Developed by Firaxis—the same folks behind the legendary XCOM series—Midnight Suns was a bit of a hard sell at launch. People didn't quite know what to make of a Marvel game that was half tactical combat and half 'Superhero Friendship Simulator.' But three years later, it stands as a masterclass in how to do a licensed game right.
The Abbey Experience
Most of your time isn't actually spent fighting. You're in the Abbey, a massive hub where you live with the Avengers and the Midnight Suns. You'll find yourself caring about whether Magik is having a bad day or if Tony Stark is being too arrogant. For a kid, this is a great exercise in social dynamics. You have to choose dialogue options that resonate with specific heroes to build 'Friendship Levels,' which in turn unlocks better combat abilities. It's a rare game that mechanizes empathy and cooperation this effectively.
Strategy over Reflexes
The combat uses a card system that is surprisingly easy to learn but incredibly hard to master. You aren't just clicking on enemies; you're using the environment—shoving a Hydra soldier into an electrical box or dropping a chandelier on a group of demons. It's a digital board game that teaches spatial awareness and resource management. Because it's turn-based, there's no 'gaming rage' from missed jumps or slow reflexes; if you lose, it's because your plan didn't work, which encourages a 'let's try a different tactic' mindset.
A Note on the 'Spooky' Factor
This isn't Spider-Man on the PS5. The themes are occult and supernatural. You're fighting Lilith, the Mother of Demons, and the imagery involves a lot of green fire, pentagram-adjacent symbols, and dark prophecies. If your kid is sensitive to horror tropes or 'scary' monsters, you might want to watch a few minutes of gameplay on YouTube together before diving in. But for most middle-schoolers, it's standard comic book fare.
