Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

THE GOOD:
- Customizable characters
- History and fun facts throughout the game
- Great Single and Multiplayer action
- Arsenal of moves to choose from
- Well-developed story
- Choose your own team from 25+ characters

THE BAD:
- Slightly long load times
- Some minor glitches
- Some disappointing costumes

SUMMARY:

Graphics: 4.5/5 - With all this game has to offer, the graphics are remarkable for these next-gen consoles. The cut-scenes are amazing, showing these Marvel characters at their best. From the lining to Spidey's outfit, to the claws on Wolverine, it's all there for you to enjoy.


Gameplay: 4.5/5 - Seems a bit out there, but the game runs very smoothly. The pick-up and play kind, each character with their own unique moves, such as Captain America's shield throw. Nothing feels more satisfying than slicing someone up with Blade's sword, and plowing through multiple enemies with Iceman's slide. It won't feel reptetive at all with the different levels and characters, either, such as Atlantica, fighting in the sea and all.

Music: 2/5 - Nothing too impressive in this department. Some decent ones to go by whilst fighting, but it gets rather boring otherwise, such as at the bases. To be honest, I'd rather use themes of my own.

Plot: The plot really surprised me. With Dr. Doom and his legion of baddies for world domination, against our arsenal of good guys, it seems like an obvious superhero game...but it gets more complicated.

Controls: The controls are easy to get used to. Simple combos used such as A,A,B are to power through enemies, but the real fun comes with the unique abilities each character possesses. That's where the Right Trigger comes into play. From holding that down, we get acces to up to four special attacks, 3 of which we are able to customize.

Some few annoyances such as glitches occur, but rarely, such as getting stuck while in mid-air because of a nearby solid object. Long load times can slow down the fun-o-meter, as well, if there's a lot of going back and forth to do. Don't let these problems outweigh the good of the game, though, because leveling and trying out the many characters is worth it all by itself.

Online/Cooperative:Competitive multiplayer mode also gives you quite a challenge while teaming up with friends, and there's plenty of interesting achievements to add to the replay value. There's even online mode, where you can see and play with another's save files, and interact with how they customized their characters. Customizing your own team is also a great feature of the game. Getting team bonuses such as more health and such by using your selected team is a great reward.

Let's not forget about the new eight characters, downloadable or through the Gold Edition. They help new light to the game. From the lovable anti-hero Venom, to the amazing archer Hawkeye, it's quite a optic blast of a time...speaking of which, Cyclops is also part of the eight.

I'm a huge fan of Marvel and their work, and I must say, this is the greatest Marvel game yet. Their portrayal of characters in this game is spot-on, such as Wolverine's bad-ass attitude, and Spider-Man's comic personality. What made this even better, was it's X-Men Legends-type features, such as costumes, controls, and most importantly, the multiplayer. Since I'm not an only child, the game's multiplayer availability brought more appeal to the game, and surely enjoyed playing through it more with a friend and relative than alone. There aren't many good cooperative games for the next-gen consoles at the moment, which makes this game, in my eyes, a must-buy.

Overall: I'd give this a 4.4/5. Though there were some frustrating points, such as Atlantica (I hate being underwater), the team-play makes it worth a try. It's a great experience, and a must-buy for Marvel fans. Even if you like just one character in Marvel, you can be drawn to this game and end up learning about the many histories and motives of about 200 Marvel characters. Even non-fans would enjoy this superhero game.