Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Nov 16, 2006
The old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." An addendum should be added in video game context, however, that states, "Just give people more of the same." That's exactly what Activision and Raven Sofware do here: They take all that was good about X-Men Legends, encompass the entire Marvel universe, and pretty things up as only the Xbox 360 can.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance is every comic-book fan's dream come true. It features 20 heroic icons to play as -- from popular crews such as the X-Men and Fantastic Four, but also some more obscure stars like Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel. In turn, they battle a potpourri of evil that's even more varied. A thin but intriguing storyline attempts to tie it all together, but it's the inside jokes and pop-culture references where the writing really shines. However, in games like this, the story is just a conduit between maps full of button-mashing combat anyway.
The combat doesn't reinvent the art of punching someone in the face by any respect, but it's still plenty fun. Slight tweaks like debris you can wield and better throws subtly enhance play, and the smarter teammates are very welcome. That's not to say they won't get stuck in corners once in a while, but a quick tap of the shoulder button warps them near your position to make their superhero paychecks. A good percentage of characters can fly or have other unique double-jump mechanics -- Spidey slings, and Deadpool teleports. These help make traversing the wide terrain a little more entertaining.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance has no health or energy potions, but pickups are plentiful -- along with coins you'll be motivated to collect. When (not if) one of your teammates bites it, they'll be out of commission for a certain time limit. You can replace them at a checkpoint, or wait until they're rested to re-insert them. These elements seem in place to keep the action going, and they're successful.
The boss battles of Ultimate Alliance -- which are sometimes the dullest parts of these games -- almost always bring something new to the table. Often, your foe is massive, and the designers take advantage of this with clever fights. Galactus requires hanging ten with Silver Surfer, while the ice giant Ymir has you climbing up his body, God of War-style, to deliver a spear to his back. Even the battle against massive cranium MODOK is interesting, as it starts with some general-knowledge trivia.
Each character has a plethora of skills to choose from, though Marvel Ultimate Alliance really holds you back from customizing too much. In fact, you'll have to take every character you incorporate off of auto-assign -- which could've been much better handled by a single option. Leveling up is an odd mishmash of point- and money-spending, but it works well. Most stat boosts are assigned to the hero's costume, of which everyone has four (eventually). Finally, equipment is usually dropped by mid- and end-of-level bosses, but you can only equip one thing each. Raven really pulled back the reigns on RPG elements in Marvel, but not so much that it's detrimental to those who enjoy tweaking their team. Still, role-playing fans may be left wanting.
Multiplayer is the ideal way to play this game, as is usually the case with this genre. Both local and online work well, though there's obviously some lag over Xbox Live. Arcade mode adds a cool competitive elements where everyone will be fighting for each kill and coin. It definitely helps boost the fun rating if you're in a party full of strangers. Even still, getting together with three other buds you can trust not to spontaneously quit or foolishly get themselves killed is the best way to go.
The environments look great -- all shiny and detailed -- and the CG cutscenes are amazing. The same can't be said for character models; you'll rarely see mouths move during real-time conversations, and up-close animations look jerky and forced. Eye candy you've come to expect on Xbox 360 like facial expressions and fluffy hair are nowhere to be found. It's not a huge deal, as the camera is often pulled waaaaaay back, but it's definitely not making the hardware sweat.
On the other hand, Marvel Ultimate Alliance has superb audio. The voiceover cast isn't star-studded, but they capture the essence of their roles: Spider-Man is snarky, Wolverine is rebellious, and Iron Man is...metallic. The music is beautifully orchestrated, melding perfectly with each map's motif.
While it's not exactly revolutionary, you can't help but have fun with Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Action/RPGs tap into some inherent need to button-mash and kill countless foes, while still strategizing a bit with your party and their attributes so you don't feel brainless -- and this may be the best sci-fi themed entry in the genre to date. On Xbox 360, you're treated to some exclusive characters, a list of (well-balanced) achievements, and the best online service in the world. If that's worth spending the extra 20-spot on, then charge ahead and never look back.