X-Men Legends II: Rise of the Apocalypse
E3 2005 is, as some wags have put it, a Year of the Sequels. Kingdom Hearts II, Prince of Persia 3, True Crime 2, the list extends into the horizon. While these titles show promise, they are built upon an already extant concept. Few of these titles are truly original works; instead, they are built upon the successes of their predecessors. Comparisons between the originals and the sequels are inevitable.
The tech rep demoing X-Men Legends 2 couldn't resist comparing it to the original Legends; every feature of Legends 2 built up on the various flaws of the original.
For those of us who didn't play X-Men Legends, the basic premise still holds: you start with a team of four or less mutant X-Men, build them up through an RPG system of leveling, and take them through a storyline, advancing in character levels and powers through the game. You can switch out various mutants, building a team based on their individual strengths and weaknesses, and tailoring their mutant powers in order to maximize their combat effectiveness. Each player can control a different mutant, allowing for a Gauntlet-style of play.
The biggest differences, the rep echoed, are where the game improves over the original. Each mutant now has a series of unlockable costumes, ranging from the original 1960 designs to the movie-based black leather to Joss Whedon's retro stylings. In addition, the attacks and abilities of each mutant are open to further customization; whereas gamers playing the original game could only drastically improve Nightcrawler's teleportation powers, they may now do so in addition to granting him new sword techniques. Each character gains several levels of depth, allowing for a deeper customization and a more personal feel than the original.
Team selection is another improvement. Whereas the original game forced you into the 4-mutant mold, the newer game allows you to reduce the number of mutants on the team. Wolverine may now conquer dungeons all by his lonesome, or he may do it with a partner - or two, or three.
The storyline has also improved over the previous game. Legends 2 centers on the rise of Apocalypse, a prototypical mutant bent on world domination. In a predictable twist, the X-Men are forced to side with their mortal enemies, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Setting aside the philosophical ramifications of calling oneself an "evil mutant," the plot is a thinly veiled ploy to allow players to have Wolverine and Magneto fight side-by-side. This fails to make the combination less exciting, however.
Legends 2 seems set to deliver more of the promise of the original. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and may be taken as a clue to your interest in the game: if you enjoyed the first game, it is likely you will enjoy the second. And if you found certain quirks insurmountable, the changes may appeal to you. On the whole, however, if you could care less about the Marvelous exploits of the X-Men, Legends 2 won't do anything to change your mind.
The tech rep demoing X-Men Legends 2 couldn't resist comparing it to the original Legends; every feature of Legends 2 built up on the various flaws of the original.
For those of us who didn't play X-Men Legends, the basic premise still holds: you start with a team of four or less mutant X-Men, build them up through an RPG system of leveling, and take them through a storyline, advancing in character levels and powers through the game. You can switch out various mutants, building a team based on their individual strengths and weaknesses, and tailoring their mutant powers in order to maximize their combat effectiveness. Each player can control a different mutant, allowing for a Gauntlet-style of play.
The biggest differences, the rep echoed, are where the game improves over the original. Each mutant now has a series of unlockable costumes, ranging from the original 1960 designs to the movie-based black leather to Joss Whedon's retro stylings. In addition, the attacks and abilities of each mutant are open to further customization; whereas gamers playing the original game could only drastically improve Nightcrawler's teleportation powers, they may now do so in addition to granting him new sword techniques. Each character gains several levels of depth, allowing for a deeper customization and a more personal feel than the original.
Team selection is another improvement. Whereas the original game forced you into the 4-mutant mold, the newer game allows you to reduce the number of mutants on the team. Wolverine may now conquer dungeons all by his lonesome, or he may do it with a partner - or two, or three.
The storyline has also improved over the previous game. Legends 2 centers on the rise of Apocalypse, a prototypical mutant bent on world domination. In a predictable twist, the X-Men are forced to side with their mortal enemies, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Setting aside the philosophical ramifications of calling oneself an "evil mutant," the plot is a thinly veiled ploy to allow players to have Wolverine and Magneto fight side-by-side. This fails to make the combination less exciting, however.
Legends 2 seems set to deliver more of the promise of the original. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and may be taken as a clue to your interest in the game: if you enjoyed the first game, it is likely you will enjoy the second. And if you found certain quirks insurmountable, the changes may appeal to you. On the whole, however, if you could care less about the Marvelous exploits of the X-Men, Legends 2 won't do anything to change your mind.
