Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

The game includes tons of gameplay, a plethora of Marvel characters, a great presentation, and successfully balances the action and RPG elements, while letting players choose just how much they want to micromanage.

Despite its few flaws, MUA is a blast to play. If you’ve ever enjoyed an X-men Legends game, MUA is a step above and beyond that.

Powers, outfits, gear...everything super about each combatant can be modded, and hot-swapping powers puts the gamut of their abilities at your fingertips. [Dec. 2006, p.82]

Gameplay hasn’t really evolved that much from the super-hero games we were playing last year, but the presentation sure has.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is the result of two games' worth of experience on Raven Software's part, and it shows.

A good game with a great longevity factor.

A chaotic ride through the Marvel world. Exciting, fun and even moreso when you play with friends.

The game tells a good story and the cast is incredible. It looks good, it plays decently and will cause the occasionally joyful noise from anyone who has treasured the Marvel comic books.

Ultimate Alliance may be schlocky and unrefined, but the endless Dream Team combinations of Marvel super and not-so-super heroes prove irresistible.

Raven improves upon the great work it did with the X-Men Legends games, creating a lengthy adventure that touches upon nearly every last corner of the Marvel Universe.

Unlike Untold Legends, the other PS3 launch RPG that is exclusive to the system, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is the more fun role-playing experience, especially if you crave fierce action games and comic books.

A very fun game that has a lot of polish and a lot of sequel potential.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is certainly worth picking up. With an adequate campaign and more playable comic book characters than you can shake a stick at, plus bonus side missions for all of them, you’re definitely getting more than what you paid for.

It's a well-made game that you can try again and again with numerous heroes and their plethora of powers. If you're a comic-book fan, this is probably the most satisfying videogame ever made for you.

Next-gen visuals for the PS3 version can't help that the basic gameplay is the very same sort of mindless button masher that was present in the original PlayStation 2 version. Is it still fun? Yeah, of course, provided you're a comic fan, but 20 hours or so later, it's entirely possible that you won't really want to do this again -- no matter how many characters or in-jokes are added.

If you dig either dungeon crawlers or Marvel comic icons, you'll probably enjoy what Ultimate Alliance has to offer.

It's a great step up from the X-men games and worth your time.

Impressive visual effects make it most desirable on PlayStation 3, but the engaging superhero customization and lengthy campaign are worth playing in general.

Overall, Ultimate Alliance is entertaining no matter which version you decide to play. [Jan. 2007, p.80]

A good Action RPG that could use some more polish.

It's a dream come true for many Marvel fans, as this RPG really thrills with an engaging plot, solid team-based gameplay and huge cast of characters.

As far as pick up and play RPGs go, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is a keeper. It's not devoid of technical or design flaws, but its combat system, customization options, interesting storyline, and multiplayer features make it a good choice for comic fans or role-playing newbies.

Great fun - and pretty much essential if you're a Marvel fan - but never truly 'super.' [Feb 2007, p.72]

If you don't care who Black Bolt, or the Super Skrull(or, well, and of the characters named herin)are, then the game is merely a very solid beat-em-up, but man, if you're a Marvel zombie like I am, this is the closest we can get to enacting a digital version of the Secret Wars. [Jan. 2007, p.74]

A few technical details set the PlayStation 3 iteration of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance just a notch below the 360 version, most notably in regards to online multiplayer.

Even with these subtle improvements the game is still the same package you have been able to play on all the other consoles for a while now.

Ultimate Alliance is more than enough fun to last through the main story -- especially if you bring a couple friends -- but whether you'll be returning to it again and again over the course of months is dependent largely on your superhero obsession and tolerance for repetition.

This has to be every comic fan's wet dream. [Apr 2007, p.118]

If you're a fan of the X-Men Legends games that have appeared over the last few years you'll know what to expect from Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, but you'll probably still be surprised at how polished and lengthy the game is.

The PS3 version is still a must play for PS3-owning Marvel fans and those looking for a game to rock with four players, but if the choice is there, you are only hurting yourself by skipping over the 360 version, because this one is a couple of heroes short of an Avengers team.

Great idea, lame execution. Even Marvel fans will find it dull. [Apr 2007, p.61]

It's the same old trek through the claustrophobic levels, whacking enemies until they disappear. [Issue #151, p.74]

If you're looking for a deep hack and slash title along the lines of "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance," look elsewhere. Marvel Ultimate Alliance is an over simplified attempt at a genre that begs for more. This just isn't hack and slash done right -- it feels more like an arcade game than anything else.