C
omic book geeks are in for a treat with X-Men Legends 2. Acolytes of the
Marvel universe, and especially X-Men fans, will be enamored with how
faithfully this action RPG sticks to the source material.
Even though the game is essentially a dungeon-crawling RPG, the action-
packed combat and compelling plot successfully mask the more tedious role-
playing elements. Through five story acts, you control a small, selectable squad
of four mutants who battle their way through New York streets, secret military
facilities, the mutant nation of Genosha, and even on to the Savage Land.
A roster of more than 20 good and evil mutants is at your disposal,
although you won’t have access to all of them in the beginning. Each mutant
has a range of upgradeable powers and attributes, some of which are
required to solve puzzles or defeat mini-bosses. The densely packed story
is filled to the brim with Marvel characters, which makes for surprising and
always satisfying cameos. In addition to playable characters, you can unlock
game and comic art—a nice bonus. Well-written dialog keeps the game true
to its comic roots, and the voice acting fits the personalities of the comic
book characters. Most of the missions are very straightforward, requiring
you to secure artifacts and key components, with the occasional gnarly boss
battle thrown in to spice things up.
One of the much touted features of this sequel is the new multiplayer
mode, which allows four players to battle in skirmishes or play through the
story together. Unfortunately, the matchmaking capabilities are totally neutered,with no way to browse for games on the Internet. And connectivity is fickle and
intermittent. A danger-room sandbox mode offers replayability, but most of the
game’s value comes from the 25 hours of single-player action.
Effectively realized mutant powers, well-developed characters, and a tight
storyline make this game a no-risk investment for anyone aching to immerse
themselves in Marvel mythos. It’s just a shame that the highly
anticipated multiplayer mode is
not up to snuff.
—NORMAN CHANX-Men Legends 2:
Rise of Apocalypse
Good and evil unite, only to be beaten by bad network code
Leveling up and getting new powers in X-Men Legends II is the
RPG equivalent of hitting mutant puberty.8
X-MEN LEGENDS II
$40, http://www.x-men-legends2.com,
ESRB: T