Marvel: Ultimate Alliance [PS3]

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.