Company: Activison
Platform: XBOX
Genre:
Rating: Teen
Buy on Amazon.com link

The sequel to the popular X-Men Legends is out, and man is it a blast. The game starts off with a union of the X-Men and the evil Brotherhood (Magneto) and their combined goal of stopping the menacing Apocalypse. The team at Raven really learned from their last game, and it seems like they listened to the players in a lot of the things that they thought were missing from the previous title.

In the last incarnation, you were required to level up your characters skill sets manually. This was great for the customization of your players, but it really got to be a drag and slowed the action down. In X-Men Legends 2, you have the option of letting the computer assign your gear, experience points, and attributes, so you never even notice a break in the fighting.

The multiplayer option, previously requiring unlocking, is now available right away. You can jump right in with four of your best buds and adventure together through this huge Marvel universe. The characters can also chain combo off each other, combining special abilities for that one-two punch. This can also make for some very interesting game party conversations.

Being able to play as the bad guys is really awesome too. Nothing like using Magneto to hurl large metal objects into the face of your enemies. My favorite is still Wolverine, and it seems like they made the control a lot more fluid. Right out of the box, you will be slashing bad guys and destroying the environment around you like a natural. The graphics seem a bit more polished as well, while maintaining that cartoon/comic feel of the first game.

The story is very immersive, and the cut scenes really put you into the game. You are anxiously awaiting the completion of each level, just so you can see how the story unfolds. Patrick Stewart returns as Professor Xavier, and the voice acting as a whole is top notch. It keeps that comic cheesiness, while still coming across as sincere.

From what I have heard, the X-Box Live portion of this game is still a bit lacking, but I don’t miss that at all since I still haven’t gotten X-Box Live. I can’t imagine having any more fun with people not in the same room as I do when I am running with a friend next to me.

Overall, this game kicks ass. In a year of mediocre superhero titles such as Marvel: Nemesis, and Batman Begins, this is a welcome breath of fresh air, and a game I am very happy with having in my collection.

Bottom Line:
Favorite Aspects: Being Wolverine, being able to kill things as Wolverine
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