Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion
Encyclopedia
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (previously known as Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion), a sequel to the 2006 action role-playing
video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
, was released September 15, 2009. The game was jointly developed by Vicarious Visions
(PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360), n-Space
(Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, and Wii) and Savage Entertainment
(PlayStation Portable), and is published by Activision
.The game features characters from the Marvel Comics
universe and follows elements of the Secret War
and Civil War
story arcs.
The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of MUA2 were generally well received, averaging above 70% at aggregators GameRankings and Metacritic
. The Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable fared much poorer, averaging between 45% and 65% for their respective platforms.
. The game allows players to select a team of four given characters from a larger pool of heroes and villains; team members are interchangeable and may be swapped during gameplay. General gameplay mechanics are similar to those of the X-Men Legends
series. The game is played from an isometric dungeon crawl
perspective, supporting up to simultaneous four players. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game also feature online play via the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live
, respectively.
The power system also has been improved, allowing two characters to combine powers, yielding a new attack, known as a "fusion". Each playable character in the game has a unique fusion with every other playable character in the game. An example is Captain America
using his shield to reflect Storm's lightning bolts. Players have the ability to level up characters and earn new abilities and powers. The PS3 and 360 versions feature an updated character progression system, with each character having four core powers that evolve as the character levels up. The Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable versions of the game resemble the character progression system found in the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
.
A trailer released at E3 shows a military operation originating in Latveria
, home of master villain Doctor Doom
. "The story starts with Secret War
. We're using Nick Fury's
invasion of Latveria as a jumping off point. The rest of the story is derived from the consequences of those actions," states Dan Tanguay, creative director for Vicarious Visions.
The game then follows the Civil War
story arc: a fight between heroes and villains causes an explosion in Stamford, Connecticut
. Killing 612 civilians (including a number of school children), the government labels the incident "super powered negligence", and the public demand a Superhuman Registration Act. The government passes the act, and all meta-humans are forced to adhere to or disobey the law. In the game, players are able to choose between the Pro-Registration side, headed by Iron Man
and Mister Fantastic
, or the Anti-Registration side, headed by Captain America
and Luke Cage
. Several other characters are 'locked' into a specific side.
Songbird
is locked to the Pro-Registration side for the PS3 and 360 versions, with Ms. Marvel and Thor locked to the Pro-Registration side for the PS2, PSP and Wii versions. Iron Fist is locked to the Anti-Registration side for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, with Daredevil and Storm locked to the Anti-Registration side for the PS2, PSP and Wii versions. These ten characters are locked into their specific side, but the others are playable on either side of the conflict. Multiple endings are available, and are determined by the side chosen at the beginning of the game. Tanguay stated that the story follows into the aftermath of the Civil War.
story arc. Colonel Nick Fury
is leading a team comprising Captain America
, Iron Man
, Spider-Man
, and Wolverine
, in addition to several other superheroes, on an unsanctioned attack on Castle Doom in Latveria after discovering that the elected prime minister Lucia von Bardas
was supplying weapons to the Tinkerer
who in turn supplies them to super villains. The President is adamant against the attack as Von Bardas has been establishing friendly ties with them. The attack is successful and Castle Doom is reduced to rubble, with Von Bardas assumed dead.
The scene then shifts to present day. Ms. Marvel
is reported missing after being sent to recover intel on suspicious criminal activity. A team is sent to investigate and find her being interrogated by Shocker
. They also discover that the Latverian military plans to destroy a large portion of America, led by a cyborg Von Bardas. The group thwarts her plan but many city blocks are destroyed in the process, prompting the government to consider the Superhuman Registration Act (SRA). In light of this incident, Nick Fury disappears, leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.
agent Maria Hill
in charge. Three days later during a telecast of The New Warriors
, Nitro
creates a large explosion, killing more than 600 civilians in the process, prompting the immediate implementation of the SRA. Captain America, opposed to the act, goes underground, along with several other superheroes and S.H.I.E.L.D agents, forming a group called "The White Star". At this point, the story branches into two segments; Anti-Registration and Pro-Registration, depending on player choice. In order to aid them, the Pro-Registration group develops nanite technology to use as mind control on the super villains, increasing their ranks.
The two story arcs converge when Iron Man fakes a hostage situation at a chemical plant owned by Stark Industries
. There, he attempts to negotiate with Captain America, promising amnesty
. Captain America refuses and a battle ensues between the two factions. The nanite-controlled super villains go haywire and attack the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents they were programmed to help, stealing explosives to destroy the facility. Fury, disguised as one of the agents, enlists the help of the group to fend off Venom III and Green Goblin
while he disarms the bombs. He is thwarted by Venom as he tries to disarm the final one. The ensuing explosion wounds many superheroes whom Fury rescues. The group learns that the Fury they saw was one of his androids. He manages to acquire Tinkerer's help in discovering the cause of the malfunction.
The group is then sent to the Negative Zone
prison, where the rebel superheroes and supervillains that have been captured are held, to get a sample of the nanite formula. They collect the samples and Fury activates the self-destruct system to prevent the spread of nanites. Most of the superheroes involved escape, but Fury's fate is unknown. The team learns the nanites survived and have now spread worldwide. As a result the registration act is suspended, uniting the two teams. They split into different groups, with the main group traveling to Wakanda, home of Black Panther
. They help him defend the country from nanite agents, now under the moniker of "The Fold", and in the process cure Venom and Green Goblin of the nanites. They also discover that Nick Fury has been taken by The Fold. The heroes establish a base in Wakanda, learning that The Fold cannot comprehend Fury's intel on it, making it temporarily safe from nanite attacks. In order to stop The Fold, the heroes infiltrate a base in Iceland to broadcast a nanite stasis signal that will paralyze those in its control, allowing them to be cured. At the culmination of their mission, the team face off against Tinkerer, who was behind The Fold all along, and then a nanite controlled Nick Fury enhanced with extra nanites. After defeating Fury, the game has one of two endings depending on which side the player has chosen: in the Pro-Registration ending, the SRA gets amended; in the Anti-Registration ending, it gets repealed.
The game includes some format-specific characters, and the developers plan to release additional characters as downloadable content
. In addition, each character on the PS3 and Xbox 360 has one alternate costume that can be unlocked during the course of the game. Stan Lee
, co-creator of Marvel Comics and creator of many of the characters, also lends his likeness and voice to New York senator Lieber; this marks the first time Stan has made a physical cameo in a video game. On April 1, 2009, Aunt May
was announced to be a playable character on the official website, as part of an April Fool's
joke.
Several playable characters also appear as boss battles throughout the game, such as battling Iron Man if the player chooses the Anti-Registration path, or facing Captain America on the Pro-Registration path. Other playables are unlocked by defeating them, such as Deadpool, Green Goblin and Venom. Juggernaut
was available as a pre-order bonus incentive for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. A patch was released to allow those who do not have Juggernaut installed to play with others who have the character. On October 9, 2009, downloadable content was announced for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which includes new characters and comic missions as well as new achievements. It was released on November 5, 2009 for $9.99/800MSP
for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, respectively. Additionally the once pre-order exclusive character Juggernaut was available for $1.99/160MSP. The content was removed on from both networks December 31, 2009, with Activision claiming the content was "a limited time offer". On July 1, 2010 Activision re-released the DLC on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network shortly thereafter, at Xbox Live were released on July 3, 2010 and at PlayStation Network were released on July 20, 2010. Players could purchase both the five character DLC pack and the Juggernuat pre-order character for the same cost previously mentioned. Activision, however, stipulated that the content would only be available until December 31, 2010.
Exclusive to PS2, PSP and Wii
Exclusive to Nintendo DS
Exclusive to PS3 and Xbox 360
Limited time pre-order bonus on PS3 and Xbox 360
Limited time downloadable content exclusive on PS3 and Xbox 360
Characters on Nintendo DS
pictures and have themselves superimposed into the game's backdrops.
Vicarious Visions, developers for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, upgraded the Alchemy engine in several ways, including Havok physics technology
, a new 3D sound system and syncing character's lips to dialogue. Developer Vicarious Visions also has a development blog which began on February 6, 2009 which is updated bi-monthly. Users can follow Vicarious Visions' creative director Dan Tanguay and executive producer Jennifer Oneal on Twitter
as they answer questions and post news about MUA2.
The Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii versions were developed by n-Space
, with Savage Entertainment
porting the PS2 version to the PSP. Version 3.5 of the Alchemy engine was used, and a team of around thirty developers works approximately thirteen months to develop the game. Online multiplayer for the Wii is not supported due time constraints during development. Several changes were made to the next-gen versions of MUA2 late during n-Space's development, accounting for the fact that Stan Lee does not cameo in these versions, that there are no alternate costumes, nor on-the-fly character swapping. n-Space created a series of articles to address fan concerns, the "perceived shortcoming[s]" of the game, and to answer questions. The Wii version of the game uses WiiConnect24
to implement a feature known as B.R.A.G. (Broadcast Realtime Accomplishment Gloating), which allows players to share level results and high scores, and also features extensive use of the Wii remote for puzzles and manning turrets. Users can also follow n-Space president and founder Dan O'Leary via Twitter to receive updates on the game.
currently holds the game at 73%. Brian Michael Bendis
, writer for Marvel Comics
, was given an early opportunity to play the game, to which he later tweeted, "Happy to give a huge thumbs up for Ultimate Alliance 2. The stills do it no justice. It's gorgeous."
Gamespot
's Kevin VanOrd stated that the game delivers "the button-mashing, power-flinging, over-the-top action fans of the original would expect," additionally praising the branched story and unlockables, citing additional replay value. However, the reviewer cited "technical oddities" and said that the "RPG elements were stripped down." 1UP
's Thierry Nguyen was more critical, saying that the game was "like Ben Reilly
: almost, but not quite as good as the original," citing issues with alternate costumes that "seem pretty lame," a "a persistent feeling of oversimplification," and that a hope that "either Raven
returns as the developer or Vicarious Visions learns from its missteps." He did however praise a "more coherent story," new fusion abilities, and gameplay tweaks. IGN
's Greg Miller gave the game a 7.7 /10, praising its new fusions and "healthy cast" but criticizing the game's similar gameplay to its predecessor, inconsistent voice acting, and its weak CG cutscenes.
According to the NPD sales group the Xbox 360 version of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 was seventh in sales for September 2009, selling 236,000 units. However, the sales dropped in October 2009, with the game no longer listed in the top ten in sales.
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
, was released September 15, 2009. The game was jointly developed by Vicarious Visions
Vicarious Visions
Vicarious Visions is an American video game developer founded by the high school brothers Karthik and Guha Bala in 1990, which developed some PC and Game Boy Color games in late 90's and 2000. They later developed Terminus, which won two Independent Games Festival Awards in 1999...
(PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360), n-Space
N-Space
n-Space is an American video game developer founded in 1994 by Erick S. Dyke, Dan O'Leary, and Sean Purcell. n-Space is focusing mostly on Nintendo consoles since 2001...
(Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, and Wii) and Savage Entertainment
Savage Entertainment
Savage Entertainment is a video game developer founded in 1997 by Tim Morten and Chacko Sonny.-History:Savage Entertainment was founded in 1997 by Tim Morten and Chacko Sonny. They have handled multiple ports of games, and have also developed full titles independently...
(PlayStation Portable), and is published by Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
.The game features characters from the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe and follows elements of the Secret War
Secret War (comics)
Secret War is a five-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics. The series is written by Brian Michael Bendis and painted by Gabriele Dell'Otto...
and Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
story arcs.
The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of MUA2 were generally well received, averaging above 70% at aggregators GameRankings and Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. The Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable fared much poorer, averaging between 45% and 65% for their respective platforms.
Gameplay
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 borrows much of its gameplay from its predecessorMarvel: Ultimate Alliance
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
. The game allows players to select a team of four given characters from a larger pool of heroes and villains; team members are interchangeable and may be swapped during gameplay. General gameplay mechanics are similar to those of the X-Men Legends
X-Men Legends
X-Men Legends is an action role-playing video game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. It was released on the GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles in the fall of . Barking Lizards Technologies developed the N-Gage port of the game, which was released in early...
series. The game is played from an isometric dungeon crawl
Dungeon crawl
A dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinthine environment, battling various monsters, and looting any treasure they may find...
perspective, supporting up to simultaneous four players. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game also feature online play via the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
, respectively.
The power system also has been improved, allowing two characters to combine powers, yielding a new attack, known as a "fusion". Each playable character in the game has a unique fusion with every other playable character in the game. An example is Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
using his shield to reflect Storm's lightning bolts. Players have the ability to level up characters and earn new abilities and powers. The PS3 and 360 versions feature an updated character progression system, with each character having four core powers that evolve as the character levels up. The Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable versions of the game resemble the character progression system found in the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
.
Synopsis
Latveria
Latveria is a nation in the . It is an isolated European country ruled by the supervillain Doctor Doom, supposedly located in the Banat region. It is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, and also borders the Symkaria to the south. Its capital is Doomstadt.-Publication history:Latveria first...
, home of master villain Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
. "The story starts with Secret War
Secret War (comics)
Secret War is a five-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics. The series is written by Brian Michael Bendis and painted by Gabriele Dell'Otto...
. We're using Nick Fury's
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
invasion of Latveria as a jumping off point. The rest of the story is derived from the consequences of those actions," states Dan Tanguay, creative director for Vicarious Visions.
The game then follows the Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
story arc: a fight between heroes and villains causes an explosion in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
. Killing 612 civilians (including a number of school children), the government labels the incident "super powered negligence", and the public demand a Superhuman Registration Act. The government passes the act, and all meta-humans are forced to adhere to or disobey the law. In the game, players are able to choose between the Pro-Registration side, headed by Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
and Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
, or the Anti-Registration side, headed by Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
and Luke Cage
Luke Cage
Luke Cage is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1...
. Several other characters are 'locked' into a specific side.
Songbird
Songbird (comics)
Songbird , formerly known as Screaming Mimi, is a fictional character, a superheroine and former supervillainess in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:...
is locked to the Pro-Registration side for the PS3 and 360 versions, with Ms. Marvel and Thor locked to the Pro-Registration side for the PS2, PSP and Wii versions. Iron Fist is locked to the Anti-Registration side for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, with Daredevil and Storm locked to the Anti-Registration side for the PS2, PSP and Wii versions. These ten characters are locked into their specific side, but the others are playable on either side of the conflict. Multiple endings are available, and are determined by the side chosen at the beginning of the game. Tanguay stated that the story follows into the aftermath of the Civil War.
Plot
The game begins one year prior to the main Civil WarCivil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
story arc. Colonel Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
is leading a team comprising Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, and Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, in addition to several other superheroes, on an unsanctioned attack on Castle Doom in Latveria after discovering that the elected prime minister Lucia von Bardas
Lucia von Bardas
Lucia von Bardas is a fictional character, a supervillain in comic books published by Marvel Comics.- Fictional character biography :Lucia von Bardas is a Latverian woman who used to teach at the University of North Carolina in the United States. After Victor von Doom was deposed as the leader of...
was supplying weapons to the Tinkerer
Tinkerer
The Tinkerer is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics Universe...
who in turn supplies them to super villains. The President is adamant against the attack as Von Bardas has been establishing friendly ties with them. The attack is successful and Castle Doom is reduced to rubble, with Von Bardas assumed dead.
The scene then shifts to present day. Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
is reported missing after being sent to recover intel on suspicious criminal activity. A team is sent to investigate and find her being interrogated by Shocker
Shocker (comics)
The Shocker or just Shocker is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #46 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr.-Fictional character biography:Herman Schultz was born in New York...
. They also discover that the Latverian military plans to destroy a large portion of America, led by a cyborg Von Bardas. The group thwarts her plan but many city blocks are destroyed in the process, prompting the government to consider the Superhuman Registration Act (SRA). In light of this incident, Nick Fury disappears, leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
agent Maria Hill
Maria Hill
Maria Hill is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe. She was the former director of the planetary defense/intelligence service S.H.I.E.L.D..-Introduction:...
in charge. Three days later during a telecast of The New Warriors
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
, Nitro
Nitro (comics)
Nitro is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Captain Marvel #34 and was created by Jim Starlin....
creates a large explosion, killing more than 600 civilians in the process, prompting the immediate implementation of the SRA. Captain America, opposed to the act, goes underground, along with several other superheroes and S.H.I.E.L.D agents, forming a group called "The White Star". At this point, the story branches into two segments; Anti-Registration and Pro-Registration, depending on player choice. In order to aid them, the Pro-Registration group develops nanite technology to use as mind control on the super villains, increasing their ranks.
The two story arcs converge when Iron Man fakes a hostage situation at a chemical plant owned by Stark Industries
Stark Industries
In the fictional world of Iron Man, Stark Industries, later also known as Stark International, Stark Innovations, Stark/Fujikawa, Stark Enterprises and currently Stark Resilient, is a fictional multi-billion dollar corporation owned and run by businessman Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark, also known as...
. There, he attempts to negotiate with Captain America, promising amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
. Captain America refuses and a battle ensues between the two factions. The nanite-controlled super villains go haywire and attack the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents they were programmed to help, stealing explosives to destroy the facility. Fury, disguised as one of the agents, enlists the help of the group to fend off Venom III and Green Goblin
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
while he disarms the bombs. He is thwarted by Venom as he tries to disarm the final one. The ensuing explosion wounds many superheroes whom Fury rescues. The group learns that the Fury they saw was one of his androids. He manages to acquire Tinkerer's help in discovering the cause of the malfunction.
The group is then sent to the Negative Zone
Negative Zone
The Negative Zone is a fictional setting, an antimatter universe depicted in publications from Marvel Comics, most frequently in Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Fantastic Four #51 .-Fictional description:The Negative Zone in the Marvel...
prison, where the rebel superheroes and supervillains that have been captured are held, to get a sample of the nanite formula. They collect the samples and Fury activates the self-destruct system to prevent the spread of nanites. Most of the superheroes involved escape, but Fury's fate is unknown. The team learns the nanites survived and have now spread worldwide. As a result the registration act is suspended, uniting the two teams. They split into different groups, with the main group traveling to Wakanda, home of Black Panther
Black Panther (comics)
The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
. They help him defend the country from nanite agents, now under the moniker of "The Fold", and in the process cure Venom and Green Goblin of the nanites. They also discover that Nick Fury has been taken by The Fold. The heroes establish a base in Wakanda, learning that The Fold cannot comprehend Fury's intel on it, making it temporarily safe from nanite attacks. In order to stop The Fold, the heroes infiltrate a base in Iceland to broadcast a nanite stasis signal that will paralyze those in its control, allowing them to be cured. At the culmination of their mission, the team face off against Tinkerer, who was behind The Fold all along, and then a nanite controlled Nick Fury enhanced with extra nanites. After defeating Fury, the game has one of two endings depending on which side the player has chosen: in the Pro-Registration ending, the SRA gets amended; in the Anti-Registration ending, it gets repealed.
Characters
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
. In addition, each character on the PS3 and Xbox 360 has one alternate costume that can be unlocked during the course of the game. Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
, co-creator of Marvel Comics and creator of many of the characters, also lends his likeness and voice to New York senator Lieber; this marks the first time Stan has made a physical cameo in a video game. On April 1, 2009, Aunt May
Aunt May
May Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
was announced to be a playable character on the official website, as part of an April Fool's
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
joke.
Several playable characters also appear as boss battles throughout the game, such as battling Iron Man if the player chooses the Anti-Registration path, or facing Captain America on the Pro-Registration path. Other playables are unlocked by defeating them, such as Deadpool, Green Goblin and Venom. Juggernaut
Juggernaut (comics)
The Juggernaut is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #12 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
was available as a pre-order bonus incentive for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. A patch was released to allow those who do not have Juggernaut installed to play with others who have the character. On October 9, 2009, downloadable content was announced for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which includes new characters and comic missions as well as new achievements. It was released on November 5, 2009 for $9.99/800MSP
Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows - Live Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery, and Zune online stores. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card and to reduce the number of small credit card transaction fees, which Microsoft would...
for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, respectively. Additionally the once pre-order exclusive character Juggernaut was available for $1.99/160MSP. The content was removed on from both networks December 31, 2009, with Activision claiming the content was "a limited time offer". On July 1, 2010 Activision re-released the DLC on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network shortly thereafter, at Xbox Live were released on July 3, 2010 and at PlayStation Network were released on July 20, 2010. Players could purchase both the five character DLC pack and the Juggernuat pre-order character for the same cost previously mentioned. Activision, however, stipulated that the content would only be available until December 31, 2010.
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Invisible Woman Susan "Sue" Storm Richards is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics... Iron Man Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,... Jean Grey Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her... Luke Cage Luke Cage is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1... Mister Fantastic Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 .... Ms. Marvel Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a... Nick Fury Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the... |
Songbird (comics) Songbird , formerly known as Screaming Mimi, is a fictional character, a superheroine and former supervillainess in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:... Spider-Man Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15... Thing (comics) The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1... Thor (Marvel Comics) Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby.... Wolverine (comics) Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing... |
Black Panther (comics) The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52... Blade (comics) Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star... Cable (comics) Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201... Carnage (comics) Carnage is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #344 , and was created by writer David Michelinie and artist Mark Bagley. The character is frequently depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man... Cyclops (comics) Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes... |
Juggernaut (comics) The Juggernaut is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #12 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby.... Magneto (comics) Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby... Psylocke Psylocke is a fictional character depicted in comic books published by Marvel Comics, most notably those comics featuring the superhero team the X-Men. The character has also appeared in licensed adaptations. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe, she first appeared in the UK... Sentry (Robert Reynolds) The Sentry is a fictional character in the . The character first appears in The Sentry #1 and was created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, with uncredited conceptual contributions by Rick Veitch.-Creation:... She-Hulk She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 .... |
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Rick Jones (comics) Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones is a fictional comic book character in the .-Publication history:Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1, as a sidekick to the Incredible Hulk... Absorbing Man The Absorbing Man is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #114 The Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first... Colossus (comics) Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1... Bullseye (comics) Bullseye is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.A psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and to work out his own personal vendetta against Daredevil.Although he possesses no... Diamondback (comics) Diamondback is the name of four fictional characters appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Diamondback first appeared in Captain America #310 , written by Mark Gruenwald and illustrated by Paul Neary.-Willis Stryker:The first Diamondback was a foe of Luke Cage... Equinox (comics) Equinox is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in publications from Marvel Comics.-Publication history:... |
Firestar Firestar is a fictional mutant superhero in the . Debuting in 1981 on the NBC animated television series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, she has the ability to generate and manipulate microwave radiation, which allows her to generate intense heat and flames, and to fly... Grey Gargoyle The Grey Gargoyle is a fictional comic book supervillain that appears in books published by Marvel Comics, often as an enemy of Thor, Iron Man, She-Hulk or the Fantastic Four. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #107 The Grey Gargoyle (Paul Pierre Duval) is a fictional comic... Grim Reaper (comics) Grim Reaper is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in The Avengers #52 May , by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.-Fictional character biography:... Lucia von Bardas Lucia von Bardas is a fictional character, a supervillain in comic books published by Marvel Comics.- Fictional character biography :Lucia von Bardas is a Latverian woman who used to teach at the University of North Carolina in the United States. After Victor von Doom was deposed as the leader of... Lizard (comics) The Lizard is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe and enemy of Spider-Man. The Lizard first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #6 , and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko... |
Magneto (comics) Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby... Man-Ape Man-Ape is a fictional character, a supervillain in the , and frequent enemy of the Black Panther. He first appeared in Avengers #62 -Fictional character biography:... Molten Man Molten Man is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Universe. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #28 .-Fictional character biography:... Moonstone (comics) Moonstone is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superheroine in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe.-Publication history:... Nick Fury Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the... Quicksilver (comics) Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby... |
Scorcher (comics) Scorcher is a Marvel Comics supervillain.-Fiction character biography:Steven Hudak was a research chemist who was wrongfully accused of embezzlement by his employer... She-Hulk She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 .... Shocker (comics) The Shocker or just Shocker is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #46 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr.-Fictional character biography:Herman Schultz was born in New York... Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed... |
Tinkerer The Tinkerer is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics Universe... Titanium Man The Titanium Man is the name of two or more fictional characters, supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The original Titanium Man first appeared in Tales of Suspense #69 . He was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck.-Titanium Man I:Boris Bullski was born in Makeyevka, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union... Whirlwind (comics) Whirlwind is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales To Astonish #50 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:... Bucky Bucky is the name of several fictional characters, masked superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The original, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as a sidekick character in Captain America Comics #1 , published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics... Wizard (Marvel Comics) The Wizard , also known as the Wingless Wizard, is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe... Wonder Man Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Avengers #9 .-Publication history:Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 Wonder... |
| Anti-Registration Bosses | Pro-Registration Bosses | Other Characters | ||
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Jamie Madrox James Arthur "Jamie" Madrox, also called the Multiple Man, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men... She-Hulk She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 .... War Machine War Machine is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics universe. The character of James Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 by David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton... Wonder Man Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Avengers #9 .-Publication history:Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 Wonder... Henry Pym Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciler Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27... |
Cable (comics) Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201... Cloak and Dagger (comics) Cloak and Dagger are a fictional comic book superhero duo in the . They were created by writer William "Bill" Mantlo and designed by artist Edward Hannigan.-Publication history:... Colossus (comics) Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1... Cloak and Dagger (comics) Cloak and Dagger are a fictional comic book superhero duo in the . They were created by writer William "Bill" Mantlo and designed by artist Edward Hannigan.-Publication history:... Firestar Firestar is a fictional mutant superhero in the . Debuting in 1981 on the NBC animated television series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, she has the ability to generate and manipulate microwave radiation, which allows her to generate intense heat and flames, and to fly... Bill Foster (comics) Dr. Bill Foster, also known as Black Goliath, the second Giant-Man, and the fourth Goliath, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:... |
Hercules (Marvel Comics) Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby.... Patriot (comics) Patriot is the name of two fictional, comic book superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe: the Golden Age hero Jeffrey Mace and the modern-day character Eli Bradley.-Patriot :... Prodigy (Ritchie Gilmore) Prodigy is the name of a superhero in Marvel Comics.-Fictional character biography:Ritchie Gilmore is a typical jock, captain of his college wrestling team, and one of the most popular guys in school. But Ritchie wants more from life; he wants to be stronger and more powerful... Jamie Madrox James Arthur "Jamie" Madrox, also called the Multiple Man, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men... Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed... |
Black Panther (comics) The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52... Maria Hill Maria Hill is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe. She was the former director of the planetary defense/intelligence service S.H.I.E.L.D..-Introduction:... Namorita Namorita Prentiss is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Universe, commonly known by the name of Nita. She is a mutant clone of her mother, Namora, and a member of the New Warriors. She was killed in the explosion in Stamford that started the Superhero Civil War.-Publication history:Namorita first... Nick Fury Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the... Nitro (comics) Nitro is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Captain Marvel #34 and was created by Jim Starlin.... |
Exclusive to PS2, PSP and Wii
Exclusive to Nintendo DS
Exclusive to PS3 and Xbox 360
Limited time pre-order bonus on PS3 and Xbox 360
Limited time downloadable content exclusive on PS3 and Xbox 360
Characters on Nintendo DS
Development
The game was officially announced in a press release by Activision on February 8, 2008. Early reports speculated a 2008 release. MUA2 was released on September 15, 2009. At E3 2008, it was given the official name of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion, which would later be shortened to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. On February 5, 2009, a new trailer was released, revealing that the story would continue from the Secret War saga into Marvel Comic's Civil War. On February 8, 2009 the game was featured at New York Comic Con, where players were able to take green screenGreen Screen
The Green Screen international wildlife film festival is held annually in Eckernförde, Germany. The festival shows full-length and short nature documentaries about animals in their natural habitat. It is the only festival of its kind in Germany...
pictures and have themselves superimposed into the game's backdrops.
Vicarious Visions, developers for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, upgraded the Alchemy engine in several ways, including Havok physics technology
Havok (software)
Havok Physics is a physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. It is designed primarily for video games, and allows for real-time collision and dynamics of rigid bodies in three dimensions. It provides multiple types of dynamic constraints between rigid bodies , and has a highly optimized...
, a new 3D sound system and syncing character's lips to dialogue. Developer Vicarious Visions also has a development blog which began on February 6, 2009 which is updated bi-monthly. Users can follow Vicarious Visions' creative director Dan Tanguay and executive producer Jennifer Oneal on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
as they answer questions and post news about MUA2.
The Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii versions were developed by n-Space
N-Space
n-Space is an American video game developer founded in 1994 by Erick S. Dyke, Dan O'Leary, and Sean Purcell. n-Space is focusing mostly on Nintendo consoles since 2001...
, with Savage Entertainment
Savage Entertainment
Savage Entertainment is a video game developer founded in 1997 by Tim Morten and Chacko Sonny.-History:Savage Entertainment was founded in 1997 by Tim Morten and Chacko Sonny. They have handled multiple ports of games, and have also developed full titles independently...
porting the PS2 version to the PSP. Version 3.5 of the Alchemy engine was used, and a team of around thirty developers works approximately thirteen months to develop the game. Online multiplayer for the Wii is not supported due time constraints during development. Several changes were made to the next-gen versions of MUA2 late during n-Space's development, accounting for the fact that Stan Lee does not cameo in these versions, that there are no alternate costumes, nor on-the-fly character swapping. n-Space created a series of articles to address fan concerns, the "perceived shortcoming[s]" of the game, and to answer questions. The Wii version of the game uses WiiConnect24
WiiConnect24
WiiConnect24 is a feature of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for the Wii console. It was first announced at E3 2006 by Nintendo. It enables the user to remain connected to the Internet while the console is on standby...
to implement a feature known as B.R.A.G. (Broadcast Realtime Accomplishment Gloating), which allows players to share level results and high scores, and also features extensive use of the Wii remote for puzzles and manning turrets. Users can also follow n-Space president and founder Dan O'Leary via Twitter to receive updates on the game.
Reception and sales
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 has received generally positive reviews from most critics, and holds a 76% at GameRankings. MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
currently holds the game at 73%. Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work, and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics, with his books selling consistently highly for over a...
, writer for Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, was given an early opportunity to play the game, to which he later tweeted, "Happy to give a huge thumbs up for Ultimate Alliance 2. The stills do it no justice. It's gorgeous."
Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's Kevin VanOrd stated that the game delivers "the button-mashing, power-flinging, over-the-top action fans of the original would expect," additionally praising the branched story and unlockables, citing additional replay value. However, the reviewer cited "technical oddities" and said that the "RPG elements were stripped down." 1UP
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's Thierry Nguyen was more critical, saying that the game was "like Ben Reilly
Ben Reilly
Benjamin "Ben" Reilly is a fictional character in the . He is a clone of Peter Parker , and is prominent in the "Clone Saga" story arc...
: almost, but not quite as good as the original," citing issues with alternate costumes that "seem pretty lame," a "a persistent feeling of oversimplification," and that a hope that "either Raven
Raven Software
Raven Software is an American video game developer. The company was founded in 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel. In 1997, Raven made an exclusive publishing deal with Activision and was subsequently acquired by them...
returns as the developer or Vicarious Visions learns from its missteps." He did however praise a "more coherent story," new fusion abilities, and gameplay tweaks. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Greg Miller gave the game a 7.7 /10, praising its new fusions and "healthy cast" but criticizing the game's similar gameplay to its predecessor, inconsistent voice acting, and its weak CG cutscenes.
According to the NPD sales group the Xbox 360 version of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 was seventh in sales for September 2009, selling 236,000 units. However, the sales dropped in October 2009, with the game no longer listed in the top ten in sales.