Lego Marvel’s Avengers
You might be feverishly awaiting the launch of Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but Lego Marvel’s Avengers is more than just a decent game to tide you over.
You start out at the beginning of Age of Ultron, then jump into the storyline of Avengers Assemble. As well as covering these films, Lego Marvel’s Avengers combines elements from Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier – and not in a way that makes sense. It’s perhaps a little too much to fit into one game and doesn’t make for the smoothest playing experience.
While this is a downside, the game makes up for it with good old-fashioned, classic gaming fun. It follows the formula of the many Lego games that have gone before it, although Lego Dimensions is an exception in the way it offers a toy-to-life setup.
This means the familiar arrangement of elements, such as the way you progress through a level solving puzzles and beating up baddies. Of course, you are able to switch characters as you collect Lego studs and spend as long as you want completing extra tasks, such as finding mini-kit pieces.
Lego is in a difficult position as the formula works, but it can feel too similar to previous titles. To combat this, there are new powers and abilities for you to get to grips with. That sounds great, but the problem is that it takes a long time to beat up a thug with the normal combat moves, despite there being a special QTE (quick time event) move available. This involves pressing a single button when prompted to, for example, use Captain America’s shield to take care of an enemy.
The moves are cool, but take next to no skill to execute and far too long to complete. One new addition is the ability to double team combo two characters together. Once again, it’s too simple to be really rewarding to the player, though some of the combos look great and are well thought out. They also suit the co-op gameplay if you’re playing with someone else.
One of the main draws of Lego Marvel’s Avengers is the chance to play as Thor, Black Widow and The Hulk. As we touched upon at the start of this review there are over 100 characters, many of whom have never been in a Lego game before. Before you get too excited though, that figure includes various versions of characters – in other words Captain America with a different outfit.
A fun addition is the chance to create your own character using parts of different superheroes. For example, you can create a mashup using parts such as Iron Man’s head and Captain America’s shield.
One of the frustrations, as usual, is the need to use certain characters to unlock areas of a level or operate particular items. You can’t choose who you want in each level as you play through the campaign, so you’ll have to go back if you’re keen on completing the game to 100 percent. In fact, you’ll need to switch between different groups of heroes during levels.
The campaign is well paced and we love the humorous gags, which make these Lego games feel that little bit more fun and enjoyable. Players will also benefit from the ability to roam around Manhattan, along with a bunch of smaller areas such as Hawkeye’s hangout, the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier and Asgard.
These are full of collectible items and side missions, with the ability to quickly switch to any of the characters you’ve unlocked in the game as you choose. Just flying around Manhattan as Iron Man or Thor is great fun in itself.
Verdict
If you don’t mind the classic Lego video game formula and you’re a big Marvel fan, then there’s plenty of to like in Lego Marvel’s Avengers. Although we enjoyed it, it’s a shame about the incoherent plot, which jumps between movies frantically, the below par audio and the small amount new gameplay elements. Lego Dimensions is far more satisfying and innovating, though it costs a lot more.