Marvel's Midnight Suns Review
The game doesn't so much hit the ground running so much as it does push you out of a moving car onto a treadmill set to "Usain Bolt Sprint" setting, detailing card draw mechanics, different deck and character styles, mission choices, dialogue options that form bonds with heroes as well as establishing your overall light and dark meter, training, card creation, ability infusion, and optional exploration of the mysterious Abbey on top! It's a lot to take in, especially when each passing day will add more to your plate, and yet once the plates are spinning and you step back for a second you'll realise how utterly brilliantly these mechanics line up.
Sending heroes on optional missions nets them better cards for their deck, breaking down old outdated moves for resources allows you to refine your playstyle, and picking out gifts or tailoring dialogue to characters based on what you've read about them in the comics or picked up from them on their super-hero social media feed unlocks better abilities not just for them but for the whole team. It might not be everyone's cup of tea to go meditating with Captain America, but the rewards for picking the right activity and offering the right advice really do hit with that sweet satisfaction of forming a true friendship.
For example, I was struggling to bond with the (understandably) prickly Magick who seemed to rebuff my light-hearted joking and moralistic dialogue choices, but once I actively started watching her comments within the group and learned more about her through her social media posts, I came to discover a character that wants friends but doesn't want to feel ostracised for embracing the darkness that fuels her power.
After learning more about how there was no music in Limbo I presented her with a music box, which netted me a huge friendship bonus, and she even commented on the gift later, making me feel I'd actually made progress far deeper than some numbers on a spreadsheet.
That moment felt great and was totally out of left field for a game that I assumed was going to be an action-packed slug-fest.