X-Men Legends exploits the most important factor of the X-Men---working together as a team of super heroes to combat the evil of the world. From a range of the well-known characters, this new Adventure RPG takes you on their most dangerous mission yet. The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of a nation of mutants and how they co-operate with one another is vital to their success.
With Raven being a successful games developer and Marvel being a renowned household name due to its comics, films and games, this new title is full of excitement and adventure, drawn in from all their resources to create the spectacular epic that it is.
EARTH HAS FALLEN UNDER A SHROUD OF DARKNESS
The first flakes of winter fluttered down on a biting breeze. Betsy Braddock stepped out onto her balcony and stared up at the charcoal New York City skyline in wonderment. Where had all the stars gone? There was no moonlight glow casting long shadows along the rooftops this night. There were, however, enough falling stars to answer the wishes of every child in midtown Manhattan. She had been awakened by a terrible nightmare that the city had gone mad. Screams of terror lingered and seemed to echo in her head. No! Those weren’t echoes in her head at all...those screams were real! Fires burned, down on 34th Street. Somewhere nearby, a car screeched and slammed into the side of a building. A female voice cried out in the darkness, mingling with the cries of glee and screams of anguish...
...And in the next moment, like the last rays of moonlight, Betsy, the woman now known as Psylocke, was gone, lost among the embers of the city lights below. This is not how anyone thought it would be. Least of all, the X-men. Just then, Betsy’s apartment shook as a large shadow the length of five cars passed two stories beneath, through the darkness of night. What was already a dark sky was darkened further by dozens of mechanised beasts flying above, the mutant hunting sentinel swarm, circling about like vultures waiting to feast in the streets below...
...Several blocks away, a car exploded, rocking the street and sending bodies flailing to the ground like dominoes. The joints of a 50-foot steel behemoth creaked as it rose above the city lights and awnings in the middle of the six-lane street. A small girl hunched over a doll crouched behind a car, screaming for her mother.
“Mutant DNA identified...prime objective, terminate,” a pair of inhuman eyes the size of street lamps glared from above and glowed with white hot fury. Just then, a large gloved hand grabbed the child like a doll and lifted her onto the massive shoulders of a mighty, metallic-skinned mutant. Out of the shadows of the X-Jet, a ruby-quartz visor burned fiery hot, and almost instantly six razor-sharp adamantium claws extended, reflecting the monster’s yellowish gaze...
This is the state of the world, it is in complete chaos. The Mutant Brotherhood are causing all kinds of trouble throughout the nation, along with many enemies from the X-Men universe, fuelled by Magneto and his hate for the human race. With the human race causing riots and all kinds of protesting against mutants and their existence within normal life, there does not look like much room for change. If there is someone to save the world then it will have to be the might and teamwork of the X-Men.
TO COMBAT THIS EVIL WE MUST WORK AS A TEAM
This is the main feature of the new game that holds it together so well and promotes it brilliantly. All fans of the comic series, those who have come to know the X-Men through the new films or even all of those new to them will love this game, as their is an aspect in it for everyone. However, as said, it is all held together by the genius yet simple idea of fighting through the game with a team of your very own X-Men.
There are fifteen heroes too choose from, all of which are very well known characters of the creation; Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, Jean Grey, Night Crawler, Iceman, Magma, Gambit, Beast, Jubilee, Colossus, Juggernaut, of course, not forgetting the all important professor Xavier who holds them all together. There are also some appearances from other friendly X-Men such as Forge.
At the beginning of each new mission you are allowed to pick your team, of up to four heroes, but in the game there are special spots where you can change the team if you wish but these are not every-where and you must choose your team correctly to fit the mission.
Each of the X-Men can level up through gaining experience by killing enemies. There are three stages to their development. The first is their main stats; strike, agility, body and focus, then, still within this area, you can select what actions you wish that X-Man to perform if they are being controlled by the AI such as level; aggressive, normal or defensive; heal; never, less than 20%, less than 40%, less than 80%; power; selected mutant power. The next stage is their skills; each X-Man has specific skills that they can develop alone and no other hero can use them. There are many skills for each character, around ten and to level them up higher, you have to spend your points to raise the bar for each skill. Lastly, you can collect items throughout that game that you can equip onto the X-Man of your choice. It is split into three categories; armour, belts and backpacks that can raise their defence, abilites and mutant attacks.
The mutant powers for each of the X-Men varies, depending on who they are. Wolverine uses a range of frenzied attacks using his adamantium claws, Cyclops on the other hand fires his power beam and Jean Grey can use her telekinesis, etc.
You can choose any of the available X-Men that you want. You do not have to use all of them; you can customise your dream team to combat the evil that threatens the world and the existence of man.
Whilst in gameplay, the format is pretty simple. Your four X-Men that you have chosen are on screen. Depending on how many of you are playing, determines how many are controlled by the AI. However, another beauty of this game is that you can switch which character you control, whenever you want! (Out of the four in your team of course).
THE MARVEL WAY
One of the main problems with recent games of X-Men, fighting, adventures or otherwise, is that they have kept up with the technology of today and produced them in 3D. This is one major letdown, mostly because the graphics and design used for each of the X-Men is very poor and not well thought out. In many of the titles, there are also some X-men that are not very well known and most fans would prefer to be the all time favourites.
Forget all of that, because, as already said, or if I have not, then I should have, X-Men Legends is a masterpiece. The way that they have gone with the graphics fits in with the Marvel theme and design perfectly to give it the continual cartoon edge. Using a mixture of 3D and cell shading, the developers have been able to create a range of characters based on the comics, locations throughout the world with fluent motion and wonders and fighting effects that look as though they have come out of an old Batman movie but in this, they look good.
It gives the overall comic and cartoon feel that X-Men originated from, however, the later elements, such as the films, have also been used within the game to create the character designs and locations.
FANFARE FOR A HERO
The sound of a game is something that is very important to the overall atmosphere and enjoyment to the game. If it was taken out, then of course it would be missed; not only the sound effects but also the music too, as it gives the play either a rush of adrenaline for a battle or the tense feeling of a too quiet area.
X-Men Legends offers a wide range of sound effects for all of the attacks and surroundings. With all of the mutants having their own powers, there are such sounds as laser beams to wind to metal to ice to plasma and crushing.
The soundtrack for the game is also very enthralling and pulls you into the X-Men feel, in a similar style to the music used in both of the newly released films. With a score that fits to all of the surroundings that you visit within the game and also for all of those action packed, adventure moments, you will want to have your TV up nice and loud so you can imagine yourself to be right there, fighting alongside your unbeatable team!
THE END?
As with all excellent things, so much this amazing game come to an end; sometime you will need to lead your team to victory.
This game is a must buy! There is something in it for everyone, there are the original characters, the RPG element to it, team arcade style fighting, an in-depth story, super powerful moves to perform and multiplayer features like no other game. The graphics fit it superbly, the sound is clear; full of action and fits in well with the new X-Men feel and the gameplay too is manageable but not too easy and the game in itself is just...something to marvel over.
However! You will all be pleased to know that it is not the end. X-Men Legends has been reported as the most successful X-Men selling merchandise ever! And preparation for a sequel to X-Men Legends has already been confirmed.
“You’re right, there is a war coming. You had better make sure that you are on the right side.”
Tobias Rowe
