Marvel Rivals reveals its first ever PvE mode, and I can't wait to relive my zombie-killing youth

Call of Duty Zombies was a mainstay of my teenage gaming rotation. I'd get online with the boys, barricade some windows, shoot a couple of undead Nazis in the face, and inevitably succumb to the horde. Then we'd do it all over again. Zombie modes quickly became a staple of not only my gaming diet, but that of players across the world. While there are plenty of great games dedicated to zombie slaying out there, I've been waiting for the next 'CoD Zombies moment'-a surprising mode in a popular game that could replicate those days of old. Luckily, Marvel Rivals has swooped in to save the day, adding a PvE zombies mode so we can revel in nostalgia and two-tap some ghouls.

Just in time for spooky season, Marvel Rivals is launching its a PvE mode to coincide with the release of animated show Marvel Zombies. It's a first for Rivals, a mainstay in our best multiplayer games list, that trades competitive PvP action with hordes of shambling brain-eaters that you can massacre with up to three friends.

Sharing its name with the new show, Marvel Rivals Zombies mode lets you play as Thor, Blade, Magik, Jeff, and The Punisher. You'll come up against Namor, the Queen of the Dead, and thousands of mindless zombies as you progress through the mission.

These heroes also have unique abilities for the mode, so don't worry if your main isn't involved (that said, if Jeff isn't your main, you need to re-evaluate your priorities). Details are scant at the moment, but Jeff gets some kind of charge attack, Blade can slice up zombies with his bouncing moon blades, Thor is persistently in his Awakened state, and Magik has unlimited use of her Darkchild form.

These souped-up characters would be broken in PvP, but are perfect for maximizing the fun in a PvE mode. I can't wait to jump in and save the world from zombification.

The gameplay snippet Marvel Rivals developer NetEase showed off looks exciting and intense in equal measure. The hordes are unrelenting from the word go, and each character has unique voice lines for the mode.

The new Marvel Rivals Zombies game mode is available from Thursday, October 23. You can download the game here.

If this new game mode gives you an undead bloodlust, be sure to check out our favorite zombie games. If after slaying you want to return to the comfort of your PvP matches, make sure you give our Marvel Rivals tier list a read so that you're on top of the meta.

Looking for a squad? Head on over to our community Discord server, where staff and readers dissect the best way to kill a zombie, should the apocalypse arrive. We also talk about games, too.