"Whether you're alone or with friends, this game amazes"

X-Men Legends was a great game that had only a couple big flaws. It was a smash hit from a franchise that hadn't seen many, if any, great games since the 16 bit era. The second game in the series improves upon its predecessor, and is one of the best comic book games I have ever played.

Concept: 8

Its a sequel, so it doesn't get any points for initial originality. However, instead of another Sentinel bashing, Magneto fighting mutant fest, we're given a treat in a bad guy that is more threatening than Magneto ever was: Apocalypse. This combined with the alliance of the X-Men and the Brotherhood makes this game totally independent from its predecessor, bringing a new and fresh experience to the table.

Graphics :9

The visual style of combining normal graphics with cel-shading, which was perfected by Zone of the Enders: the Second Runner, is out in full force in this game. The environments are all rendered normally, giving the game the realistic sense it needs to be believable. However, the characters and enemies are all rendered with cel-shading, as are the visual effects, giving the game its distinct comic book feel. The CG movies are also very well done, and are beautiful to watch. I myself cannot get enough of the opening cutscene, it is awesome.

Sound: 8

The music in this game, while by no means the focal point, is really good if you take the time to listen to it. It is very well composed, and captures the mood for the situations and environments perfectly. From the calm and tranquil safe zones, to the desperate boss battles, everything fits where it should.

The sound effects are nothing spectacular, but everything sounds like it should and they are all very good.

The Voice acting is above average and all the voices fit the characters true to their form, but that is what makes them annoying sometimes. For instance: Gambit is Cajun, so he has the proper accent. It's good, but it gets annoying. Iceman is a whiny teenager. Same case with him. Professor X, however, is voiced and modeled after Patrick Stewart, so he gives a knockout performance, the best in the game. The rest of the characters have good voices and are acted superbly.

Story: 10

While it is nothing new to storytelling or the comic books, the story of X-Men Legends II is a very, very good one. The X-Men have had Polaris abducted from them by Apocalypse, and Magneto's son Quicksilver has also been captured. This combined with the X-Men and Brotherhood's inability to combat Apocalypse independently leads to an alliance of desperation. Needless to say, tensions mount high as the two factions come to verbal blows almost nonstop. This helps to capture the realism of an alliance of enemies. There are also some interesting side stories for some of the characters, and NPCs react differently depending on who you are controlling. An X-man will get a different response than a member of the Brotherhood. Overall, the story of X-Men has not seen many finer moments.

Gameplay: 10

Not perfect, but it is very, very good. The level-up system has been overhauled and has improved greatly. The amount of attacks each character has has increased, and you can switch between attacks on the fly by using the d-pad. You can also buy skill points, level ups, and even a skill point redistribution for all the characters. The combo system may seem like it is shallow at first, but it is very deep, with many varieties of attacks present in each character's move set. The special attacks are also very good, and there are enough good attacks to fit any player's preferences. All that said, there is a tiny bit of slowdown occasionally, and there are rare camera issues, but other than that I can find no complaints in this department. The game features 1-4 players simultaneously, and no matter how many people are playing, everyone has a blast. The computer can even (surprisingly) perform more effectively in co-op than some people.

Overall: 9

This game is not perfect, but is a great experience for most people, even some non X-Men fans. A perfect game for all occasions, you can have fun while having a party or home alone in your underwear. I would recommend this game to anyone who isn't vehemently opposed so action games or super heroes.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/17/05