English: Marvel Crisis Protocol Game Review
Marvel Crisis Protocol Game Review – Crisis Incoming or Crisis-Proof Investment? Let’s find out!
What is Marvel Crisis Protocol?
Marvel Crisis Protocol (MCP for short) is an asymmetric hero skirmish game. That means you don’t play large armies per side, but rather a small team of iconic heroes from the Marvel universe like Iron Man, Spider-Man, or Captain America. Two players form teams of 3 to 6 miniatures on average (depending on the mission it can be 2 vs 20 in extreme cases), competing in fast-paced, dynamic rounds to score points. The play area measures 3x3 feet (91x91 cm), and a game lasts around 90 to 120 minutes, ending after six rounds or earlier if all objectives are fulfilled.
The Rules
Each player brings the following components:
10 characters (from which the team is selected)
10 tactics cards
6 crisis cards
The list-building in MCP is particularly noteworthy: no faction restrictions. Villains and heroes can be freely combined. However, characters benefit from special team abilities and affiliation-specific tactic cards. These affiliations include the Avengers, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc. To activate the team bonus, the majority of your characters must belong to the chosen affiliation. This creates interesting strategic decisions. You can keep things simple or min-max your list for competitive play.
Mission Objectives or... "I'm having a crisis!"
Although there's plenty of brawling, MCP is ultimately about completing mission objectives. The player with initiative (determined by dice roll) picks a crisis first. The second player picks another. The two selected crises combine to form the mission and are played simultaneously.
There are Secure Crises (e.g., control areas like radiation shelters) and Extract Crises (e.g., protect civilians). Players interact with objective markers: civilians, objects, locations, or opportunity tokens. This leads to exciting scenarios: One player tries to evacuate an infected civilian, while the other attempts to knock them down so they drop the token. A thrilling cat-and-mouse game unfolds.
The game doesn't use a standard "I-go-you-go" turn system. Instead, players alternate character activations, making gameplay feel snappy and engaging. There are no long waiting phases.
Each character can choose between a couple of actions: movement, attack, shake. Then there are certain superpowers and tactic cards that also require an action. Each action can be done twice. Now here comes a core feature of MCP:
"With great power... comes even more Power!"
The most important resource in MCP is Power. It fuels superpowers: devastating special attacks, teleportation, dice manipulation, healing, etc. often without costing an action.
Power is generated progressively through the power phase, receiving damage, certain attacks, or special abilities. This means characters grow stronger as the game progresses!
Character Stats and Super Powers
Combat or... a "friendly Neighborhood Beatdown"!
Combat is simple and effective. Attacker and defender roll dice, and the damage is the difference in results.
Attacks can be physical, energy, or mystic, as can defense types. The rock-paper-scissors dynamic encourages smart targeting.
Many status effects are possible: shocked, burning, staggered, poisoned, and more.
When a character loses all HP, they are dazed = Flip the card. If they lose all HP again, they are KO’d and removed from the game.
Terrain: Welcome to the Demolition Zone
“We did it! We saved the City!” says Every superhero ever, while buildings burn in the background.
Terrain in MCP isn’t just line-of-sight cover. It’s fully destructible! Strong characters can throw cars, streetlights and even buildings at opponents.
You start with a pristine city, and by the end, it's a warzone. It’s not only fun and thematic, but also affects tactics. Terrain pieces become weapons in the hands of powerful heroes.
How's the Balance?
Despite the huge character roster, balance is well maintained. Most affiliations have win rates between 40–60% on Longshanks. Overpowered combos are regularly adjusted through new releases or rules updates.
MCP vs. Shatterpoint
A popular question: Is Crisis Protocol just Shatterpoint in Marvel disguise?
Although both games come from Atomic Mass Games, they differ significantly. Similarities are mostly surface-level: miniature scale, card sizes, board size, overall visual style.
But key MCP elements like throwing cars or destructible terrain are not found in Shatterpoint, which is a real shame. Imagine a Jedi tossing crates using the Force!
On the flip side, Shatterpoint develops some mechanics further: positional tactics, expertise rolls, and complex objective play. It features vertical 3D terrain and more synergy mechanics.
Shatterpoint leans heavily on synergy between tags, making it rewarding but harder to master. MCP has simpler synergy: just team abilities and tactics cards, making it easier to learn yet still deep.
MCP is an immersive experience. Hulk hurls buildings and knocks out weaker characters in one punch. It feels like in the comics. In contrast, Shatterpoint is more abstract and symmetrical: Darth Vader can be beaten by Chief Chirpa (more or less). Shatterpoint is more competitive and mechanically deep; MCP offers immersion, flexibility, and accessibility, making it better suited for new tabletop players.
Who is MCP for?
- Immersion fans who love faithful adaptation of source material
- Casual players with a light competitive streak
- Tabletop veterans and newcomers (asymmetrical warbands, no rubber-banding like in Shatterpoint, characters can be KO’d)
- Marvel lore enthusiasts
- Hobbyists (great minis and terrain to paint and customize)
Who is it NOT for?
Players with no interest in Marvel. Much of the enjoyment comes from immersion. if you don’t care about Thor smashing buildings, you’ll miss out on a lot of the fun.
Players who don't like named characters. Aside from some nameless grunts there’s only named heroes. Some players actualy prefer to come up with their own stories which is obviously easier without the whole backlog of those famous superheros.
"What did it cost? Everything..."
Well… not really. A core set costs around €100–120, but it’s a complete experience. It is not just a starter. Lots of plastic, tons of cards, 10 beautifully designed characters, terrain (cars, excavators, streetlights), dice, measuring tools, tokens, and a rulebook.
The value is fantastic, especially compared to other games. "Earth’s Mightiest Heroes" is the best core set I’ve ever held in my hands. No exaggeration.
Packed to the brim: The Core Set Contents
Special praise goes to the attention to detail: Measuring sticks feature beams and lasers, destroyed Ultron drones lie around the gas station, Spider-Man’s miniature shows part of a symbiote. It’s full of love for the lore and will make any nerd’s heart race.
Final Verdict:
Marvel Crisis Protocol is an outstanding tabletop game with tons of strengths.
To name a few:
The Miniature quality: 40mm scale models that are dynamic, detailed, and full of character. A treat for painters and collectors.
Gameplay: Tactic-rich, fast-paced, and fun.
Replay value: Mixing crisis cards creates a lot of variety.
Character feel: Powers evolve during the game thanks to the Power system, which ties neatly into the superhero fantasy. Like a hero taking damage, gathering strength, and landing a final blow. Absolute Cinema!
Immersion: Every character plays uniquely and feels like their comic book version.
Few games feel so much like a beat-'em-up video game. Totally reminiscent of Marvel vs. Capcom or X-Men vs. Street Fighter.
There’s not much criticism that I have actually. Maybe the following if you want to be nit-picky.
There is a fair amount of randomness due to the dice, more than in Shatterpoint. Not a flaw per se, but ultra-competitive players might find it frustrating.
Also, German language support is lacking. It was only briefly available. English is the standard. However, there are German translations available via the excellent SGP Protocol Discord.
Conclusion:
Marvel Crisis Protocol is a deeply atmospheric hero skirmish game with surprising tactical depth. Easy to learn, hard to master, appealing to casual and competitive players alike.
Verdict: A+
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