Marvel vs. DC: E3 Edition!

Thu Jun 4, 2009 — by Marc Alan Fishman

Marvel vs. DC: E3 Edition!

In case you've been under a rock, or don't pay any attention, this week the Electronic Entertainment Expo has been showcasing some fancy new titles due out soon for the current generation (that being the Sony Playstation 3, and Microsoft Xbox 360... sorry Wii-Heads) of video game systems that should tickle comic lover's thumbs.

From DC's mighty utility belt comes Batman: Arkham Asylum. Produced by Rocksteady Studios, and published by the fine folks who gave the world Lara Croft's shapely rear end life, Arkham Asylum lets wanna-be detectives put on the digital cape and cowl for a rousing round of villain destruction. Falling somewhere between Splinter Cell's stealthy kill-em-up, and God of War's thumb-destroying beat-em-up, the game features an original take on the Grant Morrison penned graphic novel. Players will take Bats through multiple levels (all inside the aforementioned loony bin) in what appears to be a final fracas with the clown prince of crime. Voice actors from Bruce Timm's seminal animated series provide audible lift to what easily appears to be the best iteration of the Dark Knight's digital gaming experience. While hands on reports mention some sloppy camera work still be worked out, the game is slated for release at the tail end of August... giving them enough time to work out the kinks. Let's just hope there's no multiverse twist at the end, eh?

From the House of Idea's comes another sequel in the celebrated 'dungeon-crawler' epic: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Electric Boogaloo. OK, it's not an electric boogaloo... but what UA:2 is, is a continuation of Vicarious Vision's long running franchise that's looking to make the true leap to the next generation from its Playstation 2 / Xbox roots. UA:2 takes place in the current-ish comic storyline (Civil War anyone?) and allows players to take the reigns on some of Marvel's most popular characters. Want to smash and bash as the Hulk? Go ahead. Want to pilot some mighty armor as Iron Man? Hit the X button pal. Not a fan of the classics? No problem. UA:2 brings Matt Gargan's Venom, Deadpool, and the mighty Juggernaut as potential playable characters. Players will get to make their own teams, and take them into battles across several Marvel stalwart environments, from Latveria to the Barack Obama-Spider-Man-fist-bumping Washington D.C.. While Activision is hush-hush on an official street date for now, look for the Ultimate Alliance 2 to hit your local gaming emporium in the fall.

For more information on E3, and the scads of games being played by people more important than us, feel free to head to the official site.

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Comments (5)

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Patrick Hughes (12:24 PM on Thu Jun 4, 2009)

Aw I only have a Wii! but I feel like buying a PS3 just for Batman!

Brian Sokol (12:25 PM on Thu Jun 4, 2009)

The future is looking good for comic games. I'm definitely playing both of these. I have a feeling that UA2 is going to be a ton of fun to play, just like the first one. However, I think BAA is going to be a better game overall.

Marc Alan Fishman (1:02 PM on Thu Jun 4, 2009)

The last generation had some real gems... Spider Man 2, The Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, the first UA... All great games. This next gen seems to be building on that, though "Web of Shadows" and the most recent Hulk games were real duds.

Eric Garneau (1:20 PM on Thu Jun 4, 2009)

If this is really a "Vs" column, I have to give the win to Arkham Asylum. Getting Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill to star in the game is an amazing move... even if the game was otherwise terrible that would probably make it a must-buy for many fans. And something your article doesn't mention that I thought I'd read is that in Ultimate Alliance 2 you work in teams of two, not four. If that is the case, I think that might make the game significantly less fun.

Marc Alan Fishman (2:07 PM on Thu Jun 4, 2009)

The column is not a "vs." in the sense that I'm asking to pick a winner... I think both games look fantastic. I did a quick check. UA 2 features the same 4 man teams as previous incarnations did. The teams of 2 only apply to "fusion moves" where 2 characters can team up to perform specific moves. Examples like "the fastball special" (wolverine being tossed by colossus) or combine Thor and Human Torch to perform a "fiery tornado" attack.

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Thu Jun 4, 2009 — by Marc Alan Fishman