Last holiday season, Raven software did the impossible and created a game based on the X-Men license worth playing. After years of disgusting and terrible games based on one of Marvel’s most successful properties, X-Men Legends came out to show that being a member of Xavier’s team of super mutants could not only be exciting, but provide engaging gameplay as well.
With such a successful product both commercially and critically, it’s no shock that Raven has been at work over the last year on a sequel that uses the same engine. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse is due out this holiday season, and it’s looking to be just as good, if not better, than its predecessor.
For those who don’t know, X-Men Legends played similarly to Gauntlet, Baulder’s Gate: Dark Alliance, or a dungeon crawler in that vein. You’d traverse dungeon-style maps, defeat enemies, and level up your heroes. While you’re in control of a squad of four mutants, at any time your friends can jump in and out of the co-op mode, leaving the characters up to the computer AI to take care of should they bow out. The game was really the first title to capture the essence of the X-Men team, and it was a long time coming.
As you can probably tell by the title, the main villain in this title is going to be Apocalypse. Even people who aren’t followers of the comics could guess that a name like that doesn’t make him a good guy, but a ruthless villain bent on world domination. In fact, Apocalypse is so evil that Xavier and his team are forced into a tentative alliance with former-friend-turned-archrival Magneto, and his band of evil mutants.
The final list of sixteen playable mutants hasn’t been released yet, but among them are Colossus, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Bishop, Cyclops, Juggernaut, Storm, with Emma Frost, and Angel (or Archangel if you count his boss battle) confirmed as NPC’s. Toad, Sabertooth, and Mystique are all rumored to be playable, but so far no word from Activision has confirmed this.
With a load of new characters mixed into the same number, some characters are bound to sit this adventure out, however this could help alleviate some of the familiarity that comes with a sequel using the same engine as its precursor. Each of these new characters will have completely new move sets, and the characters making a return run will have eight to twelve new powers.
The character roster isn’t the only thing being updated in Legends II; the environments have also received new additions as well. Confirmed so far are the Savage Land, the Tombs of Egypt (where Apocalypse hails from), the Weapon X facility (this time as a full blown level), the Temples of Madripoor, and each of these levels will have it’s own stage specific elements to define them.
For instance, in the tombs you might step on a floor tile and wake up a slumbering nest of scarabs, which you’ll then need to dispatch of. Other specifics haven’t yet been revealed, but just the thought of events in the Savage Land fills me with excitement; I’m strongly hoping for a boss battle against Sauron, and even cooperation with Ka-zar as an NPC.
Xbox and PS2 players will be able to play the game’s four player co-op mode online, and Raven is describing doing so as "painless;" Gamecube owners will have to suffice for four player co-op on one console. Raven also says that the sometimes dumb-as-a-brick AI from the first game will be updated for those who choose to play the game alone. Raven says that the characters will act their parts, meaning that if your team includes Juggernaut or Colossus, they’ll charge into the fray and begin to dismantle the enemies just as they would in the comics.
With upgrades in almost every area, including the character management interface, more bonus content (like costumes), and everything else under the sun, Activision is looking to pull a repeat performance with X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse this holiday season.
