Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Preview

[MrShifty]

July 24, 2008 - By the time Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Fusion releases in 2009, it will have been more than two-and-a-half years since we last heard from the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance universe. The original game followed in the same vein as X-Men Legends 1 and 2, and the second MUA game plans to do the same, using an identical engine and a revamped, more mature art style than we've seen prior.

The emphasis is on teaming up one superhero's powers with another. There's no telling whether these combo moves will be able to be carried over to the four-player online co-op or if they're tethered to two players, but they were impressive nonetheless.

The trailer we were shown at San Diego Comic-Con featured Thing prying up pieces of concrete while Human Torch lit them on fire, creating a sort of makeshift bomb, and Hulk hammer tossing Wolvering into a pack of would-be assailants. There will surely be plenty more interactions between the roster of 24 heroes (some of which are old and some new) but those I've seen so far were pretty run of the mill. Other heroes on display included Thor, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Invisible Woman
My main concern with the gameplay of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 isn't with the idea of combining powers, but instead the fact that the gameplay doesn't seem to take the needed leaps forward after over two years in development. Being tied down to the same engine as the first seems to be an inherent problem but developers from Vicarious Vision assured me that they're working on new camera angles during cutscenes and trying to bring the same to the gameplay. Not only that, but the upgrade system is also seeing a more organic redesign so that progression is more natural. No details were given beyond that.

The art style is perhaps the largest change that has been made from the first game to Fusion. Vicarious is using Steve McNiven's vision of a more realistic and down-to-earth character design which makes the action hit closer to home. The character models that I saw during the demo featured a much thicker layer of detail, with muscles and pieces of armor bursting out in places while the characters themselves had a more human look to them.

There's no question that I have some doubts about Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2's ability to deliver the needed advancement from the first game, but if the art style is any indication, then the gameplay should be just fine. The thought of combining heroes' abilities is enticing, but most Marvel fanatics will likely need a bigger leap after over two years of waiting.


IGN



I hope they do something new with the camera during gameplay. I don't really like that far away rpg look (yes, I know its an action rpg, I'd rather it just be action because I don't want to use rpg elements in a superhero game any)

Bette combos too.

[gt shotta]

how the fuck is dis a preview and we cant even see anything???????

[Dj Narcotics]

i kinda like the rpg element of the game i just wish it was more detailed like the way too human did it and gambit better be in this game