MultiVersus brings refined gameplay as it approaches release

After being offline for nearly a year, MultiVersus is set to make its return. Player First Games has been hard at work on various improvements and changes for its platform fighter, and I had the chance to see them for myself in a recent preview. MultiVersus is as fun as ever, with tighter combat and an expanded roster.

If you played MultiVersus during its lengthy Open Beta, then you’ll be in familiar territory when you boot the game on release day. The game features mostly the same menus, with a redesigned roster page that makes it easier to see your cosmetics and perks for each individual character.

The developers have also added new currencies and tweaked the way various items are unlocked. This includes the addition of Perk Points, which are exclusively used to unlock character Perks and are acquired through various game modes as well as Character Mastery. PFG has also added Prestige Points, which are used to unlock some of MultiVersus’ special skins and other cosmetic items, and can only be earned through the acquisition of other cosmetic items.

During the game’s year-long hiatus, Player First Games moved MultiVersus to Unreal Engine 5. There are a host of noticeable improvements as a result, including improvements to character models, textures, and lightning. I’m not a graphics junkie—especially in a fighting game—but appreciated the cleaner appearance of the game’s characters, most notable when your active fighter is displayed on the home screen.

Arguably the largest change between MultiVersus’ beta and launch versions is the addition of Rift Mode. Rifts are PvE experiences that challenge players with a series of battles as well as puzzle/obstacle stages. These battles can be fought alone or with a friend.

Each Rift has a unique theme, and some of them contain exclusive cosmetic items. To incentivise experimentation, each Rift stage will provide optional challenges for additional rewards. Some of the challenges I saw were to win with a Villainous character, win with the Joker, and play with a friend.

For players really looking to grind for everything MultiVersus has to offer, there are new quests that can be completed in order to net more currency and exclusive cosmetics. For example, a set of Joker-themed quests offers an alternate Wonder Woman skin in which she wears a Batman t-shirt.

Three new playable characters will be available when MultiVersus launches: Bananaguard (Adventure Time), Joker, and Jason Voorhees. Bananaguard is a straightforward fighter designed for new players, while Joker and Jason have several tricks up their sleeves. Joker deploys a variety of traps and gadgets to keep enemies confused, while Jason exerts his brute strength to rack up damage and can teleport to quickly close the distance between him and an enemy.

It’s been two years since MultiVersus pleasantly surprised us with its Closed Alpha and subsequently posted a six-figure concurrent player count on Steam. Now that its proper launch is finally here, it’ll be fascinating to see how the Warner Bros. platform fighter lands with the masses.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_