Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Reviewed!
Oh Marvel Ultimate Alliance the second, I really wanted to like you. You had so much potential what with the whole Civil War thing. But that’s what it boils down to: potential. While I played I couldn’t help but think of the game I could have been playing. Sure, this gameplay has worked in the past (hell, I think it still does work here in some instances) but we’ve been doing this dance since X-Men Legends. I can see you trying with the fusion attacks and i applaud you for it. They bring a real sense of teamwork and power to an otherwise tired combat system. While we’re on the subject of super powers, what’s with the stripped down heroes? The last time we tangoed I felt like the characters lacked individual personality and basically boiled down to different skins wrapped around a punching and kicking skeleton. So imagine my dismay at discovering the utter lack of abilities per hero.
For shame Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, you’ve tried to appeal too much to the all out action, twitch gamers at the expense of those of us who enjoyed the RPG elements and customization of your predecessors.
Yes, fine, your graphics are a definite improvement and the criticisms to the contrary are nit-picky at best, I’ll give you that. But that doesn’t excuse you from half-assing one of my favourite marvel story arcs of the last few years. Nope, I’m not buying that ‘trying to appeal to a wider audience’ malarky.
Oh, and one last thing Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: I don’t see the point of a quest hub if there is only one available quest. I had visions of a superhero civil war being fought on multiple fronts, with choices that would have real consequences; like your available playable roster (pro or anti registration only affects a couple of heroes!) or missions you could undertake, or gear, or ANYTHING.
I’m disappointed. Not only with you Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, but with myself as well. Disappointed that I just can’t quit you(r franchise) and probably never will.
VERDICT: RENT. THEN (RE)READ CIVIL WAR AND WEEP FOR WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE COOLEST COMIC BOOK GAME EVER.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:02 pm
I’ve been avoiding playing this game because I hated Civil War. That, and I don’t understand the point of calling a game Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 when the game is about a civil war. Oh, sure, they are alliancing against the other superheroes, but it’s still about division, not unity, which one generally thinks about when they think about alliances.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:08 am
I definitely agree that the Marvel Ultimate Alliance branding makes no sense here. And I may be remembering with my rose coloured memory helmet but Civil War deserved better than this.
If you hated Civil War, fear not! The story is so detached from the action that you probably won’t notice it all that much. Or you could just play Beatles Rock Band, I hear that games pretty good.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I’ve played through this game twice and I can’t quite put my finger on what I’m not liking. Usually in these games I find a few characters that I genuinely enjoy playing but I just couldn’t this time around. Maybe it was the lack of customization this time around. In MUA1 I loved amping up Ghost Rider or Ice Man but this time around I never felt comfortable in any character.
Also I just felt gipped when the Hulk was doing as much melee damage as say, the Human Torch. It’s the Hulk! Balancing issues aside when he punches someone, he or she should fly across the screen.