Marvel: Ultimate Alliance: Easily the Best Superhero Game to Date
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95% score
Marvel Ultimate Alliance is the follow up to the x-men legends games but it has loads more going on than previous instalments. First of all the heor roster is iuch improved. Spiderman, ghostrider, silver surfer,dardevil, captain america, wolverine and other marvel all stars are all playable. The story is interesting if a little too mystical for those who tend to be turned off by the notions of magic or gods but despite some hot and cold vocie acting, the story is interesting. The game touts branching storylines but what it really means is that at the end of the game depending on how amny of the optional objectives you completed you will be told how much you messed up the future through a little clipshow at the end. The game plays very similarly to the previous instlments but now flying characters can do so without draing their powers and everyone has chargable attacks. The levels are reltively expansive but the enemies do get a little repetitive, even some of the mini-bosses are rpeated (you fight scorion at least twice, possibly three times) however you won't notice this as you try to level up your team and frantically battle hordes of enemies ina combo of button mashing hit and run tactics and power management strategizing. Also after a certain point you are to make your own team and level them together and their team stats. This adds replay value as you sorta limit hpow many characters you switch per play thru and explore new teams each time. The game is pretty long so you'll ahve fun with each team and level the up considerably. The comic missions are back and improved with more incentive this time. for each characters individual comic mission if you suceed and get a good enough score you'll be awarded with new costumes and experience points. Each character has 4 costumes that bolster certain abilities differently as well. Graphically the 360 version looks good, but not great. The character models look like they are average last gen renders (like Rise of the Imperfects) but they get the job done and considering last version's graphics this is a step up. The environments also look good in a workman way. All things considered this game is engrossing and will ahve you playing for hours with or without friends. You'll ahve almost no excuse to quit this game after one playthrough either with all the comic missions, unlockables and new teams to level and play as. My only gripe is there is no multiplayer versus this time around but the co-op mode is so perfect, you won't really care. This is truely marvel's ultimate game so far and i can't wait to see what future installments will be like.
