Review: Marvel Ultimate Alliance

Hello and welcome to another review on 'Stories of Entertainment'.

Superheroes and video games. Something like that will usually perk someone's interest, since that kind of thing has been going on for years now. Its not really all too uncommon to find video games that feature superheroes, famous or otherwise. Sometimes, the games can turn out great and really memorable, or they could end up like crap. (Superman 64, people. All time low.)

Some of these games usually have one character to focus on (like Spider Man or Batman) or a single team (Fantastic Four or Justice League), with an ensemble of supporting characters and villains. This game, however, decides to take it a step further, featuring several heroes and villains from one franchise: Marvel. That's right, its Marvel Ultimate Alliance!

(Many Marvel Heroes, all in one place)

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is an action RPG based on the heroes and villains of the Marvel universe. It was developed by Raven Software (who also did the X-men Legend games, as well as some Star Trek and Star Wars games) and was published by Activision. The game boasts several different heroes to play as, such as Captain America, Thor, Wolverine, Spider-Man, all of the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and more. The gameplay is very similar to the X-men legend games, so it can get repetitive at times. Still, with a variety of extras to unlock like costumes and comic missions, it does know how to stretch its hours. Now all that is left is to see what story can be told with all these heroes.

The story begins at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, which is currently under attack...

 (Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man and Wolverine will be our designated heroes for the cutscenes, unfortunately. Would've been nice to see other playable heroes in CGI too)

 Long story short, Doctor Doom is attacking the Helicarrier for something, with Nick Fury organizing a task force composed of heroes to fight him and his group: The Masters of Evil! During the scramble, the heroes stop Scorpion (five guesses on what he does), Bullseye (an assassin who can't miss), Winter Soldier and the Radioactive Man (dangerous soldier and...kinda obvious right?) and Fin Fang Foom (giant dragon alien...thing) from bringing the Helicarrier down and potentially killing millions. Amidst the chaos, however, some information gets stolen from the Helicarrier and now need to figure out what was taken.

(Small bit over on what can go on in between missions)

Nothing much to do aside from comic missions, training, and talking with other characters for some interesting insight to them and the like. However, there is a subplot that can be explored. Apparently, the Black Widow (Russian super spy who works for S.H.I.E.L.D.) left her laptop on the Helicarrier in the middle of a firefight. Curious as to why she would do that, the heroes enlist the aid of a hacker named Weasel to see what is up. After each mission, you can check up on him and help his progress if you feel like it.

Anyway, onto the next mission, which involves a trip to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Omega Base...

(Not sure how function mobile labs would be if they were several stories tall. Maybe they just move slowly.)

Anyway, the team meets up with Dum Dum Dugan, who says that the Masters of Evil have caused the Omega Base to head for a crash course to a close by dam. Not only do the heroes need to stop the villains, but also the base itself. Not necessarily an easy fight, with villains like the Crimson Dynamo (Iron Man rip-off) and Mysterio (master of hollywood 'magic') in the way. However, the real brains behind the attack is a being known as MODOK (Mechanical Organism Designed Only for Killing) which is basically a giant floating head. It (or he) leads an army of AIM scientists (Advanced Idea Mechanics), as well as some Super Soldier experiments that turn men into monsters. Naturally, the heroes beat the oversized brain of MODOK and stop the Omega Base. Unfortunately, the villains managed to escape with some of the experimental Super Soldier serum and a device known as a Mutant Amplifier, which can increase a mutant's powers, but ends up killing them if used for an extended time.

After the mission, from new information from Weasel suggests that Black Widow might be working for the enemy, though further details will be needed to help him dig deeper. Once done, its time to head off to Atlantis, where more trouble is abound...

(Thanks to this amazing technology, even the Human Torch can use his powers underwater. Many scientists are crying over this somewhere.)

 Three words: Water physics sucks. Now with that out of the way, the heroes manage to fight through some Atlanteans to figure out what had happened. Apparently, the villains Attuma (enemy of Namor) and Tiger Shark (Also enemy of Namor) used machines to drive the other Atlanteans insane and trap Namor. With the machines destroyed and Namor free, the heroes turn their sights to Attuma and Tiger Shark. An undersea battle ensues, after which the villains explain that they were after a tome dealing with other dimensions. When the heroes tried to find the tome, a villain known as the Mandarin (arrogant tech villain of Iron Man) has stolen the tome and has let loose a dangerous monster known as the Kraken (giant sea monster) on the heroes. Fortunately, the heroes defeat the Kraken and realize that a trip to Mandarin's lair is necessary.

Another break from the action, the heroes make off for Mandarin's lair, which is located in the Valley of Spirits in China. However, all is not as it seems...

(Behold, the Masters of Green Evil!)

 Apparently, Mandarin wasn't the only one who defected. He managed to get Grey Gargoyle (can turn people to stone with touch) and Dragon Man (robot that looks like humanoid dragon) on his side, as well as control a massive robot known as Ultimo. Fortunately, Dr. Strange (Sorceror Supreme of the Marvel U) is also there, joining up with the team to tackle the Mandarin's Lair. The team manages to blast through every opponent Mandarin throws at them until they corner the big villain himself. However, he reveals to them that he defected from the Masters of Evil after trying to take them over, meaning that the heroes were also tricked into attacking him as well. Worse, while the heroes were gone, the X-Mansion, home of the X-men, was attacked, with Nightcrawler and Jean Grey captured.

What wonders Dr. Doom and his Masters of Evil have in store for them...

(Guy's got defenses up the wazoo. Still, A for effort.)

With the realization that magic is involved, the heroes relocate to Dr. Strange's home, the Sanctorum Sanctum.  Professor X is also there, helping in locating Jean Grey and Nightcrawler. They manage to locate Jean Grey in Latveria, right in Dr. Doom's castle. The team uses a mystical artifact to help them travel to the iron fortress.

However, the villains have another trick up their sleeves...

(What is also inevitable is another encounter with the Green Evils!)

 Yeah, it turns out to be a trick. Despite arriving at 'Doom's Castle', it is soon revealed to be an elaborate deathtrap set up by the villain Arcade ('assassin' who uses gag props to kill) called Murderworld. The heroes do manage to recover Jean Grey, but was transformed into the villainess Phoenix. A brief fight knocks her out of it and she returns to normal. Now, the heroes need to fight through Murderworld in order to live, picking fights with the villains Rhino (obvious) and Shocker (not as obvious). The heroes also come across Blade, a vampire hunter. Why he is in Murderworld is beyond me, but hey, another hero joins the team. At the end, they confront Arcade, who has put himself into a giant robot to crush the heroes. No surprise, the heroes managed to overcome Arcade, who talks about how Nightcrawler has sent a group of villains to Mephisto's Realm (think hell, only less cool and more annoying).

After a bit of resting up, the heroes prepare for a trip to Mephisto's Realm...

(WolverineXNightcrawler? Yes, it is possible.)

Mephisto's Realm can get annoying gameplay wise, but there is a good sense of dread in the place. The fact that Nightcrawler is abandoned by the Masters of Green Evil and being chased by a being called Blackheart (being composed of pure evil) can get to a couple of people. Even with psychic blocks set up by Professor X and Jean Grey (who heads to Mephisto's Realm as well to increase psychic block power), Blackheart breaks through. Both Jean Grey and Nightcrawler get captured and now the situation has become more dire. The group manages to find another hero, the Ghost Rider (spirit of vengeance) and defeat Blackheart, but a dangerous choice must be made. Blackheart managed to set up a device that would send one of his prisoners plunging into a vortex of death if the other was freed. It came down to the player to either rescue Nightcrawler or Jean Grey. Personally, I rescued Nightcrawler and let Jean Grey die. As the Phoenix, she would come back eventually. Anyway, to make a long story shorter, the group confronts Mephisto, the demon manages to bring back the dead hero as a slave, fighting ensues, and the dead hero sacrifices themselves to stop Mephisto.

Whew, that was a long trip. Now we just need to figure out where the Masters of Green Evil have gone to...

(Well shit)

Yeah, Asgard has been taken over by the Masters of Green, er, Evil.  The heroes make home in Valhalla in hopes to free Asgard from evil's clutches. Here, a choice is made for what mission to take next: either open the Bifrost Bridge to retrieve reinforcements, or attack Asgard to free some of the captured gods. Purely aesthetic choice here, since it doesn't really change the plot too much choosing one over the other.

For the sake of the review, we'll be tackling the Bifrost Bridge first...

(Maybe there is a guy called Ralph in the group. If you get this reference, thank you.)

So, the heroes need to fight their way through several deceased Norsemen, thanks to the powers of Hela.  A bit of traversing through floating rocks and ships, the heroes manage to reach the Bifrost Bridge. Of course, the Wrecking Crew is there, waiting for them. In short, its a 4v4 fight between good and evil. Despite the power of the Wrecking Crew, the heroes manage to overcome them and open the Bifrost Bridge, bringing in the much needed reinforcements.

By completing either missions from the get-go allows the player to enter the halls of Valhalla and meet with other heroes. When you're done, its time for the next mission. In this case, its rescuing the gods themselves...

(Brief coffee break before the Masters of Green head out)

 When the heroes make it to Asgard, they find Balder hung out to dry. In order to free the shining god, the heroes need to free Heimdall and Tyr first. Aside from groups of trolls, viking soldiers, and some remaining Super Soldier experiments, the heroes also need to fight Shocker, Rhino, and Scorpion again, along with a new villain called the Lizard (self-explanatory). After saving both gods, the heroes regroup with Balder, but not before getting into another fight. This time, the Enchantress makes her appearance known to the heroes and summons her right hand enforcer, the Executioner. After a long battle, the heroes are victorious.

If you've been helping Weasel on discovering if Black Widow is a traitor or not, then it pays off here. Its discovered that Dr. Doom hacked into the S.H.I.E.L.D. network and gained access to a section dealing with plans against Asgard. One of them involved stealing the power of Odin through a weapon known as the Twilight Sword. If successful, then the power would turn that person into a god.

Now is the time to move on and stop the evil before they can complete their plans...

(Price of failure: imminent)

The heroes travel to Niffelheim, since that is where Odin was last scene fighting Frost Giants. The heroes themselves come across Frost Giants as well, plus some more undead vikings and dark elves. They also encounter Kurse (dark elf in enchanted armor) and Ulik (strong troll), who they just defeat easily. As they travel further, they find a scene of a great battle taken place, with a sword shattered near center. It is suggested that the sword (Twilight Sword) was used on Odin and is taken to Raven Spire, a mystical place, where the villains would take his power. From there, the heroes fight and defeat Ymir, king of the Frost Giants.  As they close in on Raven Spire, the heroes find Baron Mordo and Ultron, who have been tricked by Loki and Dr Doom. Abandoned by their allies, the two villains decide to destroy the heroes in their place. They fail. Eventually, the heroes manage to reach the top of the Spire and encounter Loki, who uses the place to enhance his own magical powers and use something called the Destroyer Armor to take out the heroes. He fails and the heroes take the Destroyer Armor back with them, hoping to use it themselves.

They manage to free the Destroyer Armor from its prison, but it is later discovered to be a ruse by Loki. As Loki inhabits the armor with his soul, the heroes try to figure out a way to defeat him since their attacks can't even hurt the armor. They eventually manage to trick the armor into attacking Loki's vulnerable body, defeating the God of Mischief. However, Dr. Doom appears and reveals that he now has all of Odin's power. He then turns it on the heroes.

The story doesn't end here...

(Should probably switch from the Watcher to the Speaker)

The heroes are transported to Avalon, home of the Inhumans, a species whose leader, Black Bolt, has helped defend Earth several times in the past. The Watcher (guess what he does) states how Dr Doom is abusing Odin's power, universe is at stake, blah blah blah. The plan is to recover tech that will help stop Dr. Doom and return everything to normal.

First on the list is the M'Krann Crystal, which rests in the heart of the Shi'ar Empire...

(Nothing can go wrong with this plan, right?)

 If it can go wrong, it will go wrong. Heroes arrive in Shi'ar space and are immediatly attacked. A space pirate named Corsair (good friend of the X-men) helps them and says that the current leader, Lilandra, was usurped by her evil sister, Deathbird. So the heroes not only need to fight through Shi'ar soldiers, but also the Imperial Guard, a group of powerful aliens led by an expy of Superman known as Gladiator. Even worse, a few of the Guard actually helped Deathbird's rise to power and they get thrashed for their treachery. Once the heroes manage to beat Deathbird herself, she takes it badly and intends to blow up the entire ship they're on. The heroes stop the destruction and manage to acquire a piece of the M'Krann crystal for their plan.

Now all that's left is to head for Skrull space, with a face to face encounter with Galactus...

(At least they know it will be bad going into it)

 So the heroes need to fight through different Skrulls and Galactus warriors to find the Muonic Inducer. The Skrulls, being mostly jerks, try to send some of their strongest warriors against them, which included the Super Skrull (all powers of the Fantastic 4) and Paibok (energy Skrull). The heroes also encounter Titannius, an unwilling Skrull participant in the Skrull Super Soldier project. The heroes manage to locate Galactus and end up on the bad side of the fight. However, they get aid from Galactus' herald, the Silver Surfer. The Surfer helps in forcing Galactus to retreat by forcing his own power to explode on himself. As Galactus retreats for the time being, the Silver Surfer joins the heroes in stopping Dr. Doom.

However, there may be the possibility that they are too late to help...

(Well...double shit)

Yes, Doom has pretty much converted the world to his ideas thanks to his new god powers. He even manages to convert buildings into his image, like when the heroes returned to Stark Tower, now redesigned to express Doom's desires. It is quickly undersiege by Doom bots, but the heroes manage to push them back. While they have lost the element of surprise, the heroes haven't lost the fight yet.

Now it is time for the biggest challenge yet...

(So no pressure, 'kay?)

Apparently, Dr. Doom has done some remodeling to his castle, using his powers to modify and change it to suit his needs. He's known of the heroes' survival but has chosen to let them live as a way to 'have them appreciate his work' of sorts. The heroes still intend to stop him though and end up battling modified Doom bots and soldiers. Whats worse is that Dr. Doom ends up sending an army of his own heroes, which are a mix between converted heroes and dark reflections of our heroes, to fight as well. Of course, they amount to 'jack' and end up getting defeated. For a guy with all the powers of Odin, you'd think Dr. Doom would have the wisdom of seeing this coming a mile away.

Once the heroes finally confront Dr. Doom, the bad doctor is incredible over confident. He believes that his powers would allow him to fix the universe himself  (he's right, though thinks its beneath him) and just wants to destroy the heroes then and there. Despite using a group of Dark Fantastic Four members helping him in the fight, Dr Doom ends up losing his powers as they are returned to Odin.

And now its time for the end result...

(Sequel time!)

There is actually another part of the ending involving which side quests you've completed in the game. Nothing too important, since it doesn't really affect the next game at all. Mostly for fun, I'm assuming.

And that would be the end of 'Marvel Ultimate Alliance'. Again, its not really a bad game as some might put it out to be, but it still has a lot of shining moments. If you manage to come across a bargain bin price of the game, check it out yourself.

Until next time...

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is owned by Ravensoft and Activision.

Thanks to HarryPlayer, swagbucks, and BlentK for the videos.