X-Men: Next Dimension

"For X-men fans only"

Truth be told I only picked this up because my local game swap store was out of Sly Cooper and I had five minutes to make a decision before they closed, but as a big fan of the X-men from the Clairmont days, I have to say that X-Men: Next Dimension is a pretty decent game.

Note the bit about being an X-men fan. If I weren't a big fan, this game would be a completely mediocre fighting game, and something like Tekken 4 or Mortal Combat: Deadly Alliance would be a much better choice. It's why I headlined the review that way, and from now on you should keep that fact in mind, because I'm far too lazy to reiterate.

Presentation
I'll address this first because it's the first thing you should notice a game unless you keep your eyes closed and hit the buttons until the actual playing starts, which is silly. The menu system is very reminiscent in style of the X-men movie...indeed, you get the feeling that part of this experience was designed to remind you of the film and to subtly remind you that there will be a new one in May of this year. Further enhancing this feeling is the inclusion of Lady Deathstrike as a character, whom hasn't been doing much in the comic but (gasp!) plays a big role in X2 as an attractive oriental woman who beats up Wolverine. Every movie should have one. The interface is relatively sleek if just a bit bland, coming off as a bit downplayed and impersonal compared to past games, such as the Capcom X-men fighter from days gone by.

Graphics
The second thing you'll notice, again assuming you keep your eyes open. Now the game is getting a lot of flak due to the general ugliness of the characters faces and some of the costumes. This is not the game designers' fault. All blame should be placed on Frank Quietly, who at the time of the game's release was the artist on the main X-men book. For some reason his work is popular, but I am among the growing camp that believes he draws like a blind monkey on crack. That having been said, the game's artists have done a fine job in capturing his style, disturbingly bad as it may be. Helping on the graphics front are smooth animations, some brilliant special moves and the inclusion of four costumes (two unlockable) for each character, covering a nice chunk of X-history. The environments are relatively beautiful and will definitely bring back fond memories to longtime fans. Several nice touches have been added (watch the gravestones in the opening cinematic of story mode) to reward fans of Marvel comics, further making this a game for the true fan. I know I said I wouldn't reiterate...I lied. Get your own review if you don't like it.

Gameplay
Ahh yes, here is where we separate the comic fans from the fighter fans. The fighting system is a strange amalgamation of Dead or Alive, Street Fighter, Tekken, Virtua Fighter, and a little bit of originality, combining the best elements of all into something truly average. Goes to prove that throwing the best ingredients into a bowl doesn't necessarily create a new taste sensation (mmm, Reese's pork tenderloin cups.) The fighting is clunky and unbalanced. Some characters, like the Beast, move fluidly and easily, reminiscent of Eddy from the Tekken series. Others, such as Forge, stumble along, kicking and punching their way blindly through life without a care. It's not all bad; some elements are truly fun. The interactive environments are a treat, and the first time I smashed a foe through the window of the Xavier mansion onto the lawn I was forced to cheer. It just could have been so much better. The game seems to be straddling the line between all out beat-em-up and technical fighter, with the inclusion of elements like the multiple counters and being able to switch about your super move energy in game, but it just doesn't feel fully realized. The one redeeming factor, in my eyes, is the story mode. Instead of having an individual story for each character, the storyline begins with Forge and then lets you choose other characters to play as you progress. It makes you get acquainted with ALL the characters in the game in order to succeed...even ones you don't like. I am not a big Magneto fan but one chapter makes you play him, and after getting my behind handed to me several times I had to spend some time in practice mode mastering the master of magnetism. Bleh.

Replay Value
Yes yes, it's a fan paradise! There is a great deal to unlock here: extra stages, extra costumes, character bios read by Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles ''Wheels'' Xavier, not to mention four unlockable secret characters I would tell you about in great detail if not for the strict no spoiler rule...let's just say there is one character I *never* thought I would see again.

In closing, I will not reiterate that this game is going to appeal strictly to fans of the X-men, cause I said I wouldn't. So there. The Next Dimension deserves a place in any fans PS2 library, and will give you something to do while waiting for the next movie to come out.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/13/03, Updated 01/13/03