X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse

"Best. X-Men. Game. Ever. (As put by Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons)"

OVERVIEW
Let me start out by saying that I am a long-time X-Men fan. From the cartoons to the comic book series, I have always loved the world's most famous mutants. So it saddened me to know that the X-Men have always gotten the short end of the Video Game stick. Until Last year, that is. X-Men Legends, a new action/RPG starring the mutant superheroes was just what the doctor ordered for a team of heroes who seemed to be on life support in the video game world. Legends came out to critical acclaim, and the "cliffhanger" of an ending (I won't spoil it, just in case you haven't beaten it yet) led many to speculate that there would be a sequel. They were right. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse recently released, to equal success. And while the original Legends woke Wolverine and pals up from a long video game coma, the new game has them jumping out of bed and slaying evil hordes left and right. So sheath your adamantium claws, give Cerebro the day off, and check out this review of a totally stellar game.

GRAPHICS: 8.5/10
Graphics are nowhere near the high point of this game. Character models are on par with the characters from the Grand Theft Auto series, but then again, it's not the graphics that will snatch you by the collar and make you play. I do like the cel-shaded comic book-style feel to the graphics, and the level designs are a step up from last year's game. Special effects look gorgeous, and you will notice that as Optic Blasts and Thunderbolts light up the screen. There are some slight camera issues, like (as with the first title) when the camera will get stuck around a corner, and then take a few seconds to rotate into a useable position. These problems are few and far between, but they can be particularly harmful during an important boss fight.

SOUND: 9/10
This is one of the best soundtracks to go into an RPG in a long time that doesn't have the words "Final Fantasy" in the title. The music is tailored to the mood at hand, so the music for basic exploration is drastically different than the music that plays during one of the epic boss battles. The voices are spot-on to the characters they are used for, and Patrick Stewart once again does an awesome job voicing Professor Charles Xavier.

CONTROLS: 9/10
The game controls as smooth as you could want, whether you're tearing through the hordes of Apocalypse, or simply exploring and collecting potions. I will say that among the three versions, the PS2 can sometimes be easier to handle, particularly when healing (the R1/L1 combo is a bit quicker than the Z/X+Z combo of the GameCube, for example), but otherwise, there is little to no difference among the PS2, Cube, and Xbox versions. Very tight, and very precise, and I love the camera control with the right analog stick (or C-stick if you're playing on the Cube).

GAMEPLAY: 10/10
Nothing really needs to be said, except for the fact that this is one of the best times to be had in a superhero game (and in the action/RPG genre as well). There may be some action/RPGs out there that offer more fun, but you'd be hard pressed to find one. The action is fast-paced, the selection of characters is great, the dialog that happens between them ranges from extremely helpful to pricelessly funny, and the ability to use alternate costumes for most of the characters is sure to make comic book fans drool with excitement. The possibility of crafting a team using characters from the X-Men as well as their sworn enemy, the Brotherhood, is great in its own right. And to top it all off, just when you think it couldn't possibly be any more fun, the multiplayer kicks in (up to four player on one TV, or online if you play on the PS2 or Xbox) and doubles the enjoyment.

FINAL SCORE: 9/10
It may not be a perfect game, but it's darn close. The combination of comic book graphics, awesome voice-overs and music, smooth-as-butter controls, and immense fun and nostalgia for the comic book aficionado make for a truly awesome experience on any console. There isn't much more to be said, other than that. As far as to rent or buy, the choice is clear: buy it. You'd be letting down both yourself and Wolverine if you didn't. And you don't wanna do that, do ya, bub?

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/27/05