Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 [X360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS]

Posted October 14, 2009 by BBlank in DS, DS Reviews, Featured, Featured Home, PS2 Reviews, PS3, PS3 Reviews, PSP, PSP Reviews, Reviews, Wii, Wii Reviews, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 Reviews.

Reviewed on the Xbox 360

Batman hit the video game industry hard recently, really hard. Most are still reeling from the impact or shock of the caliber of the title. However Batman isn’t the only super hero around (or hero whatever), and Marvel certainly aren’t ones to be outdone easily. However, you can throw as many super heroes at situation as you want, but if they don’t work together, then it won’t do a damn thing.

It’s with that in mind that we find ourselves with the sequel to the well received 2006 title Marvel Ultimate Alliance, just now with a two on the end. As before you get the choice of a few of Marvel’s well known and lesser known heroes to trudge through a beat ‘em up affair.

After a string of events involving the super hero community catch the attention of the public, an outcry against the heroes is made. And the government passes a registration act, requiring all super heroes to enlist under the control and watch of the government. You play as four heroes of your choice and after a few levels this registration kicks in, and you’re required to enlist, or rebel.

The story line, much like in the comics, is an impressive premise, and on paper it’d work brilliantly for this title. However, you need more than paper to make a good video game. The most shocking thing about MUA2 is how short the game is, given the long length of both the original title and the actual registration act story, it’s odd how sped up the how ordeal is.

And to make matters worse, the actual registration, or Civil War as it becomes, is completely skimmed over in favour of a far more boring story line about half way through the game. Making the big choice completely redundant if only for one exclusive level per choice; other than that, it’s near identical. Sadly, the problem with the story in MUA2 is only the start.

The choice of heroes in MUA2 is quite impressive, with each having a very distinct feel to them. From their moves list to their dialogue a huge amount of work has gone into making each character truly represent who they’re meant to be. Along with the addition of Fusion Attacks, which combine attacks of any two characters into one, big, and sometimes awesome character specific combo. However, the RPG elements slapped on each character are seriously lacking.

Each character has a basic moves list of weak attack, strong attack, grab and jump but are also accompanied by a special move for each face button. The four moves with you from the start will be with you till the end. There is no choice in what moves you give to your characters and how you want them to evolve as they level up. It boils down to a basic “As you get more XP, your character becomes stronger” and that’s it. This wouldn’t be too bad if the enemies didn’t level up with you leaving the entire RPG system completely useless and unnecessary.

And while the characters may have been lucky enough to get a nice level of detail, the same can’t be said for the game as a whole. Graphics anywhere outside of main levels are usually lacking, cutscenes are stiff with jagged edges, and everything looks quite low budget overall.

There’s even a dialogue tree mechanic much like Mass Effect’s in place that for lack of a better word, is just “awful”. You choose a line and whoever is talking to you replies, your character doesn’t speak and this does nothing to affect any of the game outside of attitude bonuses.

The saving grace of the title comes in the multiplayer and the levels, which, while the best looking part the whole game, shine because of a quite fantastic destructible environment mechanic. This, unlike most in recent games, actually compliments the gameplay instead of getting in the way. Objects will fly around, blow up and crumble to really give off a feeling that these battles are bigger in scale then they actually are.

And when played through with a buddy locally or online, using the flexible drop in/drop out system the gameplay comes to life. Because at the heart of everything MUA2, like the original, is an extremely repetitive ordeal. The fun multiplayer and destructible environments bring the action to life. But as a solo ordeal MUA2 is almost boring, and certainly flawed at nearly every turn.

On a last note my biggest complaint is the fact that when you buy MUA2, you don’t exactly get MUA2. Want Juggernaut? Should’ve got it from Amazon. Want Blade? Go buy the Wii version. How about She-Hulk? Try a DS.

If I pay for a something why am I not getting every part of it? Why is it acceptable to section off elements of the game to the consumer when they’re paying full price for the product? It’s a disgrace and ultimately damages the game, because when you’re not getting all the Marvel characters you should be getting it’s far from an ultimate alliance.

There was a lot to go right here, if they had added to the stellar original MUA what the sequel brought to the franchise. Instead MUA2 is one step forward, two steps back. And that’s a shame, as there is some good here, but it’s drowned in mediocrity and stupid design choices.

Tagged as Activision, Marvel, Playstation 3, Ultimate Alliance 2, Vicarious Visions, Xbox 360