With the release of the Season 2.5 update forMarvel Rivals, a new map called Arakko was introduced alongside other seasonal content, such as the new Strategist character Ultron. This sister island to the mutant nation of Krakoa has been transformed by Ultron, becoming a corrupted labyrinth of machinery devoid of organic life. Despite the map’s unique look, its layout has some players frustrated during matches.
According to posts on theMarvel RivalsReddit page,the Arakko map has one of the most confusing designs of any location. As a Convoy map, matches on Arakko involve one team trying to escort something from one end of the map to the other. However, due to how Arakko is presented, players on both offense and defense seem to be having a hard time finding their team and objective.
“I personally feel that this is the worst map in the game because of its confusing layout which has caused me to get lost multiple times in a match…"- Reddit user joerocket18 on the Marvel Rivals official Reddit page
What Fans Are Saying About Marvel Rivals' New Map
Multiple Players Have Gotten Lost On Arakko
Unlike the Krakoa Domination series of three separate maps introduced at the start ofMarvel RivalsSeason 2, Arakko has been a constant source of confusion for players. According to some fans,Arakko has a very"samey"architecturethat makes it difficult to travel through. The multiple hallways and walls made of the exact same metal go down undefined paths, leading players to routes that are hard to remember.
Similar to the Krakoa map, players can get around Arakko by using portals. However, these portals have specific places where characters can travel, which can only be learned when players use them multiple times to see which locations they’ll teleport to.
While some players do praise Arakko for the visual themes related to Ultron, the lack of distinct landmarks makes it easy to lose teams if you don’t follow the main Convoy path.Those who take their time to play on this map multiple times may still have a hard time flanking opponentsor using shortcuts to get back to their groups after getting eliminated.
Some parts of Arakko are not clearly communicatedas well, including several spots where characters could fall to their deaths. The corridors and lethal passageways do not offer much visual decoration either, unlike the highly detailed New York or Krakoa maps celebrated by players for their intricate detail.
Marvel Rivals' Next Map May Need A Rework
Prioritize Visual Communication Over Character Themes
While Arakko does reflect Ultron’s goal to create a harmonious, almost sterile environment, in practice, it leads to a map that’s uninteresting at best and confusing at worst. Despite the love I have for theSeason 2.5 costumes inMarvel Rivalscentered around Ultron’s corruption, the map is slightly disappointing. While there are many good Easter Eggs in Arakko, future updates may want to change areas where teams fight the most.
Some extra lighting to make different hallways easier to spot, extra decorations showcasing Ultron’s designs to create landmarks, and other interesting visuals could all make Arakko more distinct. For Season 3 and beyond,Marvel Rivalsmay want to prioritize maps that have multiple routes, but with less ambiguity. Some maps like that already exist, including the Yggdrasill Path or Spider-Islands, as well as other Convoy locations.
Depending on what thenext theme is forMarvel RivalsSeason 3, newer maps could have far more detail to make them less confusing to play on. Maps are at their best when they have both function and style, but not one over the other. Although it is unclear which directionMarvel Rivalswill take for their next maps, Arakko could be a lesson to learn from moving forward.
