Marvel Ultimate Alliance: A PlayStation 3 Game You Should Not Miss

In 2004 Raven Software made quite a splash when it introduced its action RPG X-Men Legends. By utilizing some of Marvel's most popular superheroes and incorporating RPG elements, Raven Software created what was essentially a new genre, sure to capture the imaginations of superhero fans around the world.

After the stupendous success of its first two action RPG games - namely X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends 2, Raven Software has come up with a much lengthier offering - Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. This time around, Raven has created a game that touches just about every corner of the Marvel universe.

This third installment of the popular role-playing/adventure game has much to offer to fans of the Marvel series. With a large, diverse group of heroes to choose from and an endless variety of enemies to defeat, Ultimate Alliance offers an incomparable gaming experience like no other.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance: What's not to like?

For those who can't be bothered to buy the game, here's the lowdown on what to expect. The game has many good points, which include the following:

Campaign Mode: The game features a campaign mode of truly intergalactic proportions. Players are thrown into the middle of the action from the very beginning, as Dr. Doom has launched an attack on the S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier, which is under the command of the S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury. Colonel Fury responds by calling in a team of superheroes, who are successful in defending the massive ship. From then on, Fury directs the superheroes, as they track Dr. Doom on a variety of missions, facing stronger and stronger opponents along the way.

Playable Characters: Perhaps the most significant improvement in the new game is the wider variety of superheroes to choose from. In past games it was mostly the X-Men (and its erstwhile rival, The Brotherhood of Steel) which dominated both the storyline and the gameplay. As mentioned, however, this time more of Marvel's beloved superheroes are available for selection, such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Fantastic Four. All in all, there are twenty playable characters, all of them with their own unique set of skills and special powers.

Villains to Encounter: The game also has a wide range of enemies to encounter and defeat, some of them well-known, others recognizable only to Marvel's most dedicated aficionados. From Fin Fang Foom to Loki to the Mandarin, any Marvel fan will come across at least a couple of villains that he or she will want to beat up.

Graphics: No game is truly great unless it can first be pleasing to the eye. While Marvel Ultimate Alliance isn't the most beautiful game out there, it's not bad either. The game renders many Marvel locations well, so much so that they look like they've come out straight from a comic book. Players will visit locales such as Asgard, Mandarin's Palace, and Dr. Doom's Latverian castle - and like it.

By putting all these great features together, it's no wonder that Marvel Ultimate Alliance manages to deliver a good overall gaming experience.