Review: ‘LEGO Marvel Avengers’ Assembles Overly Familiar Fun
Unlike the Hulk, who minutes into LEGO Marvel Avengers smashes through cars like they’re empty soda cans, the latest video game romp based on the famous plastic bricks doesn’t break much new ground.
Like past LEGO games, this comic-themed entry, which satirizes the Avengers film canon (including Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man), finds players solving puzzles, collecting studs, and busting up blocky bad guys. And not much more.
The benefit of sticking to an if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it mentality is it allows developer TT Games to perfect their familiar formula. Indeed, the degree of polish on display in Marvel Avengers could put the sheen on Captain America’s shield to shame. The crisp, vibrant environments are packed with fan-pleasing details, character animations are super smooth, and even subtler touches, like shadow and lighting effects, look noticeably better than they did in 2013’s LEGO Marvel Super Heroes.
Save for an annoying, overused level-scanning mini-game, this same fine tuning is reflected in the gameplay. Where some LEGO games lean too heavily on puzzle-solving or combat, Marvel Avengers strikes a satisfying balance between the two. Despite tackling similar objectives throughout the 10-hour campaign, you’ll never feel bored or find yourself the victim of any artificially stretched sequences.
It doesn’t hurt that the combat has been tweaked to leverage the Avengers’ signature teamwork. While you’ll spend most of your time unleashing each hero’s trademark move, power, or skill, you can also combine any two core Avenger attacks for more devastating blows. Hawkeye hurls Black Widow into the air before she unleashes a barrage of bullets; Thor hammers away at Captain America’s shield to trigger a screen-clearing attack. New finishing moves add some cinematic spice to the more button-mashy encounters.
The game also features dynamic levels that see two characters tackling entirely separate objectives rather than bumping into each other on the same battlefield. A great example comes early, when Iron Man and Captain America are storming HYDRA’s castle/evil research facility. The former buzzes around the fortress, Resogun-like, while the latter destroys turrets inside to clear a landing spot for his buddy. Co-op partners will get the most from these cool moments, but even solo armchair Avengers can swap back and forth between the two scenarios.
Sadly, some of the game’s ties to the Marvel Cinematic Universe didn’t fare so well. As expected, cutscenes playfully skewer the source material with silly sight gags, but outside of these mini-movies, the storytelling is a confusing jumble of stitched-together sequences from the various films. There are a few satisfying stretches that recount a single movie, but there are too many flashbacks and jarring cuts that’ll leave all but the most seasoned Marvel fans scratching their heads.
Black Widow … and a ton of logos. (Image: Warner Bros. Interactive)
The story’s also sullied by repetitive voice work. All the lines the core do-gooders spout are recycled from the movies, and they just don’t stop. Hearing dialogue ripped directly from the films is fun at first, but even Tony Stark’s clever quips grow tiresome.
As with any LEGO entry, replay is the name of the game. Completing the campaign is just the beginning, as the game is packed with collectibles to find, side missions to tackle, Stan Lees to save, open worlds to explore, and over 200 characters to unlock. The roster, while expansive, is crammed with B- (and C- and D-) list entries, especially compared to LEGO Marvel Super Heroes. Favorites from the Fantastic Four and X-Men universes are absent. But, hey, you can unlock Squirrel Girl, so there’s that.
Despite its casting issues, Marvel Avengers is a decent enough LEGO romp — better than the disappointing Jurassic World and Batman 3: Beyond Gotham but not quite as good as Marvel Super Heroes. Fans of its spandex stars should certainly suit up. The rest of you might want to wait for another hero.
What’s hot: Polished presentation; fun combo moves; plenty of fan-service.
What’s not: Disjointed story; repeated dialogue; same old gameplay.
Platform reviewed: Xbox One
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