Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Announced

[Evil Avatar]

From Raven Software, the developers of X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends 2, comes word of a new next-generation RPG, Marvel Ultimate Alliance.

Over 140 Marvel characters come together in Activision, Inc’s. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, an all-new action/RPG that features the largest roster of comic book characters ever seen in a video game. Players assume the roles of more than 20 Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Blade and Captain America, and through their actions determine the fate of both planet Earth and the Marvel universe – revealed in one of multiple epilogues.

“Marvel: Ultimate Alliance delivers a new twist on action/RPGs where players’ actions and choices ultimately determine what happens to the Marvel universe,” states Will Kassoy, Vice President of Global Brand Management for Activision. “This coupled with the game’s enormous character roster will deliver an action-packed experience that comic book fans have been waiting for.”

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance features a deep, rich gameplay experience by offering total team customization, where players create their own team name, icon and vehicle, as well as establish their team reputation as they play throughout the story. Gamers also have the option to level up each character individually to their liking, or all team members at the same time to keep their heroes balanced. With the game’s new combat system, players battle against the world’s most notorious Marvel Super Villains in the air, underwater, and on the ground, using grappling, blocking and dodging moves, by charging up their Super Hero powers before unleashing them, and using environmental objects as one and two-handed weapons.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance features a unique storyline where the missions players accept, the objectives they complete, and their interactions with other characters throughout the game directly impact how the story plays out. The game also features a robust multiplayer component where fans can band together with friends as their favorite Marvel Super Heroes, and fight evil in both on and offline cooperative story modes. There’s also a Competitive Mode where the game tracks various in-game stats so players can see how well they stack up against one another – affecting the amount of experience points earned and how equipment is distributed.

Created by Raven Software and C.B. Cebulski, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance will be the first Super Hero game out for all next-gen gaming systems, and will also be available on current-gen, handheld and PC platforms. The game is currently rated RP (Rating Pending) by the ESRB and is planned to ship this fall.
We've got a pair of screenshots (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12084) up for your viewing pleasure.


http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/marvel_alliance/thumb.Announce_screen_next-gen.jpg (http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/image.php?image=www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/marvel_alliance/Announce_screen_next-gen.jpg)

[cppcrusader]

I never do get it when a game is officially announced after being in the news for the last three weeks.

I am looking forward to this game though, along with Justice Leauge Heroes.

[spacerat100]

more characters is dumb when the game world is shallow, badly written, and badly executed. make a better game not one with eleventeen jillion new characters.

[Klade]

Huh a group comic hero game on the PC, about time. It seems that most comic book games go straight to console and the PC only gets stuck with crapy movie license versions.

[Reanimated]

Next gen? I'm loling at that one.

I loved XML2 though, so I'll pick this up for sure.

[Heretic Machine]

Huh a group comic hero game on the PC, about time. It seems that most comic book games go straight to console and the PC only gets stuck with crapy movie license versions.

...PC got X-men Legends 2, with more characters.

[Sazime]

I will take this time to say how much I like the new screenshot section of the site. Thanks for the high resolution images. Keep it up, I'm love'n it.

[Tricky Thumb]

I want more screens!

And yea I reported this a little while back, but this is "official" whereas I'm like... underground.

[Kenn Hoekstra]

I never do get it when a game is officially announced after being in the news for the last three weeks.

I believe the game was first announced in Game Informer magazine, most likely as an "exclusive announcement." Whatever the waiting period was for the exclusive is now passed, so Activision could make an "official announcement" online.

[Cupelix]

Apparently for this game "next-gen" means "bumpy." Regardless, its got Ghost Rider, and Dr. Doom, which makes it pretty ok in my book. I'm sure that this will play just like XML though, and I'm not sure I can play through another game like that. If this was turn based strategy though? That'd be pretty bad ass, I must admit.

[digitalErich]

Hey Raven, how about this time letting me play over XBL with my friends without having to play in the _exact_ same resolution/screen ratio as they are. XML2 got returned the day I bought it due to that oversight. Funny how none of the previews for XML2 even so much as mentioned that (still bitter about that).

[thecrazyd]

My enjoyment of this game will be almost entirely based on how much fun it is to play Spiderman.

[MajSheppard]

Chances are that everyone is going to use the same four anyways. I mean really wtf.
Though Spiderman+Wolverine= good times. I still want to see Captain America in the Black costume invading other countries for oil addiction satisfaction.

[Kefkataran]

Very nice. Looks like a big variety of characters.

For anyone who's interested, there will be a EANR Podcast interview with Keith Fuller, lead designer of X-Men Legends 2 posted later today in both audio and transcript form. Unfortunately we did the interview just a few days too early to talk about this, but it's still a lot of fun.

[Crabby]

Holy mother of heated pilllow basalts. I am there .

[if76]

Hmmm 4 fleshed-out differentiated characters with their own moves and animations and personalities or 140 characters with a couple of stock phrases to distinguish them from one another.

[Kefkataran]

Hmmm 4 fleshed-out differentiated characters with their own moves and animations and personalities or 140 characters with a couple of stock phrases to distinguish them from one another.

They're popular Marvel heroes -- they already have their own fleshed-out moves and personalities. That said, if you read the thing it says there's over 20 (I'd guess around 30 total) characters you can play as. Not all 140.

[thecrazyd]

They're popular Marvel heroes -- they already have their own fleshed-out moves and personalities.
That's the thing though. If you focus on a large number of characters, rather then a small few, then you do not get much of a chance to see their unique personalities. They become the guy that shoots green lazers instead of red ones.

[Kefkataran]

That's the thing though. If you focus on a large number of characters, rather then a small few, then you do not get much of a chance to see their unique personalities. They become the guy that shoots green lazers instead of red ones.

Which is potentially true (depending on the scope of the game), but if you read the rest of my comment (and the whole press release), they aren't actually going to let you play all 140 characters.

[thecrazyd]

Oh, I know, but 30 is still quite a lot, and more then enough to feel watered down.

[Spigot]

I know it's subtitle is Ultimate Alliance, but I'm curious. Is it set in the Ultimate Marvel universe or the regular 616? My interest is immensely higher if it's Ultimate Marvel, esp. if they have Sam Jackson do the voice of Nick Fury...

[ProfPuppet]

Wary but interested, like a cat staring at a porcupine.

[Kefkataran]

Oh, I know, but 30 is still quite a lot, and more then enough to feel watered down.

Judging by the X-Men Legends titles, I have confidence right now.

I know it's subtitle is Ultimate Alliance, but I'm curious. Is it set in the Ultimate Marvel universe or the regular 616? My interest is immensely higher if it's Ultimate Marvel, esp. if they have Sam Jackson do the voice of Nick Fury...


According to Keith, it's 616 universe but with some elements potentially borrowed from Ultimate U storylines.

[digitalErich]

I know it's subtitle is Ultimate Alliance, but I'm curious. Is it set in the Ultimate Marvel universe or the regular 616? My interest is immensely higher if it's Ultimate Marvel, esp. if they have Sam Jackson do the voice of Nick Fury...

I'm gone to guess 616 U but with some of the unlockable costumes being Ultimate based.

[Frogleg Special]

Hulk - Game Over

[thecrazyd]

Judging by the X-Men Legends titles, I have confidence right now.
Yes, but the X-Men are a very balanced team. They work as a team, and no members are insanely overpoered in comparison to others. This is a jumble of characters with powers that do not coordinate, and some with complex layers of powers that cannot be adequately expressed within the confines of this game. That is to say that I have a very bad feeling that playing as Spiderman is going to be lame.

Also, the only benifit (in my mind) that 616 has over Ultimate is that the costumes are better (with a few exceptions).

[Kefkataran]

Yes, but the X-Men are a very balanced team. They work as a team, and no members are insanely overpoered in comparison to others. This is a jumble of characters with powers that do not coordinate, and some with complex layers of powers that cannot be adequately expressed within the confines of this game.

That all depends on how the confines of the game work. I'm assuming there will be SOME changes from the X-Men games. And anyways, these guys have ALL teamed up at some points before, so it can happen.

I do agree, though, I'd much rather see this in the Ultimate U. Not sure why they put Ultimate in the title if it's not in that universe. Anyways, oh well.

[Captain Awesome]

Marvel: The Plastic Wars

[Xerxes]

With the 20 or 30 characters is not about you playing all 30 right then in and there. I bet it's setup for replay value. You go through with Spiderman Wolverine Hulk and Captian America as like your main four, maybe you'll want to give a Iron man Daredevil Hulk Thor thing a try. Mix match with your favs. It's interesting to say the least.

I find the thing with Justice League disturbing. It's like some dude just said looked I designed a great JL game and he popped in Xmen Legends and said "Now, imagine if that was superman batman green latern and aquaman. You like?"

[endrom]

......did i just see captain america..... I'm sold....

[Kefkataran]

I find the thing with Justice League disturbing. It's like some dude just said looked I designed a great JL game and he popped in Xmen Legends and said "Now, imagine if that was superman batman green latern and aquaman. You like?"

To be fair, though, that's the same idea as this but with all the Marvel characters. The Justice League game could be just as good, if done right.

[Xerxes]

Well yeah but the same makers of the Xmen Legends is making Marvel Alliance. If i'm not mistaken someone else is handling JL.

[Kefkataran]

Well yeah but the same makers of the Xmen Legends is making Marvel Alliance. If i'm not mistaken someone else is handling JL.

That's the truth, which is why I'm very optimistic about Marvel Alliance and curious but not yet negative about Justice League. If pics come out and it looks like shit, that'll be different.

[Xerxes]

It does... Like a clayish version of the tv show.

[Xerxes]

http://justiceleagueheroes.warnerbros.com/
http://gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?fs=1&id=2521

[Spigot]

To be fair, though, that's the same idea as this but with all the Marvel characters. The Justice League game could be just as good, if done right.
Yeah, but the Justice League is DC, and everyone knows that DC is teh l4m3st... :rolleyes:

[Kefkataran]

Yeah, but the Justice League is DC, and everyone knows that DC is teh l4m3st...

Don't make me sic Blue Beetle III on you.

[thecrazyd]

Has anyone seen the trailer for that DC game? That was the lamest trailer I have ever seen.

[Spigot]

See above post for further verification of DC's lameness :)

[Xerxes]

Batman, Superman, and Flash are pretty much the best the got. But most of there villians are ass.