'Marvel’s Avengers': Ranking Every Hero From Worst To Best

Like so many of you nerds, I've recently been playing a lot of Marvel's Avengers. Now that I've completed the excellent campaign, reunited the old band, and saved the world from certain destruction, I'm having a ton of fun messing around with the game's six playable heroes to see what Earth's Mightiest Heroes can really do.

Sadly, not every Avenger is created equal. At least, I don't think so. While each hero has a little something special to offer, I can't help but feel that a few of them are, frankly, way better than the others. Join me then, as I rank each Avenger from best to worst - and know that as soon as Spider-Man is released as a playable character, he'll be going straight to the top of this list.

Hulk

Look, it's clearly not easy to make a video game that manages to capture Hulk's raw power. Crystal Dynamics did a damn good job with making Bruce Banner's green-skinned alter-ego feel like an absolute beast, but it doesn't always work brilliantly.

There are too many moments in Marvel's Avengers where I'm playing as Hulk and I have to stop dead in my tracks - something the Gamma monster would never do. Whether it's to dodge attacks or hurl a rock at a nearby turret, it completely kills my momentum and just feels off.

Iron Man

Flying around as Iron Man and taking shots at enemies is so much fun. Sadly, the majority of levels aren't really built to accommodate high-altitude action, so the vast majority of your time as Iron Man will likely be spent on the ground punching enemies in the face.

That's all well and good - Iron Man still has some neat tricks on the ground - but in the same way that Hulk doesn't feel quite right, there are times when ol' shellhead just feels a bit off.

As a character, I would say he's brilliant. Nolan North manages to inject just enough of that Robert Downey Jr. charm into the role while still bringing something fresh. Huge props in that regard.

Black Widow

There's a lot to like about Black Widow, offering as she does an enviable blend of long-range weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. She's definitely a character for players in possession of a little more skill and precision than I have though. I'll often sprint into a room, completely miss my mark, and get gunned down by lasers.

Still, she's great. I am not.

Thor

Okay, so the mechanic where Thor lobs Mjolnir and can then recall it anytime at the press of a button has clearly been shamelessly cribbed from God Of War, but I honestly don't care. Throwing the mighty hammer to pin an enemy against the wall before proceeding to beat down a bunch of goons with my bare hands and then call down the Bifrost to finish is nothing short of spectacular.

Plus he does that thing from the comics and movies where he swings his hammer around before flying into the air. I love that.

Ms Marvel

I can't - and won't - speak for the fans out there that are over the moon to finally see themselves represented in a AAA superhero game. What I will say is that Kamala Khan is a delight, and I loved every second I got to spend with her from both a gameplay and narrative perspective.

Ms Marvel was an inspired pick to lead Marvel's Avengers. Her enthused banter with the rest of the team and watching her fangirl over every little detail in the game is just so effortlessly reflective of every one of us who grew up with these characters.

On top of that, she's so much damn fun to play as. Super-stretchy arms, flying leaps, fists that can grow to twice their size, and a special move that lets her "embiggen" and completely smash everything around her? I love her.

Captain America

Despite not coming into the game until right near the very end, Cap instantly won me over. It wasn't really until Chris Evans' take on the character in the MCU that I really started to vibe with the star-spangled Avenger, but the fact that he's an absolute machine in this game doesn't hurt.

The Batman: Arkham games and Marvel's Spider-Man work because they so effortlessly capture what it feels like to be the titular hero. While every hero in Marvel's Avengers feels great to play as, not a single one of them feels as beautifully natural as Steve Rogers.

Sprinting into battle with his shield held high before getting right into the thick of it with a combination of devastating punches and kicks feels so good to play, because that's what Cap would actually do in a fight. I'm basing this on years of comics and movies, you understand - I don't know the man personally.

And don't even get me started on the shield itself. Whether I'm using it to deflect lasers, counter enemy punches, or I'm just throwing it into an enemies face before catching it again to continue my attack, it just feels right.