<p>Iron Man and his repulsors. Thor and his hammer Mjolnir. Black Widow and her Widow’s Bite. The Avengers include some of Marvel’s most iconic personalities, each with powers to match. On August 21, 2020, the public will finally be able to embrace those powers by taking part in the open beta for Crystal Dynamic’s <em>Marvel’s Avengers</em>, wielding some of the strength and skills that make the Avengers so mighty in the first place.</p>
<p>Shaun Escayg, the creative director for <em>Marvel’s Avengers</em> at Crystal Dynamics, gave us a rundown of some of the player abilities that create fun and empowering gameplay.</p>
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<h3 id="1weaponizingtheenvironmentasthehulk">1. Weaponizing the environment as the Hulk</h3>
<p>Who needs a special weapon when your arsenal includes nearly anything within arm’s length? When playing as the Hulk, the player is a painter and the environment is their palette; ripping nearby boulder and using it to pummel an enemy is but one of the many creative maneuvers players can execute.</p>
<p>“Seeing the Hulk grab and crush two enemies in the palm of his hands, and then use them like clubs really captures the power and strength of one of my favorite Avengers,” Escayg said. “I literally can’t get .”</p>
<h3 id="2deployingblackwidowsacrobaticskills">2. Deploying Black Widow’s acrobatic skills</h3>
<p>When compared to the Hulk’s reckless fighting style and penchant for brute force, Black Widow’s playstyle is much more elegant, precise, and sprightly. As an adept assassin, a former ballerina, and a master of arts, Black Widow’s strengths lie in her agility and dexterity. “Her ability to grapple onto enemies and then hit them with her Widow’s Bite makes Widow a true Super Hero amongst the superhuman,” Escayg said.</p>
<p>Widow’s Bite is a handy electric weapon that’s capable of delivering a shock to enemies to punctuate a flurry of punches and kicks. “I feel like a kid living out a Super Hero fantasy,” Escayg said of using it. She’s so much fun to play.”</p>
<p><img src="https://game.intel.com/images/stories/avengers-superpowers/1.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<h3 id="3brandishingthorshammer">3. Brandishing Thor’s hammer</h3>
<p>Thor’s hammer is so iconic that its status predates Marvel’s canon. Mjolnir’s might is well-documented throughout Norse mythology, including its ability to single-handedly carve valleys through vast mountain ranges. When the hammer is delivered to Thor, he is promised that it will never deviate from its target when thrown.</p>
<p>The hammer’s mythological potency is not lost on the player when inhabiting Thor. Players can toss Mjolnir at a faraway enemy, sending them flying, while engaging in a fistfight with another group of enemies nearby. “When you recall your hammer, you see it smash through those enemies on the way back to your hand,” said Escayg. “Only a god could be worthy of such power.”</p>
<h3 id="4throwingpolymorphicpuncheswithkamalakhan">4. Throwing polymorphic punches with Kamala Khan</h3>
<p>Kamala Khan—a character that fans of the comics will recognize as Ms. Marvel—plays a key role in the events that lead up to the narrative in the beta. Wrestling with her newfound powers and abilities, Kamala stumbles upon evidence of a conspiracy to subjugate Super Heroes in favor of a world dominated by technology.</p>
<p>Having been infected herself, Kamala has access to a host of superpowers, including the ability to stretch her body. “Kamala is by far one of the most fun fights you’ll have,” Escayg said. “Clobbering enemies with giant fists, at almost rapid gunfire speeds. Slamming an enemy into a wall across the room with your giant palms. Swinging through environments with your stretchy arms. So uniquely powerful.”</p>
<p><img src="https://game.intel.com/images/stories/avengers-superpowers/2.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<h3 id="5breakingoutironmanshulkbuster">5. Breaking out Iron Man’s Hulkbuster</h3>
<p>Lastly, Escayg alluded to Iron Man’s use of the Hulkbuster, an ultra-powerful armor fitted with heavy-duty tech and equipment. In the comics, Tony Stark designed the Hulkbuster with the singular goal of … well, being able to withstand hand-to-hand combat with the Hulk.</p>
<p>Iron Man’s already a character with several cards up his sleeve. The repulsors on his palms, the unibeam on his chest, the ability to fly using the repulsor tech built into the hands and feet of his armor — Iron Man isn’t exactly devoid of abilities. But Escayg claims that the Hulkbuster is on another level. “Have you seen our recent Hulkbuster announcement?… WOW” he added.</p>

Iron Man and his repulsors. Thor and his hammer Mjolnir. Black Widow and her Widow’s Bite. The Avengers include some of Marvel’s most iconic personalities, each with powers to match.

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