Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for PC, PS4 and etc. is an action-RPG inspired by the incredibly popular Marvel Universe. Although the game is similar to X-Men Legends when it comes to its main mechanics, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance introduces many novelties, which makes it even more alluring for fans of superheros. The game was originally released back in 2006, but its slightly improved version for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PCs came out in 2016 - the latter edition features upgraded visuals and a better head-up display. The newer edition can be purchased through digital distribution services, either as a stand-alone game or in a set with Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.

Plot

An evil genius - Doctor Doom, tries to execute his plan of taking control over the world once again, having created an organization gathering super-rogues. He attacks the headquarters of a government agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D without any warning. Surrounded by the overpowering enemy, Agent Fury requests assistance. The greatest heros arrive, such as the legendary Captain America, agile Spider-Man, a powerful nordic god known as Thor, Blade - the vampire hunter, Wolverine, the rocky Thing or Ghost Rider - a demon of vengeance. The player takes control over such warriors when trying to stop the evildoers.

Mechanics

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for PC, PS4 and etc. is similar to X-Men Legends in terms of the mechanics. Before each level, the player creates a group of heros capable of completing the objective, choosing from all the warriors available. After gathering a combat team, the player begins the fight and starts to cause mayhem. At the end of each level, the player encounters a boss fight. The in-game environments are fully interactive, thus the player can both destroy many environmental objects and use them as weapons.

The combat system is fairly extensive - the game offers many kinds of attacks, grabs and dodge moves. Different moves can be linked in combos, and combat itself evolves as the player progresses. The heros can use their special abilities in real time (such as throwing a shield or launching Spider-Man's web), which makes the encounters more spectacular and exciting.

Superheros evolve throughout the adventure. Instead of implementing a traditional development system based on improving particular characters' statistics, the creators decided on a less predictable move - the player unlocks new costumes for the heros and upgrades them. As a result, Spider-Man learns how to trap enemies inside cocoons made of his web for instance; Captain America on the other hand, can learn how to control both direction and flight path of his shield for example.

In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for PC, PS4 and etc., the player visits many places the fans of comic books can be familiar with, taking part in many exciting encounters - the player fights aboard a transport aircraft belonging to S.H.I.E.L.D, visits the legendary land of Atlantis, or goes through Galactus's invasion, who is a planet eater. The game features collectibles as well. Comic books are hidden in the levels and finding an adequate number of them unlocks additional missions referring to past stories of particular heros.

Last updated on 10 December 2007