X-Men Legends II

[Boon 0]

X-Men Legends II

 

Screens and the trailer look great. Should be an interesting story, too.

 

Be good to see who they add to the roster. They've already shown Bishop, and you can see Archangel in there, too.

 

Anyone know who the guy standing behind Magneto, opposite Mystique is? Looks like it could be Juggernaut, sans armor, but I don't know.

[Sass 0]

It was Juggernaut but he was wearing his black armor instead of the brown one.

[Black Lushus 0]

correct me if I'm wrong but didn't a child version of Bishop make a brief cameo in the first game? I wanna say it was on the level where you're escorting people to ambulances while a million Sentinels pile on you...

[The Metal Maniac 0]

You're quite right Lushus. I know because I just played that level like, yesterday; I bought the game a short while ago, on account of the fact that the price dropped.

 

I can't wait for the new one.

[Black Lushus 0]

yeah, i picked it up for 20 a couple months back...damn fine game, though some parts can get repetetive and overwhelming (sometimes the enemies swarm a little too much and your partner's AI is kinda shoddy)...

[Ripper 0]

I bought it for 5.99 from Movie Trader the other day. Figured I REALLY couldn't beat that price.

 

I have been playing it, but I think it sucks that you can't go back and play any board with your leveled up X-Men after you beat the game(as I have read). I don't see much fun in getting a guy at level 40 and only having like 2 boards left to play.

[Sass 0]

I echo the same sentiments as Ripper. That's my only real complaint.

 

The retro X-Men fight is great. I still can't believe the game had Sentinels in it.

[Rendclaw 0]

It was pretty good for the first try, but yes, the fact that you can;t go back through the game takes away from it. Thats why I keep playing games like BGDA 1 and 2, because I can go back through the game and wreck shit... in the first one, its to try and get the best magical items in the game, and in the second, to make enough caysh to *make* the best magical items in the game. Replay value should be a higher priority for this game.

 

All that being said, I had a lot of fun playing it.

[Golgo 13 0]

Is that AoA Sunfire I see in some of the screens? Awesome.

 

 

Who is that in the upper left?

[Golgo 13 0]

IGN crap.

 

So what's new in the X-Men Legends universe? Activision revealed an interesting gameplay element that deals with character and costume selection. Since the game will feature a wide range of characters and costumes, certain combinations of those will bestow group benefits on the party. For instance, if you chose to select four X-men with coordinated outfits from a similar time period, the group would receive a 15% health bonus. The rest of these effects are for the player to discover.

 

Fans of the series loved the quantity of X-Men playable in the first game, and this year's title boasts an even bigger list. The whopping laundry list of mutants includes X-Men and Brotherhood members Magneto, Colossus, Wolverine, Juggernaut, Cyclops, Bishop, Ice-Man, Storm, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Rogue and more. Bishop, a new character to the lineup, had some interesting abilities, including an energy absorption power. Plus blasting enemies with guns is pretty awesome in general. There were several other playable characters IGN was not allowed to see, so fans should sit tight for a few surprises.

 

Characters who were less "interesting" last time around (like say Ice-Man and Jubilee), will, like all the other characters, possess more than twice as many powers as in the first game. And their powers, we're told, will be very distinct. While Activision wouldn't reveal full details just yet, Ice-Man, for instance, will be far more useful and diverse in combat, instead of just being useful for his handy but super dull ice-bridges. In fact, in this game ice-bridges enable him to quickly zip around landscapes.

 

While the actual gameplay felt just like the original title -- mixing hacking, slashing, and X-men blasting -- many more things took place on screen simultaneously. The strange sensation of playing both as the X-men and as the Brotherhood together was unique and cool.

 

Unlike in the first X-Men Legends in which the Mansion was the sole hub, in Legends II you'll experience multiple hubs across the world to keep out of danger. These breaks in the action will be far less cumbersome to navigate than in the original, says Activision, since the game points you toward who you need to speak to in order to pick up new quests and proceed to the next enemy-infested area.

 

Also, different characters will produce different responses from NPCs. For instance, while an NPC might greet Cyclops in a friendly fashion, they may toss out an insult or sly remark if they were approached by Magneto. These speech differences have no actual affect on the options available. For instance, just because an NPC dislikes Magneto doesn't mean they're going to withhold items or prevent him from proceeding to the next area. It's just nice to hear the attitude and personality, making the beat-'em-up-RPG a little more authentic.

 

 

 

In terms of items, vendors won't be selling the same old stuff all the time. The roster of available items has been greatly expanded. Also, vendors' lists will be randomly updated, sort of like the "gamble" option at certain Diablo 2 vendors. If you see something you like, it's better to buy it when you see it, otherwise you may not it may not be available for a while.

 

In battle, characters are also more vocal, calling out witty sayings and occasionally engaging in character specific banter, though these effects appear mainly cosmetic. For instance, if Wolverine and Cyclops got in an argument while fighting enemies their stats or fighting abilities won't actually change, but you may laugh a little.

 

Environments are being designed with much more interactivity in mind. In one Egyptian temple-themed level, your costumed band of mutants may happen to cross tiles marked with the image of a giant scarab. Seconds later...bam! A giant scarab pops out of the ground and starts clawing your face, just begging to be punished via adamantium slashes and possibly a crimson visor blast to shatter its silly carapace. Pillars will bust open and reveal enemies in a similar fashion. The environments are filled with traps, surprises, and interactivity.

 

In the same level, there was an area where a wooden bridge gave way and players fell into a pit, which quickly filled with scarabs climbing in through tunnel openings. To escape, players could either sit and fight, or jump up some broken pillars at one of the pit's sides and break through a secret wall to land them in a corridor of relative security. Activision promised many more hidden goodies and areas to be found throughout the game.

 

We also got to play the Arcangel boss fight, which turned out to be quite an ordeal. Though the fight just starts out as your party versus a grounded Arcangel, it quickly escalates. Arcangel eventually takes cover in a teleporter as enemies begin to randomly spawn around you. Eventually, a teleportation beam starts shooting all over the boss area, transporting anything it touches including you and even other enemies. Needless to say, you'll feel that warm, fuzzy sense of accomplishment, much like the feeling after you finally finish doing your laundry that's been building up over the past few months, after you dispatch this winged menace. In other words, boss fights like this are more complicated, mixing in slight puzzle elements that require mutant powers other than hacking and slashing.

 

The graphics, though appearing to be cell shaded, aren't, said Activison. They just happen to feature thick black lines around characters contours to fit in with the comic book nature of the game. The action-RPG still moves at a constant 30 FPS, despite many more mutants, spells, special effects, and enemies on screen at once. The use of different hubs also helps to distinguish the variety of levels and textures, too.

 

Lastly, PSP and PC versions of the game will feature slighly different exclusive content, though Activision wouldn't say exactly what.

 

That's pretty much it for the new stuff for now, just know that the game plays well and the design seems solid and consistent. Once you get going, it's tough to stop leveling up and upgrading. Moreover, the online cooperative play promises to kill all of our future plans after work. It's going to be Xbox Live or nothing! We'll have more details soon, so of course, we will keep you posted.

 

Blink! - As we've stated in earlier previews of XML 2, you can now teleport back to base whenever you want. We've learned that this is facilitated by Blink. In the menu system there is an option for a "Blink Portal," which we were told is the teleportation system of X-Men Legends 2. When we asked if that meant everyone's favorite lavender elf was in the game, it was confirmed. Yes, she is in the game as an NPC.

 

Cry Havok - Sadly, Alex Summers is not a playable character. Instead he's one of the NPCs. That doesn't mean you won't be able to play as him, however. We learned last month that many NPCs and enemies will be made playable either in the main game or the arena-style multiplayer. One cool tidbit is that conversations with NPCs change depending on who approaches them. You get quite a different response having Magneto talk to Havok instead of Cyclops.

 

Dark Beast - At the start of the battle with Archangel, there's a cut-scene showing Apocalypse standing in a teleporter. Beast (in evil mode) stands at his side and Sabretooth is bound and on his knees. Could it be that Sabes becomes another horseman of Apocalypse? Your goal after defeating Archangel is to continue pursuing Beast. Sounds interesting!

 

Costumes - We already knew that every character begins with at least one change of clothing and we've since seen quite a few alternates for many. Expect Age of Apocalypse costumes along with a slew of other classics. We've yet to see Wolverine dressed as Patch, but we're hopeful. When we got to Storm who "has a ton of costumes," we asked about the famous Mohawk Storm. All we received was a coy smile and a "maybe." One nice touch we noticed is that the character icons change based on the costume they're wearing. This finally proves that no matter how Cyclops is dressed, he still looks like a dork.

 

Team Bonuses - If you pick a classic team and appropriately dress them you earn a Team Bonus. There are about 20 of these combinations and each offers a different reward. Assemble four of the New X-Men (with appropriate costumes) and receive a +15% health bonus. There are classic teams for the Brotherhood as well.

 

Secrets - There's actually several other goodies we spied, including just about every area you'll explore. We even saw a list of several bosses, some you may not be expecting. But revealing these just wouldn't be fair. You need to discover these things on your own. We'll just say that anyone who has followed the X-books over the years will find plenty of cool locations, allies and enemies. This game should rock!

 

We'll get our stab at X-Men Legends 2 multiplayer in a few weeks. Look for more details then.

[Matt Young 0]

Online co-op sounds awesome. I need to go back and replay the first game, though. I got 7 hours in, moved on to something else, and then when I tried to pick up where I left off, I couldn't get into it. I need to restart.

[dubq 0]

C'mon man! Havok STILL not a playable character?! Jesus..

[Ripper 0]

I have to disagree with them calling Iceman worthless. He was the best goddamned character in the first game. Yeah, I said it.

 

You level up to his cold crush melee attacks, his ice armor, and he is a fucking tank. you level up his Icebeam and he slows down all the enemies on the board, making them easy beatdown bait, plus his Ice armor upgrades the rest of your teams melee attacks later on.

 

Seriously, you use Iceman, Jean Grey for her shields, Cyclops for his range and his combo bonus's and one of the tanks (I prefer Wolverine because of his healing factor, Rouge or Colossus) and you got yourself a team that will barely lose any energy during a board.

[Black Lushus 0]

my team was consistently Wolverine in the lead (i.e. he was the main one I used), Cyclops for ranged attacks, Iceman (you need a bridge builder in almost everylevel, plus he got hella strong with levelling up) and Colossus (once he was made available)...

[jwpeer 0]

Jean Grey (when you can use her, she skips a few missions), Storm are the two keys, together you can just area attack everything to total annihilation.

 

I like adding nightcrawler for more area goodness and the save from death in case of an accidebnt, then a rotating group of Emma Frost/Colossus/Magma because they make great melee characters.

[Ripper 0]

The only reason I don't like using Nightcrawler (or beast for that matter) is that their acrobatic moves will make them stupidly fly off cliffs and bridges.

 

I think Wolverine is hands down the best melee fighter in the game, although I do like Colossus's pimp slap that he does that knocks people all the way across the board.

 

And I don't know, but emma frost is completely usesless to me in this game.

[Rendclaw 0]

Rgoue was another good choice.... but yes, Wolverine in the lead is always the way to go..... Jean Grey, Psylocke and Emma Frost can be devastating if leveled up right... Its all about the levelling in this game.

[Ripper 0]

Rgoue was another good choice.... but yes, Wolverine in the lead is always the way to go..... Jean Grey, Psylocke and Emma Frost can be devastating if leveled up right... Its all about the levelling in this game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, I can't figure out Emma Frost and I haven't gottento Psylocke yet. Everyone else was pretty easy, but Emma is just so useless in her melee attacks for me and her specials are kinda usless too(at least as far as I can figure)

 

I haven't used Gambit, or Jubliee on a board yet. I don't see that changing any time soon.

[jwpeer 0]

Rgoue was another good choice.... but yes, Wolverine in the lead is always the way to go..... Jean Grey, Psylocke and Emma Frost can be devastating if leveled up right... Its all about the levelling in this game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, I can't figure out Emma Frost and I haven't gottento Psylocke yet. Everyone else was pretty easy, but Emma is just so useless in her melee attacks for me and her specials are kinda usless too(at least as far as I can figure)

 

I haven't used Gambit, or Jubliee on a board yet. I don't see that changing any time soon.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Just level up emma frost's shield and all her melee bonus powers, her mutant attacks are pretty useless for actually hurting anything. She's one of the better melee fighters as long as the enemy isn't mental resistant, as she has the highest damage resistance aside from Nightcrawler's shield, and good damage boosts.

 

Nightcrawler is hard for me to use, but he's great as an AI character where they never tend to mis-direct his teleport.

 

I can't wait for II, as Bishop looks like a rockin fun character to use, and hopefully psylocke will be in it/usable from the beginning.

[Black Lushus 0]

Gambit and Jubilee are both about as worthless as it gets so you're not missing anything, Rip...

[Ripper 0]

Yeah, as a AI character, Nightcrawler is definately the shit. I can't use him for crap though. I will have to try that with Emma. All I know is that I was on the first Astrel plane board where you have to go with just her and jean, and I couldn't do a thing with her. maybe because of the mental resistance of the creatures there I guess.

[Matt Young 0]

Gambit and Jubilee are both about as worthless as it gets so you're not missing anything, Rip...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Which is sad because they've always been my 2 favorite X-Men.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

I maxed out Jubilee for kicks and was not impressed *at all* by any of her advanced techniques. That graduation mission where you need to protect the Professor, take down the statues and kill a certain number of those evil looking silver bitches is a fantastic level for maxing characters. Just have Jean let loose her Psychic Scream over and over as you sit back and watch the stats rise like crazy.

 

For me, Rogue is a poor man's Colossus. Nothin' beats the big metal guy.

[Kardo 0]

I just used Jean Grey and just psychic shouted everyone over and over. That was my only tactic in the game and worked extremely well.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Magneto, Colossus, Wolverine, Juggernaut, Cyclops, Bishop, Ice-Man, Storm, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Rogue and more.

 

Nobody played her in the last game. They could have put Havok in by dumping her.

[AndrewTS 0]

My EB gave me a free demo of Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects. The demo is light on features--only two playable characters and one arena is featured--but it's Smash Bros-ish, but with full 3D arenas like Power Stone. Simple control scheme, idiotically simple juggles, and so forth.

 

But, it's going to have a decent roster, it's 3D, EA will promote the hell out of it and the final version will be online, so it will probably sell well anyway.

 

Of course, judging it on a demo may be rather unfair. Yet, the previous EA X-Men fighters didn't set the world on fire either, so I don't expect this game to when they've yet to pull off a good "true" fighter.

[2GOLD 0]

I still don't get why Jubilee even exist. She always was a worthless whining little mutant. Where the hell is Kitty Pryde? I want to walk through some damn walls!

 

One thing I know is Apoc better be almost impossible to defeat. Hell, I'd like to see the game where you have to face him multiple times through because his power levels are so high. What can I say? I think he should be able to nearly slaughter the team if he feels like it.

 

Unlike Magneto, who was just plain pathetic in the first one.

And get me more Sentinels, those suckers are fun to fight and kill. Especially when like four of them attack at once and surround you. The ultimate "oh shit" in an X-Men game.

[Ripper 0]

well, I beat the game last night. Good learning experience. i am going to play again and only level to the powers that I need (like how I wasted points on Iceman with the Ice shards and a few others when they could have gone elsewhere and that stupid second power Wolverine has)

 

Also I never got to play some of the challeges/nightmares, I missed the Juggernaut Flashback, and other danger room stuff.

 

Also I would like to add that Psylocke kicks a whole lot of ass in this game.

[Black Lushus 0]

One thing I know is Apoc better be almost impossible to defeat. Hell, I'd like to see the game where you have to face him multiple times through because his power levels are so high. What can I say? I think he should be able to nearly slaughter the team if he feels like it.

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I know an X-Men fan shouldn't be saying this, but what exactly are Apocalypse's powers anyway? The times I colleceted the comics never really featured him other than Age Of and X-ecutioner's Song...

[Ripper 0]

You know....I don't...really...know. I just know he is fucking powerful....and can stretch....and...well....he is fucking powerful....