Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2

If you go in not expecting to play the game of the year then you're going to get a hell of a lot of fun out of MUA2.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 retains much of the formula that made the original games the best of their genre. It has a massive roster of comic book favorites, a slew of recognizable locations, some well-designed boss battles, and an intricately crafted storyline that touches upon every cornerstone of the Marvel pantheon. What holds it back from true greatness is a wretched camera and a few missteps with the dialogue system. Outside of that, this is a fine return for one of Marvel's great gaming franchises. Ultimate Alliance is still the best it is at what it does and what it does is very nice.

The Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series has potential on DS – just not in this form. From the opening minutes of the game it’s apparent that there was too much to cram in, and with the limited horsepower of the DS the four hero design just doesn’t come across. You never feel outnumbered, and instead battle against your own team’s AI issues as you navigate 3D worlds with a clunky map and very little opposition in your way. For as much fun as it is to create your team and run around with the squad of your dreams, the game just doesn’t deliver on its promises. Odd little combat bugs, the lack of...

Ultimate Alliance 3 is a fun but forgettable romp through Marvel’s most iconic locations. Combat is simplistic, the level design is uninspired, and the game gets repetitive very quickly, but the satisfying sound design and bright, flashing colors provide enough of a distraction to provide at least a few hours of fun. This is a game for Marvel fans, and those without a strong attachment to these characters will struggle to find enjoyment in Ultimate Alliance 3.

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It might not be the biggest Nintendo title this month (looking at you, Fire Emblem: Three Houses), but it is a gem that should definitely not be missed. We ourselves have pulled out the game and played through a chapter or completed a few Infinity Challenges over the past few days to aid our long train journeys and have loved every second of playing it, so we are sure you will too.

It's a tricky thing when green-lighting a sequel that the original development team won't be around for. This goes for any medium, but maybe most importantly for a video game. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 has fallen into this trap, but only slightly. With original developer Raven Software too busy working on the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie tie-in game to take the helm of this sequel, publisher Activision turned to developer Vicarious Visions. Luckily they are very familiar with the franchise...

The voice acting of Ultimate Alliance 3 deserves a mention for how fantastic it is. I thought Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite had some wonky voice-work, as have some of the recent Marvel cartoons, but Ultimate Alliance 3 uses a lot of the best voice actors that some of these characters have ever had. Yuri Lowenthal returns as Spider-Man after his stellar performance in Spider-Man PS4, Wolverine is once again voiced by the legendary Steve Blum (who I could never imagine a replacement for), and Nolan North continues to be the best voice for Deadpool.