Remembering the Halcyon Days of Youth

When I was a kid, Marvel and DC Comics were bastions of dreams. Not only were the superheroes amazing and like friends, so were the people who made the comics. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were larger than life, and when they’d write something in the letter columns of the comics, I’d hang on every word. Later, I read that Lee and Kirby didn’t like each other much, and that Kirby didn’t get all the money he deserved from Lee and Marvel. Marvel changed the world of superheroes, but it didn’t transform one eternal maxim: money changes everything.

Still, the beauty of comic books is the same beauty found within all books. They may not be considered literary, but they do stoke the fires of your imagination. They let you dream the good dreams of power and ethics (and occasionally, the bad dream of vengeance) even as they offer over-the-top drama and adventure. If you love the world of comic books or simply want to remember the halcyon days of youth when comics made you believe you could be a superhero in real life, MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE is the game for you.

And if you’re still a teen, I envy you. While you still love to read graphic novels featuring Marvel superheroes, Activision lets you play as Marvel’s greatest characters in 3D in a story-rich, mission-filled game that reminds me of the roller coaster ride featured in the best episodes of TV’s 24. Here, Dr. Doom and his super-villain minions have united to wreak havoc upon everyone from Thor to Spider-Man—and the universe beyond. You and about 20 Marvel superheroes have got to stop this axis of evil. While it’s not easy, you’ll have a hoot of a time trying to thwart them in this game that will engage you for about 30-40 hours.

While the Marvel Ultimate Alliance lets you play from a third person perspective in which you look down at the action, it still feels like you’re moving within the pages of a comic book. The writing is full of that signature Marvel macho humor and the usual world-ending gloom and doom. There are explosions everywhere you go, fiery, fireworks-like balls of who-knows-what wreaking havoc as you try to proceed. You’ll never die from getting hit by them or by the evil criminals like Loki and Mephisto who assault you. And sometimes, you’ll get to fly and attack from mid-air. But you will get knocked out, and your team of four superheroes will have to proceed without that character until, say, Thor, has recovered from his injuries. For those who like pop culture history, the makers have even woven Marvel trivia into the game. Answer them correctly and you’ll garner powers and experience for your character.

Plus, with each mission you complete, one of the heroes in your team of four will get some fantastic new superpower. You shouldn’t use these magical attacks with much regularity, however, or your superhero will get winded. After a few levels of play, you’ll get to customize your hero. And as you get deeper into the game, you’ll encounter everyone from blazing, skeletal Ghost Rider to introspective, cosmic warrior, the Silver Surfer. You’ll travel from universe to universe, too, from the majesty of Thor’s heavenly Asgard to the creepiness of Mephisto’s lair. I like Murder World the best, a creepy amusement park where evil lies around every corner. The game isn’t perfect, though. Until you master it, you’ll sometimes get lost. And you’ll occasionally be plagued with camera angle issues.

Activision has been fairly quiet this year when it comes to major releases. But with Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, a game that will be released for the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii as well as for the current systems, they prove they’ve been a sleeping giant that’s now awakened. Heck, this game even beats the classic X-Men Legends, released a couple of years ago. And that’s saying something.