82/100
8. Hulk
Don't get in the way of the Incredible Hulk.
The Incredible Hulk is one of Marvel’s most well-known and popular characters, so it’s no surprise when Bruce Banner and his alter ego joins the World’s Mightiest Heroes in this action-adventure brawler. The not-so-jolly green giant first debuted in May 1962 in the Incredible Hulk #1. Though he wasn’t the green giant we knew today at the time, as his initial debut showed him with grey skin. Fun fact, Stan Lee wanted the Hulk grey first, but due to the colorist having issues with the ink, Hulk turned green. Stan Lee liked the change so much, he decided to keep the iconic green color.
While fans may quickly choose the raging green monster as their main hero due to his massive size and power, players should first understand that heroes like Hulk and Thor, who have shown incredible feats of strength in comics and other media, are heavily nerfed in this game. Meaning, Hulk is incapable of picking up cars and turning them into metal punching gloves like in The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction video game, or even jump as high as a building in game. This is mostly due to Crystal Dynamics wanting every hero to be on the same level. Either that, or engine limitations. This is a team-based brawler game, everyone. If we want a Hulk game that actually displays his power correctly, we’ll need to wait till Marvel finds a developer. That doesn’t mean Hulk isn’t a powerhouse in game, though. Hulk is still very much a force to be reckoned with his heavy AoE attacks that deal massive damage. With his Assault Heroic, Stranglehold, Hulk charges an enemy and, depending on how you build your Hulk, can easily one-shot enemies that aren’t bosses. His Support Heroic, Boneshaker, taunts all nearby enemies, making them aggroed to Hulk. But don’t fret, as holding the R2 button (right trigger for Xbox players, right mouse button for PC players) allows Hulk to enter Rage Mode, which lets Hulk take hits and even heal from them. Aggro enough enemies to you and you can hit them with his Ultimate Heroic, the iconic Thunderclap, to eliminate enemies and send the survivors flying.
Marvel’s Avengers version of the Hulk shows a side of him that we don’t really see in the MCU. After the “death” of Captain America, a dialogue in the game reveals that both Banner and the Hulk feels depressed and mourns for the loss of the leader of the Avengers. It shows in the beginning of the game of Hulk’s appearance after A-Day where patches of his skin aren’t fully green and still human. It’s what I adore about this version of Banner and the Hulk, more than the MCU version. Even with Hulk’s powers being toned down for the sake of fair gameplay, he is still pretty fun to play as. And it leaves players with the imagination of what a triple AAA modern Hulk game will play like.
Hulk: 90/100
7. Iron Man
Iron Man flying in with style.
It may not be Robert Downey Jr. under the helmet, but this Tony Stark is still the snarky, charismatic genius we all know and love. Debuting in March 1963 in Tales of Suspense #39, Tony Stark is a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist who decided to take matters into his own hands and delve out justice himself. The Avengers weren’t the most popular team back then as X-Men held that title (oh how things have changed), and Iron Man was a D-List character. But thanks to the MCU and RDJ, Tony Stark and the Avengers all skyrocket into popularity.
In game, Iron Man plays exactly how you see him in the movies, he flies around, blasts enemies with his repulsor gloves while throwing snarky remarks at his foes. Using his Assault Heroic allows players to fire a Unibeam from his chest, dealing massive damage to any enemy unlucky enough to be in front of his crosshairs. Depending on how you build his Support Heroic, Arc Overload, Iron Man can either send out a force field that deflects projectiles back to enemies, or he can unleash an EMP that stuns them, leaving them open for a takedown. But his Ultimate Heroic brings out the big guns, as Iron Man summons the Hulkbuster armor, allowing him to deal Hulk-levels of damage to his enemies for a period of time. Though his biggest weakness in game is his Intrinsic meter, as his weapons rely on it and it easily empties a lot. Luckily, there are builds that players created to fix that issue.
Tony Stark may seem like a snarky narcissist in the Avengers, but that’s because he is. But underneath all of that, Tony does seem to love the Avengers, as well as being one himself. When Tony rescues Steve Rogers from his second time in ice, he becomes emotional. He misses him, and the Avengers, even if he doesn’t show it. It’s why I love this version of Tony Stark. In the MCU, we know Tony loves the Avengers, but in my opinion, I don’t think they showed it enough. Here, we get to see Tony happy and excited that the Avengers are reassembling, because he misses everyone and the good they do. Iron Man plays incredibly well and is everything I’ve dreamed when thinking about an Iron Man game, but he does feel a bit clunky at times, more so than the rest of the characters.
Iron Man: 88/100
6. Black Widow
Black Widow is no regular spy.
She may be beautiful to look at, but Natasha Romanoff is no delicate flower. Black Widow initially made her debut as an Iron Man villain in Tales of Suspense #52 in April 1964. While Natasha Romanoff may have been a Russian spy to begin with, she defects to the United States once she discovers she was brainwashed by her government. After defecting to the US, Black Widow would often assist the Avengers in saving the day from time to time, eventually leading to her joining the Avengers years later.
Black Widow is a spy/assassin, which isn’t much compared to her teammates, but she still gets the job done. Black Widow focuses on both melee and range attacks ranging from semi-auto, full auto and a magnum, and with a little help from some gadgets, she helps the Avengers save the day. Her Support Heroic, Veil of Shadows, allows her and her teammates to go invisible and surprise enemies. If you build her Support Heroic just right, enemies with low health can defeated with takedowns as long as the Invisibility status effect is active. Her Assault Heroic is her classic Widows Bite, letting players shoot a charge of electricity towards enemies. My personal favorite however, is the melee version of the Widows Bite, which lets Black Widow punch an enemy with a Widows Bite powered fist. For her Ultimate Heroic, Power Surge, Black Widow combines her batons into a staff, letting her inflict double the damage to her surrounding area.
Just like Bruce Banner, the Black Widow feels guilty for what transpired in A-Day. Though instead of secluding herself from the public and disappearing, she instead infiltrates A.I.M. in hopes she can dig up dirt on what they’re doing. Her character in the game shows guilt and remorse, but also a drive to correct the mistakes she and her team made, as shown in her Iconic Mission where she transfers A.I.M. money to families who were affected on A-Day. Black Widow is honestly my favorite female character in the game based on from how she plays. She’s quick, stealthy, and offers a balance of close combat and range combat.
Black Widow: 91/100
5. Black Panther
The Warrior King of Wakanda, the Black Panther.
Wakanda’s very own Black Panther makes it to the game when Marvel’s Avengers released the War for Wakanda expansion in August 2021. King T’Challa first debuted back in July 1966 in issue #52 of the Fantastic Four. Black Panther may not have been the first black superhero to grace the comic pages, but he is the most well-known. Fast forward to 2016, Marvel casts Chadwick Boseman in Captain America: Civil War which further boosted the characters popularity due to the passion and love Chadwick brought out for the character.
In Marvel’s Avengers, fans will be quick to recognize that the Black Panther is voiced by none other than Christopher Judge, the same one who voiced Kratos in the God of War (2018). Black Panther is agile and fast, but still sturdy and powerful thanks to his suit and training. Like in the movies, Black Panther can store kinetic charges from being hit by enemies, and then release them for a powerful blast. Though Black Panther does have claws to shred his enemies, he also has range weapons such as daggers and spears to hit those hard-to-reach foes. The best part about the guardian of Wakanda, is that he plays like a panther, unlike his previous game apperances. With the pounce ability, Black Panther can tackle enemies into the ground or climb them and deal damage for a short period of time. His Support Heroic allows Black Panther to release Kimoyo Beads, which allows them to stun enemies enough to initiate takedown attacks. If you upgrade them, they can be used as Recovery Beads to heal yourself and your fellow teammates. His Assault Heroic, King’s Mercy, is the Black Panther throwing a vibranium spear at high speeds. The Black Panther is a hero blessed by the god Bast, so it’s only natural that for his Ultimate Heroic, Black Panther unleashes the spirit of Bast with the Bast’s Chosen Heroic. Upgrading this skill will allow Black Panther to summon two Dora Milaje to the battlefield with him for more numbers.
The Black Panther in Avengers is more akin to his comic counterpart than the MCU. He demonstrates a cocky and arrogant attitude towards his enemies, as well as his allies. Though he’s not like that for the sake of being that way. Black Panther is a warrior king, he has a duty to keep Wakanda and its citizens alive. He feels that in order to do that, he must do everything by himself, without the help of other Wakandans and the Avengers. The Black Panther does eventually realize that he can’t do everything himself, making him go through a character development that leads him to join the Avengers. Though the War for Wakanda expansion offered little in terms of gameplay, Black Panther’s addition to the game gives the game a breath of fresh air.
Black Panther: 90/100
4. Hawkeye (Clint Barton)
Hawkeye may be deaf, but his eyesight makes up for it.
Just like his friend, Black Widow, Hawkeye (Clint Barton) first appeared as a villain. First appearing in Tales of Suspense #57 on September 1964, Hawkeye and Black Widow teamed up to fight against Iron Man. Though after two more appearances as a villain, Clint later joins the ranks of the Avengers in The Avengers #16, May 1965. The game references his supervillain origin as Tony would start a conversation about them being enemies, which makes sense as Marvel’s Avengers takes inspiration from both the MCU and comics.
Just like Kate, Clint uses a combination of a sword and bow and arrow. Though Kate has teleportation and quantum tech to boost her gear, Clint doesn’t. Instead, Clint has trick arrows that ranges from raining down thunder to launching enemies in the air with a fire vortex. His Assault Heroic, Nightstorm Arrow, lets Clint bombard enemies with explosives. Upgrading his Assault Heroic lets players use other versions of the Heroic like Ion Surge, Hail Storm, and Fire Devil. Clint’s Support Heroic, Recovery Arrow, heals himself and his teammates by shooting down an arrow that disperses healing properties. His Ultimate Heroic, Hunter’s Arrow, has Clint shoot out a tracking arrow that flies around him and attacks enemies close to him. Further upgrades allow Clint to shoot an explosive version or two arrows at the same time.
Clint has a problem I think everyone can relate to: self-esteem issues. Yes, the famous Hawkeye has self-esteem issues. But it’s that same problem that leads to the world ending in the future. In an alternate future in the Avengers, Clint retires from being an Avenger and Hawkeye and leaves the fighting to Kate. Though when the Avengers and Fury needed him to come back to face a threat, he declined, saying that he’s washed up and no one needs him anymore. That decision would lead to the end of the world, as the Kree decimates the Earth and kills the Avengers. Though in the main timeline of the Avengers, Clint was close to doing the same thing, until he saw the consequence that would come from his decision to retire. I love Clint’ reason for not retiring. Not because he realizes his self-worth and how much the world needs him. It’s because he just doesn’t want the world to end. It just feels like something Hawkeye would do. Like Kate, Clint is a range heavy character, and I personally get up close and personal with my enemies. Though for some reason, playing as Clint feels much better than playing as Kate. It could because of the wide variety of trick arrows Clint has, or maybe it’s because his melee attacks feel much more damaging.
Hawkeye (Clint Barton): 93/100
3. Spider-Man
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man watching for crime.
Here comes our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! Who is, unfortunately, only available for PlayStation consoles. But those who do play on PlayStation get to have a treat, because Spider-Man plays awesome. Not Insomniac Spider-Man levels of awesome, but awesome nonetheless. Debuting in Amazing Fantasy #15 in in August 1962, Peter Parker, A.K.A Spider-Man, has been Marvel’s most iconic character since his creation. Could it be because of how relatable he is? Or how he has a strong sense of responsibility that all people adore? This version of the web swinging hero retains all the things we know and love about him.
Now if you’ve played Insomniac’s Spider-Man, then you’ll see some similarities. First off, the controls to play Spider-Man are similar to Insomniac’s Spider-Man. Pressing Square to attack, Triangle to web-zip to enemies, web enemies to surfaces, and R2 to web swing. Filling up Spider-Man’s Intrinsic meter allows him to do takedowns on both land and air enemies, which is a pretty big deal because as of right now, only Spider-Man can do air takedowns. Spider-Man’s Support Heroic lets Spider-Man send out Spider Drones, which help distract enemies while also dealing damage. His Assault Heroic, Web Bomb, has him throw a web bomb to his enemies that explode on impact, webbing up enemies on the spot and to the walls. Spider-Man’s Ultimate Heroic, Wrecking Ball, makes Spider-Man form a large ball of web to then slam it down on his enemies.
Spider-Man’s character in Marvel’s Avengers feels like classic Spider-Man. He relies solely on his ability and intellect to fight crime and create equipment for himself. He doesn’t reveal his identity to anyone, even to the Avengers. He does what he does because he has a responsibility for the people of his city. All that time working alone, it’s understandable that he doesn’t feel comfortable working with a group like the Avengers. Spider-Man is my favorite character, so it’s such a shame that he is locked behind one platform instead of being enjoyed on all. While I do own a PS4 and am able to play as Spider-Man, I do wish that I can play him on PC, as it is where I normally play games on. Still, Spider-Man plays great, but hopefully he gets to be released on other platforms to be enjoyed by other players as well.
Spider-Man: 95/100
2. Captain America
The Star Spangled Man With a Plan, Captain America.
Captain America is my second favorite hero to play as in this game, and it’s not because I’m a big Captain America fan. Captain America’s debut was in Captain America #1 on March 1941, during World War II. The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan’s first villain was none other than Adolf Hitler itself, which sold nearly one million copies. Unlike the MCU, where Sam Wilson takes the mantle of Captain America, and the comics where are there are multiple Captain America’s, Marvel’s Avengers Captain America is none other than Steve Rogers himself.
As a huge Captain America fan, I instantly went to main Cap. Throwing and hitting enemies with the shield and hearing that sweet, sweet metal sound, feels like I’m living my childhood dream. Cap’s Support Heroic, Rally Cry, marks enemies who are in proximity when the Heroic gets activated. Those affected by it takes double the damage from any attack. His Assault Heroic, Steamroller, has Cap throw his shield as hard as he can, making it bounce from enemy to enemy and stunning them, leaving them open to takedowns by Cap or other players. His Ultimate Heroic, Brooklyn Brawler, doubles Cap’s attack damage from both melee and range. If you activate his specializations, Cap can takedown enemies with low health while simultaneously extend the status effect of Brooklyn Brawler by three seconds, essentially giving you unlimited takedowns as long as there are a ton of enemies around.
Cap is a character who oozes confidence as a leader and an authority figure. He knows exactly the right words to say to what the people want to hear and he does the right thing, even if people will judge him and his actions. It’s exactly why I love Captain America, and I feel like Marvel’s Avengers gets the character right. Captain America is compassionate and a man with a golden heart, and it shows with the way he talks to his fellow Avengers and the people he works with. An example I can think of from the top of my head is his conversation with Tony and Thor about Kamala. He talks to them about making sure that Kamala is safe and provided for since she is just a kid. If that’s not a Cap thing to do, then I don’t know what is. Captain America’s gameplay and character in Marvel’s Avengers is the best Cap gameplay we will ever get. Until the day comes where Cap gets his own game, do yourself a favor and buy this game solely just for Cap if you’re a huge Captain America fan.
Captain America: 100/100
1. Thor
The Mighty Thor is ready for war.
The Mighty God of Thunder is my main in this game. Now, I know I said Captain America is my favorite character, but I’ve spent more hours playing as Thor than I did playing as Cap. Thor made his debut in Journey into Mystery #83 in August 1962. Unlike his original, mythological counterpart, Thor stays on Earth to help the Avengers keep the peace. Marvel’s Avengers version of Thor is more akin to the Thor in the animated series, Avengers Assemble (which I recommend anyone to watch if you haven’t yet), than the MCU version.
Just like Hulk, Thor had to be toned down in game to avoid unbalanced gameplay. Thor is a powerful Asgardian god who controls thunder and lightning. He wields Mjolnir, the magical hammer that only he can wield. With his powers and hammer, Thor is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, smiting down foes with thunder and lightning while simultaneously pummeling to a pulp with his hammer. His Support Heroic, Warrior’s Fury, infuses Thor with lightning while buffing up his teammates. With Warrior’s Fury active, thunder and lightning strike down enemies who approach him. Thor can blast enemies away with his Assault Heroic, God Blast, by lifting them up in the air with a mini whirlwind before blasting them with a god-powered thunder. With the help of Heimdall, Thor can summon the Bifrost, his Ultimate Heroic, and disappear from the battlefield for a short period of time before coming back down with a powerful torrent of energy.
The Avengers all feel guilty for the events of A-Day, but none more so than Thor. After the death of Captain America and the disbanding of the Avengers, Thor punishes himself for his weakness and unworthiness by leaving his hammer at the base of Cap’s statue and roaming the Earth not as a god, but a man. Thor goes above and beyond in his punishment and decides that he does not deserve to return home to Asgard, but only writes letters to his family. But when the opportunity comes to save the world with the Avengers once again, Thor pick up his hammer to assist all he can, showing a sense of responsibility as a defender of Earth. While Thor does play like a god, I’m also bothered with the fact that his power is toned down, just like with Hulk. I feel like Thor should be able to instantly destroy any kind of enemy that approaches with, with or without his hammer. But just like the comics, power levels can differ from who is in charge of writing the story.
Thor: 100/100
