Marvel Heroes Omega Roll Call: Elektra & the Defenders

The Defenders have taken over Netflix and now they’re bringing the fight to “Marvel Heroes Omega” on PS4 and Xbox One in their own unique event. Elektra joins in on the fun too—an all-new playable character, relentless and deadly, marking her enemies for lethal damage.

We talked to Gazillion Lead Designer Justin Bartlett to get the skinny on the Defenders Event and Elektra’s abilities!

Marvel.com: Street level villains and the Hand are in for some serious trouble with this Defenders Event coming up. What’s the team cooked up for us?

Justin Bartlett: We’re very excited that console players can finally check out our new Defenders Event on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One today. This event recently launched on PC and we want to continue bringing new themed events and content like this to “Marvel Heroes Omega” on all platforms. For now, players can expect a new Daily Defenders event mission and lots of great event exclusive gear as rewards.

Marvel.com: What can you tell us about the Defenders Event? What are we doing? Who are we beating down?

Justin Bartlett: The Hand has returned to New York City, and Misty Knight is on the lookout for heroes to help stop the ancient order. Players will find themselves facing off against the Hand incursion, collecting Orders from the Hand’s fallen foes. These items can be traded in for all kinds of event-exclusive prizes and rewards.

Marvel.com: And there are some new items we get to play with?

Justin Bartlett: You bet! We introduced a ton of new artifacts for this special event. One of my particular favorites is Elektra’s Mask. It has a great effect that summons Elektra. When it triggers, you’ll see Elektra in her new [costume from “Marvel’s Daredevil” on Netflix] jump into battle.

Marvel.com: But we also get Elektra now, the ultimate assassin herself! When I think about Elektra and her fighting style a few words come to mind: graceful, precise, deadly. What did the team focus on when bringing her to the game?

Justin Bartlett: Elektra really gave us a chance to show how an assassin can operate in the world of “Marvel Heroes Omega.” We really wanted to showcase how dangerous a hero can be when they focus on the most difficult of enemies. Players need to pick their targets wisely before executing critical strikes. So the team focused on making sure players have to make calculated choices.

Marvel.com: Can you talk a little about her skill trees? How are we going to be putting her sai and ninja skills to use?

Justin Bartlett: Elektra uses a wide variety of weapons and tools to dispatch her enemies. On one side, she utilizes the sais she is famously known for, as well as a segmented staff for players who like to get up close and personal with their victims. On the other side, she wields knife chains and poison darts to take out enemies from a distance. Whatever your playstyle, Elektra incorporates the use of stealth to strike unsuspecting enemies without them ever noticing.

What makes her truly unique is her Mark for Death mechanic. This can only affect high-value targets, like Elite enemies and Bosses, augmenting certain skills to be more effective, or enabling some of her highest damaging skills. For example, her Thrown Blade ability can only target a marked enemy to deal immense damage. If the enemy wasn’t a boss, they are instantly defeated.

Marvel.com: How does she fit into teams? What are we trying to do with her?

Justin Bartlett: Elektra is a highly mobile and evasive character who can deal damage up close or from a distance. She can also enlist the aid of Chaste Ninjas for a little added firepower. While she doesn’t boast much in the way of team-wide support skills, her value comes from high single-target damage.

Marvel.com: When does this event start and end?

Justin Bartlett: The event is going on now and will last for 14 days. So stop reading—Misty Knight is looking to hire some heroes to defend the world. Get out there and stop the Hand!

Stay tuned to Marvel.com for more “Marvel Heroes Omega” news and interviews and follow us on Twitter, @MarvelGames!