After playing through The Rise of the Red Skull, I wasn’t sure how much higher Marvel Champions could climb with its campaign expansions—but Sinister Motives proved me wrong. This box not only improves on the campaign structure introduced earlier, but it also brings a more cohesive theme, tougher villains, and two exceptionally well-designed heroes that play beautifully together.
Simply put: if you’re a fan of the game, Sinister Motives is a must-have.
A Spider-Verse Focus with Bite
Sinister Motives leans hard into the Spider-Man corner of the Marvel universe. It includes:
- Two heroes: Ghost-Spider (Gwen Stacy) and Spider-Man (Miles Morales)
- Five villains: Sandman, Venom, Mysterio, the Sinister Six (all six at once!), and Venom Goblin
- A campaign system with branching effects and persistent consequences
- A rich batch of modular sets and additional encounter cards
The spider theme could’ve easily felt narrow or repetitive, but the variety in the villains and the diversity in encounter mechanics keep it fresh. Each villain introduces a distinct mechanical identity while staying true to their character.
Ghost-Spider and Spider-Man – A Dream Duo
Gwen and Miles are easily among the best two-hero combinations in any box set. Ghost-Spider’s playstyle revolves around readying after playing or triggering interrupts and reactions—leading to turns where she can thwart, defend, and attack more than once in clever combinations.
Miles Morales, meanwhile, brings versatility through his ability to generate stun and confuse effects depending on the type of card he plays. Both heroes reward thoughtful sequencing and flexible planning, but they don’t require encyclopedic knowledge of the card pool to pilot effectively.
Together, they make a great team in two-player games. One can control the board while the other pushes aggression, and both have decks that can be tuned in a variety of directions without losing their core identities.
Villains That Bring the Challenge
If you’re looking for tough fights, this box delivers.
- Sandman plays with acceleration and threat in interesting ways—his deck burns through the encounter pile fast, which pressures players to act quickly.
- Mysterio messes with your own deck, shuffling encounter cards into it and forcing you to deal with unpleasant surprises.
- The Sinister Six is a hectic, dynamic scenario where the villain lineup constantly shifts.
- Venom Goblin, the final boss of the campaign, is brutal—a chaotic, multi-scheme affair that requires sharp coordination and optimized decks.
Each fight is distinct, and none feel phoned in. You’ll likely lose a few scenarios the first time through, but that makes the wins more satisfying.
Campaign Mode – Actions Have Weight
While still more streamlined than narrative-heavy campaigns like Arkham Horror: The Card Game, Sinister Motives improves on earlier Marvel Champions campaigns with a more meaningful progression system.
You’ll earn cards based on your performance—both helpful and harmful—and those cards stick with you. Some benefits give you a leg up in future fights, while penalties can linger and complicate your decisions. The stakes feel higher, and you’ll find yourself sweating just a little more in the final two villains depending on how the campaign has gone.
That extra level of consequence adds weight to your wins and your losses. It’s a relatively simple system, but it works.
Faithful to the Source
As always, one of Marvel Champions’ strongest features is how well it captures the feel of the characters. Every card, every ability, every villain mechanic reflects the essence of the Marvel universe. In Sinister Motives, that theme is dialed up even more.
Ghost-Spider feels agile and reactive. Miles Morales uses camouflage and venom strikes just like in the comics. Mysterio is slippery and full of psychological tricks. Even the side schemes and modular sets drip with Spider-Verse flair.
It’s this combination of mechanical excellence and thematic immersion that sets Marvel Champions apart—and Sinister Motives hits that sweet spot repeatedly.
Final Thoughts
Sinister Motives is not only my favorite Marvel Champions expansion to date—it’s a shining example of how to refine a campaign box without bloating it. The heroes are incredibly fun to play, the villains are tough but varied, and the campaign progression finally feels like it matters.
If you’re new to Marvel Champions, you’ll want to get comfortable with the base game first. But if you’ve already put in the reps and are looking for a box that deepens the experience, Sinister Motives delivers on nearly every front.
Tense battles, meaningful choices, and two of the best heroes in the game—this one’s a knockout. Highly recommended, especially for two-player teams ready to swing into action.