Super Heroes-Fight!

Although we had quite an adventure getting our hands on a Playstation 3 game console, getting games for the thing seemed to be a much easier proposition. We were able to purchase Resistance: The Fall of Man a few days before the system was released, and a copy of Marvel Ultimate Alliance while we were waiting for the 12:01 AM release of the system.

Given that my son and I are both comic book geeks, Marvel Ultimate Alliance was one of the top launch release games on our list. The game is available for other platforms too, such as X-Box and PS2, so if you don’t have a PS3, you can still partake in the fun.

The Premise

The S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage Division) helicarrier has been infiltrated by a slew of super-powered baddies. Their evil plot for the free world can only be guessed at, and S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury has called in a superhero squad to defeat the villains and save the world.

Gameplay Basics

Playing the game is a simple matter of navigating through a series of labyrinthine corridors and platforms on the helicarrier. Players can choose four heroes with a varying degree of powers to accomplish their missions and defeat the bad guys. Multiple players can control different heroes; any additional heroes will be controlled by A.I.

Initially, such heroes as Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Spider-Man are favorites, though other available options include the Thing, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel and more. As you progress through missions, more heroes will be unlocked as well as different versions of the heroes you already have (Ultimates Thor vs. Classic Thor, Classic Captain America vs. USA Agent, etc,).

Your superhero characters will become more and more powerful the more you play, too, as they advance in strength levels and gain additional powers. You can also interchange characters as you advance and they are unlocked at “safe points” scattered through game play.

Arrayed against you are a veritable army of Doombots, A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) troopers, demons, trolls, and more. Once you defeat the hordes on each level, you’ll face a “boss” villain along the lines of the Superskrull, MODOK, the Crimson Dynamo, the mighty Fin Fang Foom (he’s tough, let me tell you), and even the planet-gobbling Galactus.

Besides the player characters, there are a number of non-playing characters that are worked into the action to advance the storyline as you play. They appear in both the game itself and the Marvelous cut scenes generously peppered throughout. The cut scenes are simply beautiful, with detailed CGI that at least approaches a blurring of the line between animation and reality.

The graphics here are crisp and clear and offer a high level of detail for characters and backgrounds alike.

Who Can Play?

One of the things I liked about this game was that it is very playable by a number of players of many ages. Using the controls is a cinch, and unlike many other video games you can navigate and fight with just a few buttons and combinations. The game is not so complex that the very young as well as the not-so-young (like me) can’t play.

There are a few interesting moves that take advantage of the PS3 controller’s motion sensing, however. For example, at one point the heroes must push a huge box over a ledge to smash the floor below. To do this, you have to hold the control in close to you, depress a button, and wave it up and down extremely quickly with both hands.

The biggest flaw I find with multiplayer action is that it can get confusing at times. The screen area is fairly large and can quickly fill up with your heroes and the army of villains you’re battling. I have to admit I have lost track of my particular character in the melee a few times as a result, though John the Gameguru seems to suffer from no such malady.

Overall

Marvel Ultimate Alliance offers players of all ages lots of fun. The detailed graphics and cut scenes, colorful cast of characters, and widely accessible playability make this a game the whole family can enjoy. Even if you’re not a comics fan, chances are you know most of these characters, and will enjoy both the story and the game play.