With Marvel Rivals Season 1 finally here, players have been enjoying the new free-for-all Doom Matches, but not all characters are equally suited for single-player combat. Naturally, some characters aren’t meant to deal the high amount of damage needed to succeed in a solo battle, but one Marvel Rivals character in particular almost feels tailor-made for the new game mode: Winter Soldier.
Season 1 of Marvel Rivals brought several additions with it, including new characters, new maps, and a new game mode to name a few. The Eternal Night Falls season has a strong vampire theme, with Marvel’s version of Dracula taking the stage as a main villain for this season. The eerie atmosphere that permeates most of the new additions fits perfectly in the newly added Doom Matches, where players take on 11 others in a single-player free-for-all. But, because these matches see players relying on only their selected character, some have found that their favorite isn’t well suited to the new challenge. On the other hand, players who favor Bucky Barnes are at a high advantage, as his combo-heavy moves and high damage make him possibly the best character in the game for Doom Matches.
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What Makes Marvel Rivals' Doom Matches So Different?
Doom Matches are Marvel Rivals’ answer to Overwatch 2’s Deathmatches. In a similar vein, the goal is to be the first to 16 eliminations. Of course, this is also Marvel Rivals’ first single-player game mode, meaning players can’t rely on a team to make up for their character’s weaknesses. As a result, characters that focus on healing or precision over high damage are at a slight disadvantage. So, players looking to use the newly added Invisible Woman, for example, would be better off trying her out in the other new map of Season 1 rather than testing her defensive powers in an offensive mode.
The newly added Sanctum Sanctorum map does do its share to assist players though, featuring a much larger area to explore and retreat into in order to heal or ready up special moves. It also links those large areas together using Doctor Strange’s portals, helping players traverse the vast battlefield. The map was made specifically for Doom Matches, and it shows.
Why Does Winter Soldier Dominate Doom Matches?
The Winter Soldier’s stellar potential for victory in Doom Matches has become clear since the mode was introduced, but it doesn’t come without a cost. Because his moveset relies on combos and frequent use of special abilities, it can be difficult to learn how to play the Winter Soldier in Marvel Rivals. The gist of the character, though, is that his main weapon does high damage at the cost of low ammo. But, his ammo is reloaded automatically whenever he uses a special move, so players have to constantly be on the look-out for the right time to use them. And, of course, his ultimate ability has the potential to completely decimate the other team, if used correctly. While all of this makes him powerful in any game mode, his one-man-army feeling is the reason he’s suited so well to the free-for-all style of Doom Matches.
The key to using Winter Soldier’s abilities properly in Doom Matches seems to be finding pre-existing fights, and throwing him into the action. With 11 other players fighting each other, it’s easy to find large groups of players together, and, unlike in team matches, any one of them is fair game to begin or continue comboing Winter Soldier’s moves. This is particularly important with his ultimate, which can be used again and again every time he uses it to defeat an opponent. In other words, the more players that are around to take out, the longer his ultimate lasts. Other characters have similar moves that suit the mode well, such as Iron Man’s flight making him difficult to hit or Loki’s Clones aiding him in battle, but none of their abilities work in tandem quite as well as the Winter Soldier’s. As more characters are added to Marvel Rivals in the future, hopefully the development team will consider which characters are best suited to which modes in order to keep the game fun and balanced.

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Marvel Rivals
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 Roster
Choose 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 Dynamics
With 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 Synergy
Coordinate 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 Destruction
Tear 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 Updates
The 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!
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- Top Critic Rating: 78/100 Critics Recommend: 83%
- Franchise
- Marvel
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Released
- December 6, 2024
- Developer(s)
- NetEase Games
- Publisher(s)
- NetEase Games
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 7.5 hours
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 20 GB
- Number of Players
- 1-6
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Cross Save
- No
- Cross-Platform Play
- Limited - console crossplay, no PC crossplay
- PC Release Date
- December 6, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- December 6, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- December 6, 2024
- Video Games
- Marvel Rivals
- PC Gaming
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