So, this new Marvel Rivals game dropped, right? And the first character I really wanted to get my hands on was The Thing. Ben Grimm, old rocky himself. Always had a soft spot for him, the lovable, ever-lovin’, blue-eyed Thing. Figured he’d be my kind of guy – get in there, mix things up. So, I jumped in.
My First Few Brawls
Let me tell you, those first few matches? Oof. I went in thinking, “It’s Clobberin’ Time!” and just charged headfirst at anything that moved. Bad idea. Real bad. I got melted, like, instantly. People were just dancing around me, peppering me with shots while I was trying to land a punch. Felt less like a rock monster and more like a big, slow, orange target. My kill-death ratio was probably something I should hide from my grandkids.
I was getting a bit frustrated, thinking maybe he just wasn’t for me. You know how it is, you pick a character you like the idea of, and then you just can’t make ’em work. It’s like trying to put together those complicated Lego sets without looking at the instructions – you end up with something, but it ain’t right.
Figuring Out the Fists (and Feet)
But I’m stubborn. So, I actually took a minute to, y’know, read what his abilities do. Turns out, he’s not just about punching. Shocking, I know! He’s got this sort of ground slam, which is great for knocking people off their feet if they get too close or bunch up. And a charge that isn’t just for running at people. I started using it to get out of sticky situations, or to quickly get to a teammate who was in trouble. Mind blown, right? Using a charge to retreat? Who knew!
Then there’s his whole ‘being a giant rock’ thing. He can take a beating, that’s for sure. I realized my job wasn’t always to get the most kills. A lot of the time, it was about being a massive distraction, soaking up damage that would have otherwise flattened my squishier teammates. Standing in choke points, body blocking, just being a general nuisance. Once I switched my mindset from “kill everything” to “protect my team and create chaos,” things started to click a lot better.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work, Especially for a Rock
And that’s the big thing with The Thing, I think. He’s a team player. If your team isn’t paying attention or doesn’t capitalize on the openings you make, you’re just gonna have a bad time. But when they do? Oh, it’s beautiful. I had one match where I held a doorway with our healer pocketing me, just absorbing an insane amount of fire while my damage dealers picked off the enemy team from behind me. Felt like a proper hero then.
It kind of reminds me of when I first tried to learn how to cook something more complicated than toast. I bought all the ingredients for this fancy lasagna, right? Thought I could just wing it. An hour later, the kitchen looked like a bomb site, and the lasagna was… let’s just say, “an experience.” Then I actually followed a recipe, step by step, and it turned out pretty decent. Same with The Thing. Can’t just wing it. You gotta learn the steps.
What I’ve Picked Up So Far
So, after getting my butt handed to me repeatedly and then slowly, painfully, learning a few things, here are my main takeaways for playing as good ol’ Ben:
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Don’t just run in solo. You’re tough, not invincible.
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That ground slam is your best friend against enemies who like to get fresh.
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Use your charge defensively as much as offensively.
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Your main job is often to be a shield and a distraction. Embrace it.
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Stick with your team. Seriously. I can’t say this enough.
The Good, The Bad, and The Rocky
So, what’s the verdict? His strong points? Definitely his toughness. He can absorb a crazy amount of punishment. And when his abilities land, especially that satisfying crunch of his punches or the area denial from his slam, it feels great. He’s fantastic at holding space and protecting objectives. On the downside? He can feel a bit slow and clunky at times. Faster characters can really run rings around him if you’re not careful. And like I said, he relies heavily on his team. If they’re off doing their own thing, you’re going to feel pretty useless.
Overall, I’m actually having a blast with him now. It took some getting used to, and I’m still learning, but he’s a solid character if you like that frontline, brawler-protector kind of role. He’s not just a dumb rock, there’s a bit of nuance there. I’ll definitely be sticking with him, trying to master the art of being the best darn Thing I can be. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think it’s clobberin’ time… again. Hopefully with better results this time around.
