Summary
Teased back in September 2022, Skydance’s Marvel game managed to capture quite a bit of attention thanks to its distinct premise. A single-player, narrative-focused adventure set in World War 2 and beinghelmed byUncharted’s Amy Hennig, Skydance’s Marvel game looked promising right off the bat, and that’s become even more true following the game’s most recent unveiling. Now officially titledMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, Skydance’s WW2 Captain American/Black Panther boasts some eye-watering Unreal Engine 5 visuals.
But state-of-the-art visuals aren’t the only thingMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra’s got going for it. In just a little over two minutes, this most recentMarvel 1943trailer managed to shed quite a bit of light on the game’s story, teasing a rivalry between Captain America and Black Panther, the growing threat of Hydra in Paris, and a potential third superhuman on the loose. But while all of that is already more than enough forMarvel 1943to chew on, there’s still a golden opportunity to introduce just one more beloved Marvel character.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Should Feature Bucky Barnes
Marvel 1943 Could Deliver a Winter Soldier Origin Story
Though certain elements of the story change between continuities, the vast majority ofMarvel comics set during World War 2feature James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes, especially those relating to Captain America. According to most comic timelines, Bucky and Captain America first meet in 1941 and quickly become an inseparable team, teaming up to take down Nazi forces across the globe. While Bucky may not be one of the four main protagonists currently detailed forMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, it would make a lot of sense for him to make at least an appearance or two in the game.
By 1943, Bucky should be assisting Captain America on just about every mission he goes on, with the pair having worked together for at least two years at that point. So, while it makes sense that Captain America would be sent on some covert mission behind enemy lines in Paris, it would also make a lot of sense if Bucky followed him every step of the way. Though he doesn’t need to have a prominent role inMarvel 1943, it would be fun to seea comic-accurate version of Bucky’s originplay out during the course of the game.
This could be done via flashbacks and lines of expository dialogue that briefly detailCap and Bucky’s relationshipup until this point. Then, throughout the game, Bucky could continue to pop up, assisting on missions or maybe being tasked with his covert operations somewhere else in Paris. And if Skydance wanted to really lean into this angle, one of its final missions could be an alternate spin on Bucky’s “death,” having the hero lose his arm in an explosion and be presumed dead, though this event would be happening two years earlier than most Bucky origin stories.
Marvel 1943’s Post-Credits Scene Is Already Clear
But ifMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydrawanted to fully embrace Bucky and his origin story, then the game’s post-credits scene is already clear. After rolling credits onMarvel 1943, players could be treated to a quick snapshot of the Winter Soldier being created, which could potentially pave the way for a sequelset during the Cold War. Though Captain America would likely still be on ice at this time - if Skydance is sticking with the usual comic continuity - a version of the Black Panther would still be around to hunt down the Winter Soldier, along with another hero that could potentially team up with him.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
WHERE TO PLAY
In the chaos of war, worlds collide. Captain America and Azzuri, the Black Panther of the 1940s, must overcome their differences and form an uneasy alliance to confront their common enemy. Fighting alongside Gabriel Jones of the Howling Commandos, and Nanali, a Wakandan spy embedded in Occupied Paris, they must join forces to stop a sinister plot that threatens to turn the havoc of WWII into the ultimate rise of Hydra.
