X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
Consoles aren't the only place the game's headed, first-hand impressions of the PSP version of Activision and Raven's mutant-fueled hack-n-slash.
Published: September 6, 2005
While checking out the PS2 versions of both Ultimate Spider-Man and the very same X-Men Legends II game you're reading about here, we were also treated to an unexpected surprise: multiple PSPs running a near-complete version of the PSP treatment for XML2.
While we couldn't get lengthy hands-on time (there was just too much to check out and not enough hours to do it all in) with the game, we did get a chance to jump right into a boss battle and see how the game was shaping up.
For the basic observations on how the sequel is coming along, it's probably best to hit up our PS2 preview that covers the basics without giving, well, anything away. The Activision agreement we give the nod to meant we couldn't get into too many of the available players that haven't already been revealed, but we do help catch any non-comic gamers up to date as best we can.
This PSP preview, then, will just focus on how well the whole mess was transitioned to a smaller, wider screen than what you'll likely see on home consoles. The very notion that a four-player action RPG could be condensed down to a playable version with less buttons and less horsepower under the hood than its big console cousins is amazing, but what really blew us away was the fact that by and large, it's a near carbon copy.
For all intents and purposes, the PSP version of XML2 is the exact same as the console one, with a few notable exceptions. First, the game will offer full wireless co-op or multiplayer modes through both the normal Ad-Hoc (read: local) modes and, finally for a non-Sony PSP game, full online play through a wireless hotspot. Vicarious Visions, who is handling the port, will also pack in four exclusive characters and PSP-exclusive levels, for a combination of 30% more game content (something they weren't afraid to tell eeeveryone in earshot as much as possible at the event).
They have a reason to get excited, though, the port is a strong one. The boss battle we fought offered an almost perfect replication of the console version, although all the characters on the screen (at one point we counted more then 10 in the area as we swung the camera around) during the more hectic parts meant a severe dip in the framerate, and the overall smoothness was a few notches lower even in les crowded sections of the game.
The developers wisely chose to remove the cel-shading effect from the characters, which certainly didn't harm the overall look and actually encouraged closer looks thanks to the PSP's razor sharp screen. The detail inherent in the work the developers put into the levels is impressive, and it's nice to see the PSP showcases it admirably.
The biggest change while porting things over is in the controls, or at least how they're set up. With two less shoulder buttons and an analog stick lopped off, Vicarious Visions had to get clever with the design. The result is that the shoulders act as toggles for the d-pad and shape buttons. Holding the one shoulder button, for instance lets you switch characters on the fly with the d-pad the way you'd normally do it sans toggle on a console controller. The other shoulder lets you rotate and tilt the camera (taking over for the missing right analog stick) or use the shape buttons to fire off powers.
It's a little much to get used to at first, and it never really felt intuitive enough for us to feel comfy with it, but it was a fair compromise for a game that happily used the full 12 button complement that the DualShock offered.
The only area we were a little concerned with was the interface. Things seem to have been ported over more or less pixel for pixel from the bigger versions, and some of the smaller details in the interface looked both too tiny and too spread out to feel like they were made for the PSPs natural 16:9 radio. Text, in particular needed to be bumped up a bit for easier reading in areas where anything but low light allowed for a clear view.
There's still a little time for tweaking before the game's release, and at least in our short time with the game it was a minor inconvenience, since the rest of the game sure seems to be holding up well. Take a gander at the screens and see for yourself, but this could be one of the best examples of how the PSP's horsepower makes console-to-handheld ports almost seamless.
While we couldn't get lengthy hands-on time (there was just too much to check out and not enough hours to do it all in) with the game, we did get a chance to jump right into a boss battle and see how the game was shaping up.
For the basic observations on how the sequel is coming along, it's probably best to hit up our PS2 preview that covers the basics without giving, well, anything away. The Activision agreement we give the nod to meant we couldn't get into too many of the available players that haven't already been revealed, but we do help catch any non-comic gamers up to date as best we can.
This PSP preview, then, will just focus on how well the whole mess was transitioned to a smaller, wider screen than what you'll likely see on home consoles. The very notion that a four-player action RPG could be condensed down to a playable version with less buttons and less horsepower under the hood than its big console cousins is amazing, but what really blew us away was the fact that by and large, it's a near carbon copy.
For all intents and purposes, the PSP version of XML2 is the exact same as the console one, with a few notable exceptions. First, the game will offer full wireless co-op or multiplayer modes through both the normal Ad-Hoc (read: local) modes and, finally for a non-Sony PSP game, full online play through a wireless hotspot. Vicarious Visions, who is handling the port, will also pack in four exclusive characters and PSP-exclusive levels, for a combination of 30% more game content (something they weren't afraid to tell eeeveryone in earshot as much as possible at the event).
They have a reason to get excited, though, the port is a strong one. The boss battle we fought offered an almost perfect replication of the console version, although all the characters on the screen (at one point we counted more then 10 in the area as we swung the camera around) during the more hectic parts meant a severe dip in the framerate, and the overall smoothness was a few notches lower even in les crowded sections of the game.
The developers wisely chose to remove the cel-shading effect from the characters, which certainly didn't harm the overall look and actually encouraged closer looks thanks to the PSP's razor sharp screen. The detail inherent in the work the developers put into the levels is impressive, and it's nice to see the PSP showcases it admirably.
The biggest change while porting things over is in the controls, or at least how they're set up. With two less shoulder buttons and an analog stick lopped off, Vicarious Visions had to get clever with the design. The result is that the shoulders act as toggles for the d-pad and shape buttons. Holding the one shoulder button, for instance lets you switch characters on the fly with the d-pad the way you'd normally do it sans toggle on a console controller. The other shoulder lets you rotate and tilt the camera (taking over for the missing right analog stick) or use the shape buttons to fire off powers.
It's a little much to get used to at first, and it never really felt intuitive enough for us to feel comfy with it, but it was a fair compromise for a game that happily used the full 12 button complement that the DualShock offered.
The only area we were a little concerned with was the interface. Things seem to have been ported over more or less pixel for pixel from the bigger versions, and some of the smaller details in the interface looked both too tiny and too spread out to feel like they were made for the PSPs natural 16:9 radio. Text, in particular needed to be bumped up a bit for easier reading in areas where anything but low light allowed for a clear view.
There's still a little time for tweaking before the game's release, and at least in our short time with the game it was a minor inconvenience, since the rest of the game sure seems to be holding up well. Take a gander at the screens and see for yourself, but this could be one of the best examples of how the PSP's horsepower makes console-to-handheld ports almost seamless.
