Marvel: Ultimate Alliance PS3 Review
From LoveToKnow VideoGames
By Sheila Robinson (CA-gamer)
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for the PS3 is a new superhero-based action RPG game where you can create your ultimate dream team to save the world from Dr. Doom and the other super villains.
Choose from up to 120 different characters from the Avengers, X-Men and the Fantastic Four. Fight off the forces of evil using hand-to-hand combat, super powers and puzzle solving. Play solo, co-op or online. Is it a fun game? LoveToKnow has taken the time to try out this PS3 game and help you determine if it is worth your game time.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Gameplay
When you start off playing Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for the PlayStation 3, you get to choose a four party team from a selection of 20 superheroes. The thing to remember is that you need to think about what types of abilities that may benefit you in the mission/situation you are currently involved with. Fighting styles seem to vary, but the moves are mostly simple, requiring only one or two button pushes.
If you have played other related titles like Wolverine or Marvel Nemesis, you will find this game to be easy to pick up. While exploring, you don’t have to worry about getting lost, since an on-screen map helps guide you in the right direction. The default view is top-down, but you can adjust it for more up close and personal encounters with villains.
During combat situations while playing a solo game, you can rely somewhat on your teammates to assist you. However the AI is not all that bright since the other characters will sometimes just stand around or go off in weird directions when you are not interacting with any enemies. The game does require a bit of thought since the slew of super villains you will encounter may be a bit overwhelming. Enemies do not blindly fight anything, and mostly target the character you are currently playing.
Most of this game is action/adventure based, but it has a small element of role-playing as well. As you level up through the game, points can be added to help the team as a whole, or help you improve or learn new abilities. However, you will not have a “shop” to buy any items like health or energy potions. Instead, as you kill enemies and super villains, these items will drop for your convenience.
Bosses, Puzzles and Character Dialog
What about bosses? Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for the PS3 has its fair share of them. They do provide some challenge since they cannot be defeated simply with normal hand-to-hand combat. Instead, superpowers and a bit of thought will get you through most situations. However, be ready with fast single button pushes since your final defeat of most bosses will involve a mini-game where you will need to press the right sequence as it appears.
If you like games that have challenging puzzles, you may be disappointed with Marvel: Ultimate Alliance since you will not encounter any that require too much brainpower. Many involve pushing, pulling and breaking objects. Clues are so obvious that it is kind of insulting. Do game designers really think that gamers are this clueless? That is a debatable question.
In-between team missions and other crucial moments, you will encounter dialog with certain characters who give you information. This information is important. However, the voice dialog is only spoken from the character you are conversing with. Your character will always reply to dialog with text that you will need to click through to complete the communication process.
Reviewing the Visual and Sound Effects
With the amazing next-generation abilities of the PS3, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is visually stimulating. Gone are the too-cheesy graphics from previous X-Men titles and are replaced with a more dynamic, fluid and colorful environment. As you move through the somewhat linear levels, there seems to be no lag issues of any kind.
As for sounds and other audio effects, it is a good experience. An upbeat, dramatic music track plays in the background and changes throughout the game as you encounter different situations. This is nice since it adds a bit of excitement to the action.
Each superhero and villain you will encounter has their own selection of choice phrases they will say while interacting with each other. It may be funny or cool at first, but then it begins to becoming extremely irritating, especially in some crucial moments during the game.
Is This Game Worth It?
If you are a big fan of the Marvel universe, and like light, easy to learn action/adventure games, you may want to check this title out for fun. On the flip side, if you are looking for a challenging game with depth and more role-playing game elements, you may want to pass. Although Ultimate Alliance is visually appealing, the simple button mashing and lack of interesting puzzles to solve may make you feel a bit empty and dissatisfied.
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