X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse

 Xbox
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
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  1. Gamezilla!
    74
    Although the graphics and sound are not noticeably improved, that won't affect the experience as Activison takes us back into the Xmen universe.
  2. Total Video Games
    70
    Very much in the same vein as last year's effort, Legends II manages to make further improvements especially with the introduction of online functionality though it still fails to offer the level of immersion that perhaps shoudl be expected of an RPG title.
  3. The Sydney Morning Herald
    70
    Navigating the menus and many options can be seriously intimidating for the uninitiated, thanks to some complicated design features.
  5. Gamestyle
    70
    All in all, an improvement over the original, but not a huge step forward by any means.
  6. Game Revolution
    67
    There's not a great deal here that you haven't played before - like, last year - and we can't help but feel that this particular dungeon-crawl epic needs more updating and fewer characters. A little more, shall we say, mutation?

Awards & Rankings

29
#29 Best Xbox Game of 2005
59
#59 Most Shared Xbox Game of 2005

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 209 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 177 out of 209
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 209
  3. Negative: 32 out of 209
  1. KevyO.
    Sep 26, 2006
    8
    Mindless fun. Certainly not the best game ever, but it held my attention for a week. What else do you need? And as an RPG fan, I liked the Mindless fun. Certainly not the best game ever, but it held my attention for a week. What else do you need? And as an RPG fan, I liked the leveling up system/points. You might too.… Full Review »
  2. DhantellB.
    Sep 24, 2005
    2
    This game is a huge step back from the previous one. You spend a ridiculous amount of time fighting giant ants, insects and weird things in This game is a huge step back from the previous one. You spend a ridiculous amount of time fighting giant ants, insects and weird things in caves, jungles and canyons and other things more fitting for Diablo, Baulders Gate or Gauntlet Legends. That is not x-men. Another thing, because of the pair up between the brotherhood and the x-men, there are no good villians in this game. The four horsemen suck, Vortex? Lame. The only decent fight in the first half of the game is at the end of Act 2. They start you off with 13 characters, which is great if the total was like 30, but its 16. Through two acts you don't get any new characters so there is nothing new and refreshing. Not that many of the characters are any good anyway, the only new characters that are any good are almost Magneto and Juggernaut is good. Otherwise you just find yourself playing as the exact same characters, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler or Iceman. The other problem with this is once you start playing, its hard to go back to an old character because they are so behind on levels. Not that that matters too much, because the game is ridiculously easy no matter what level you play it on. I've never had 1 character die, let alone a game over through three acts. I think the biggest set back is you spend sooooo much time in menus. The leveling up system is atrocious. They should've went with fewer levels with more points gained per level. A level up is meaingless. Yay I get one skill point even though it takes around 20 to cap off any ability! Plus unlike any normal game, they have a little map in the corner, and if you want to see all of it while playing? Nope! It just makes and ENORMOUS zoomed in version of the little section. To see the whole thing you have to go into the menu and hit auto map, which is the same ENORMOUSLY zoomed in map, except you can now move it around. I played this with two friends and we all do our own level ups so we don't get stuck with the crap the computer recommends. This takes FOREVER since level ups are so frequent. We finally stopped leveling up our characters until every 3 or so levels. Not to mention each item of the same kind has different statistics. Instead of just making "weak gear, normal gear, heavy gear" its all plain gear (except for other rare and uncommon items) and could have a defense modifier of 4 to 15 or more with no indicator on the menu screen unless you sieve through each one (though they are in decending order, I guess). You can't hold more than 20 spare items, and thats super annoying when you have to keep selling stuff to make room, a problem they should've fixed from the first game. Don't even say its unrealistic, cause its equally as unrealistic to say you can carry around 20 suits of armor with you. As far as I'm concerned, its either 1 or infinite. That also leads me to the money. I haven't spent a dime yet, there's no reason to. And they are WAY more generous with the money this time around. I had 30,000+ after the first two acts and still didn't buy anything. The story is complete garbage as well. I know in the first game it took away from the multiplayer to have to run around the xmansion (something the menu time in this game drawfs considerably), and the story in the first one wasn't great, but c'mon, most the time you have no idea why you're doing anything in this game. Why is it necessary to fight ants and insects in the savage land to save the world from apocalypse? Allegidly you're saving a character, but they make one slight mention of that and nothing of the bigger plan. How did the two sides come together anyway? You just start off on the same side. Most cut scenes are just the two sides bickering at one another, or someone making a lewd comment to Jean Gray and having Cyclops get all mad. Lame. Then a boss will just appear, say Sauron, and you fight him and kill him, just to say he's there and in the game. No purpose, no development, no fallout of the battle or anything. There's no significance behind anything, and it isn't until the 3rd chapter you have any sense of urgancy whatsoever. Stick to the first one, or just rent this (or gamefly), it's not worth $50. You can beat it in a week anyway.… Full Review »
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