Marvel Rivals could finally be the game for an X-Men character to shine

Marvel Rivals can essentially be Monitoring with a thick layer of Marvel paint, but it's hard to deny how special and thoughtful each character's implementation is so far. Marvel Rivals may have been able to skim each character for whatever superficial and sensational ability they primarily wield, and yet it's proven to judge small details and embed them into each respective character's playstyle regardless of how suboptimal that would seem in the realm of a 6v6 hero shooter (like Spider-Man's spider sense or wall crawling).

This would indicate that all future Marvel characters are being added Marvel Rivals' rosters will get the same treatment and be accurate in their representation, which can be harder to actually pull off for some characters more than others. For example, Cyclops is pretty static as a character on paper and, despite not being officially announced yet, can be difficult to adapt to Marvel Rivals' landscape. That said, the same could have been said about characters like Hulk, Groot or Rocket Raccoon, and Marvel RivalsAttention to detail continues to prove that Cyclops could be a welcome addition in the future.

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Marvel Rivals can't leave a character off its roster for very long

Marvel Rivals is expected to launch in December, and while a variety of heroes will join the roster, one character has yet to be announced.

Why Cyclops joins Marvel Rivals should be a no-brainer

Cyclops' psionic optic blasts are incredibly powerful, to be clear, but in general, those red visor beams are arguably as entertaining to watch as Spider-Man's web sling, Iron Man's repulsor blast, or even Captain America's shield ricochets.

But in a 6v6 hero shooter that Marvel Rivals largely revolving around ability-based action and long-range projectiles, Cyclops can actually be a key character. Cyclops could probably keep opponents at bay with sweeping optic blasts, perhaps with multiple modulations like rapid bursts fired as his primary attack or a massive beam ability with many recovery frames.

Mobility is also a pillar Marvel Rivals' game, and it would be interesting to see if Cyclops' optic blasts can be used to enable mid-air maneuverability. Marvel Rivals' Hero shooter covers a lot for each character but their movesets aren't as varied or expansive as a regular action game, which is why Cyclops can excel with only a handful of attacks and abilities that he would need in his arsenal.

Additionally, this is a big reason why Cyclops is great in simpler beat-em-up games such as Marvel Ultimate Alliance series or X-Men Legends as he doesn't have to stretch himself thin to meet the demands of a larger suite of mechanics that wouldn't adequately represent the character. Marvel RivalsThe current choices for X-Men characters are surprisingly diverse and so it may be a while before it eventually reaches Cyclops on a laundry list of possible additions.

Cyclops' adaptation wouldn't need to look much further than Marvel Rivals Captain America

Captain America's Freedom Charge Ultimate could be something of an inspiration for Cyclops' own since Scott Summers is his own team's leader and is expected to have some sort of support ability as well. Freedom Charge gives Captain America and teammates “continuous bonus health and movement boosts” on the path he takes, and it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for Cyclops to imbue himself and allies with a similar buff somehow.

Utilizing the support tactic, Cyclops could easily step up as Captain America and rally his teammates while possibly having more projectile-oriented versatility than Steve Rogers, whose shield throwing is naturally tied to a specific ability as well as consecutive melee hits. Either way, while Cyclops may not be a standout phenomenal character when placed next to someone like Magik, Storm, or Scarlet Witch, it seems like it will only be a matter of time before Scott – who only recently gained acclaim and popularity via X-Men '97—gets a decent fit.