Available on: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, P
Price I paid: £13.69 (eBay)
I played on: PS4
Notes: There are a few different portable versions of this game but I’m reviewing the main console version here as they are not the same.
Worlds collide as the massively popular plastic bricks of Lego mash with the fantastic Marvel superheroes. I’m not really a huge fan of Lego but I do love their very cute and charming mini-figures based around popular media. Seeing these mini figures come to life with stunning graphics and a full voice acting cast was amazing.
Most the story is based around New York City as it’s where plenty of Marvel’s heroes call home and in between missions you can explore the open world NYC all you like. This world is not as detailed or interactive as say Grand Theft Auto or Watch_Dogs but it is nice to see these Lego sets moving around. The open world is fun to play about in while visiting landmarks and testing out new heroes but it’s not enough to hold most players instead that’s left up to the missions. Combat is only a one-button affair and death will only cost you a few studs so this game lacks any difficulty but this is a good thing for younger players or those with disabilities. Each area will have puzzles that require you to use different characters to solve, so, for example, Spider-man can use his webbing to pull certain items, Mr Fantastic can squeeze through grates and so on. This makes it really feel like the characters are working as a team and I really enjoyed it. Once you have finished a mission you can replay it on Free Mode which lets you change characters at any point and this is vital for puzzles you were unable to complete the first time. These will net you bonus items and a valid reason to play through again which is great for replayability.
The plot follows Loki, Doctor Doom and Magneto knocking the Silver Surfer off his board and destroying it creating powerful ‘Cosmic Bricks’. These supervillains plan to use these to allow Doom to rule the world while dividing it between the other two. This plot is never serious and there is very little real threat with characters falling from space and surviving. The story just exists as an excuse to tell simple jokes and to visit fan favourite locations such as The Raft, Stark tower, The Bifrost bridge and more. While not amazing the plot does its job and is a good enough excuse to see beloved locations and amazing set pieces. I was a little disappointed at how much the characters and locations felt based on the MCU and not the comics but I suppose this makes sense since it’s aimed at kids and they will recognize the films more than the comics.
The graphics are amazing and this is thanks to Lego having simple designs so making the world feel like a giant lego playset was not that difficult with the power of modern consoles. That’s not to take away from the wonderful design that goes into all of Legos mini-figures and playsets as the detail really is there just in a more simple and cute form. While you will certainly be able to tell who everyone is you won’t be able to tell smaller details apart. For example, with Spider-man it's impossible to tell if he's in his classic suit, Sam Rami suit or the newer MCU suit. This is not a big issue for most people. For super geeks like myself, these details are important so I want to mention that the Lego counterparts won’t offer you that detail.
This is a very fun game for Marvel fans young and old with 180 characters and lots of familiar locations. After a while thou, all these characters start to feel the same as there are really only certain types of characters and these all control the same. Iron Man and all other flying characters control the same for example, all electricity characters such as Thor or Storm control the same and so on. The plot is also not great and feels like a nod to the MCU more than the comics. While certainly not flawless this is still a fun game that any Lego or Marvel fans should check out.
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