Summary
Marvel Rivalshas been a runaway hit and put a lot of Marvel characters out into the mainstream with fresh new takes, but one sweeping change to a fan-favorite character wasn’t just an incidental side-effect of the casting like fans might have expected.
Marvel Rivalstook the hero shooter genre by storm, striking at the most auspicious time possible as established titles likeOverwatchandPaladinsfloundered and the more recent competitorConcordcrashing, burning and evenpotentially taking a more established game project with it. Featuring new versions of many popular characters and choice skins from famous comic book arcs, the game has amassed a huge player base and announced some interesting new additions as well.
One hugely underrated roster member on Marvel Rivals is Mantis, a strategist who fittinglyrequires a good bit of strategy to play welland can be a powerful ally thanks to her healing and damage-bolstering abilities. The characters is also one of the more prominent members of the MCU as part of the Guardians of the Galaxy, but fans were quick to notice that this Mantis was noticeably different from Pom Klementieff’s live-action version. While this could easily just be attributed to the role not being filled by the original actress, it’s actually more intentional than that. In a recent exclusive interview withComicbook, the Marvel Rivals voice actress for Mantis, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, reveals that she was given instructions to go another way with the character, despite being intimately familiar with the MCU.
“I’m a huge Marvel fan and I of course have seen all the movies,” O’Shaughnessey explained. “And they’re like ‘it’s not the same Mantis that you know from the movies.’ And so that was a little strange for me, because that’s the picture I have in my head and that’s the character that I have in my head. It was challenging to make her different, to just do my own take on Mantis. Luckily, they liked what I did. But I love the Marvel Universe so it was so exciting to be part of that.” This is a rare reversal of things, as MCU directors and stars often receive the same sort of guidance when bringing new characters from the page to the screen.
While O’Shaughnessey herself isn’t much of a gamer, she still gets to feel the joy ofMarvel Rivals’success alongside fans.“The game is doing so well, it’s very exciting. And I get tweets or whatever, comments from people that are like ‘she’s a great character.’ I guess she’s sneaky or whatever. Somebody just sent me a thing the other [day], thanks to Mantis they got to some other level because of her,” O’Shaughnessey revealed. “And I was like ‘great! Go you! You’re welcome!’” O’Shaughnessey’s performance is certainly one that fans enjoy, which is a good thing considering that the comparisons were always going to be made. Much in the same way fans wasted no timecomparing the MCU Mantis to her counterpart in Square Enix’sGuardians of the Galaxy,the Mantis inMarvel Rivalshas also been given the same treatment, and the general approval is a feather in O’Shaughnessey’s cap. As new characters, skins, events, and possibly even story content are released, O’Shaughnessey will certainly get more chances to add to her already impressive profile of Mantis voice lines and quips.
Marvel Rivalshas been the most culturally relevant non-MCU thing that Marvel has brought to the mainstream in a long while, and that means that the character designs, voice talent, and overall presentation really matter. In that regard, O’Shaughnessey has done a great job giving players a Mantis they can really enjoy playing and learning more about. With an already large collection of Marvel heroes and recentleaks suggesting that threeX-Mencharacters will be joining theMarvel Rivalsroster, fans can look forward to even more interesting new voice lines and interactions coming to the game pretty soon.
Marvel Rivals
WHERE TO PLAY
Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!A Deep and Varied Marvel RosterChoose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game DynamicsWith intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there’s never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.Dynamic Hero SynergyCoordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot’s back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man’s armor for massive damage, and so much more!Creative Environment DestructionTear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch UpdatesThe Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!
