Alright, so I finally got my hands on Marvel Rivals, and you know who I went for first, right? Had to be The Thing. Ben Grimm, ol’ blue-eyes, or orange-eyes, depending on the comic, I guess. I was pretty hyped to see how he’d play in this kind of setup.
Getting Started with the Rock Man
So, I boot up the game, find him in the roster, and jump straight into a match. My first thought? He’s big. Really big. And kinda slow, which, well, that’s The Thing for ya. Wasn’t expecting him to be a ninja. Those initial games were a bit of a mess, not gonna lie. I was just wading in, trying to punch stuff, and mostly getting blasted from all sides. Felt like a giant orange punching bag for a while there.
I spent a good few hours just trying to get the hang of his basic moves. You’ve got your punches, obviously, and some kind of ground slam. I kept trying to use him like a pure brawler, just run in and cause chaos. Sometimes it worked, especially if my team was right there with me. Other times, I’d just get melted before I could really do much. It was a bit frustrating, felt like I wasn’t quite getting how to use him properly.
Figuring Him Out (Sort Of)
After getting stomped a bunch, I started to actually read his ability descriptions. Who knew, right? Turns out, there’s a bit more to him than just “Clobberin’ Time.” I found this one move, kind of a charge or a protective stance – can’t remember the exact name – that really started to make a difference. Using that to soak up some damage for the squishier guys on my team, or to push onto an objective, that felt more like it. He’s definitely more of a team player than a solo wrecking ball, in my experience.
I also started to appreciate his sheer ability to just be there. Like, he can take a beating. If I positioned myself right, I could block a doorway or hold a narrow choke point for a decent amount of time, just by being a massive, rocky obstacle. It wasn’t always flashy, but it was effective sometimes.
- Spent a whole evening just practicing his combos, if you can call them that. More like figuring out which punch to use after a slam.
- Learned the hard way not to chase after the really fast characters. Just not gonna happen.
- Realized that sticking with your team is super important. If I went off on my own, I was usually toast pretty quick.
The Good and The Not-So-Good
So, what’s the verdict after all that? Playing The Thing is… an experience. When it works, and you land a big hit, or save a teammate by taking the heat, it feels great. You really feel like this immovable object. There was this one match where I managed to knock three opponents off the edge with a well-timed ground pound. Felt like a total boss.
But then there are the downsides. He still feels a bit clunky to me. Turning around can feel like steering a boat. And against really mobile teams, it can be a nightmare. You just end up swinging at air while they dance around you. I also feel like his damage output isn’t always where I want it to be, considering how much risk you put yourself in by being on the frontline.
I’m still gonna play him, though. There’s something satisfying about being the big, tough guy. He’s not perfect, and maybe not the most exciting character for everyone, but he’s got his moments. Just gotta be patient and pick your battles. It’s clobberin’ time, but you gotta be smart about when and where you do your clobberin’.
