War Machine
Plays like: Iron Man
War Machine is probably the biggest no-brainer when it comes to DLC. He can be easily made to fill the role of Iron Man. Heck, James Rhodes actually was Iron Man for a while in the comics.
Traditionally, War Machine has always been depicted as a more offense-focused version of Iron Man. He’s got more weapons and can take a serious beating, but his suit isn’t quite as sleek or agile as Tony’s. That would be the trade-off. Do you want to apply a little finesse to battles, or would you rather just blow up everything within targeting range?
She-Hulk
Plays like: Hulk
When Bruce Banner secretly gave his cousin Jennifer Walters a life-saving blood transfusion, she became the Savage She-Hulk. Luckily for her, Jen can usually control her transformations, allowing her to both serve as an Avenger and a high-powered attorney.
That balance could easily carry over to the game, with She-Hulk serving as a slightly more agile and nimble alternative to the lumbering Hulk. But make her angry enough, and she’ll show she can smash just as well as her cousin.
Peggy Carter
Plays like: Captain America
The mobile game Marvel Puzzle Quest introduced an alternate universe version of Peggy Carter where she, not Steve Rogers, was given the Super-Soldier Serum. That version of Peggy has proven popular enough that she’s crossed over into Marvel’s comics. Why not Marvel’s Avengers next?
Peggy can serve as another option for players who prefer the balanced fighting style of Cap – long distance shield throws mixed with hand-to-hand brawling. To shake things up, Peggy could gain a few special moves of her own, and perhaps a higher attack rating balanced out by lower HP.
Beta Ray Bill
Plays like: Thor
There aren’t many heroes in the Marvel Universe worthy of wielding Mjolnir. Beta Ray Bill is one of those lucky few. As the lone protector of the Korbinite race, Bill challenged Thor for the right to wield Mjolnir and actually won. In response, Odin had a twin hammer named Stormbreaker forged, ensuring the god of thunder would always have an ally and an equal.
Bill is a natural choice when it comes to adding another Thor-inspired character to the game. We’d just hope Crystal Dynamics finds ways of making his play style unique, rather than feeling like a re-skinned Thor. The fact that Stormbreaker is part hammer and part ax may hold the key.
Iron Fist
Plays like: Black Widow
Black Widow is clearly the most hand-to-hand combat-oriented of the five playable Avengers. We’d love to see Crystal Dynamics bring in some other iconic martial artist superheroes to expand on that gameplay. And who better to fill that role than Iron Fist?
A gifted fighter with the power to transform his fists into super-charged forces of destruction, Iron Fist would make for a fun alternative to Widow. He might not have the range afforded by her guns and electric gauntlets, but his powerful punches and chi-based powers could easily make up for that.
Captain Marvel
Plays like: Iron Man
While there are plenty of other Iron Man-like characters that could be included as DLC, we’d rather see Crystal Dynamic think outside the box. Captain Marvel could easily be included in the game as an Iron Man-inspired hero. With her incredible strength, flight and energy blast powers, she can basically do everything Iron Man can without the need for bulky armor.
Plus, it makes sense to shine the spotlight on Carol Danvers when we already know her biggest fangirl, Kamala Khan, is in the game.
The Thing
Plays like: Hulk
This one may be wishful thinking, given that Ben Grimm is more commonly associated with the Fantastic Four than the Avengers, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to see the Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing join the cast of Marvel’s Avengers. He’d make for a great counterpart to Hulk. These heroes are known for being two of the strongest and toughest customers in the Marvel Universe. But while Hulk generally has the edge in terms of raw strength, the Thing’s rocky hide makes him all but impervious to harm.
That balance would suit the game perfectly. If you want to cause the most damage possible, choose Hulk. If you’d rather be a tank and soak up all the punishment AIM can dish out, choose the Thing. Either way, it’s Clobbering Time.
Daredevil
Plays like: Captain America
Matt Murdock may be blind, but between his radar sense and his finely honed ninja skills, he’s a true force to be reckoned with in the Marvel Universe. We could easily see Daredevil fitting the Captain America gameplay style. Like Cap, he’s a brawler who deals out plenty of damage in close-quarters combat. And while Daredevil doesn’t have a shield, he does have his trademark billy clubs. They can be launched at crazy angles and return much in the same way Cap’s shield does.
Jane Foster
Plays like: Thor
As MCU fans are about to find out, Thor’s ex-girlfriend Jane Foster is worthy to wield Mjolnir. Some would argue she’s even better at it than the Odinson himself. So why not make the Jane Foster incarnation of Thor available as DLC?
During her time as Thor, Jane showed herself capable of wielding the hammer in ways the Odinson never dreamed. If he’s all about power and destruction, Jane is more interested in finesse and turning Mjolnir into an unstoppable, nimble projectile. Making her a playable character would allow gamers to take charge of a more challenging and rewarding thunder god.
Black Panther
Plays like: Black Widow
As a hero with a reputation for defeating far more powerful opponents thanks to a combination of cunning, planning and fighting ability, Black Panther definitely fits the Black Widow mold in the game. T’Challa is strong enough to take on Captain America, and his vibranium-based tech opens up all sorts of interesting abilities. That tech would allow him to match Widow’s combination of long-range and martial arts-based combat. Plus, who doesn’t want to play as a king?
Ms. Marvel
Plays like: Herself
While we limited our picks to characters who can mirror the combat styles of the five main Avengers, we do hope Crystal Dynamics will take the opportunity to do something completely different by including Ms. Marvel as a playable character. The prologue demo revealed at Gamescom reveals that Kamala Khan is in the game. And with the prologue ending with the detonation of a Terrigen bomb (the same source of her transformation into Ms. Marvel in the comics), we can only assume we’ll see her fight alongside the Avenegrs in the game.
Whether as a core character or a DLC addition, Ms. Marvel could be a very fun addition to the mix. Kamala is able to “embiggen” her body, stretching her limbs like Mr. Fantastic and molding her fists into giant battering rams (among other things). She could be a very unique and entertaining addition to the game.
Get a closer look at Marvel’s Avengers with demo footage of the game’s opening sequence and our hands-on impressions of the game. For much more from this week’s show, be sure to check out IGN’s official Gamescom hub.
Jesse is a mild-mannered writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
