LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2
Publisher: Warner Bros.
Release Date: November 14, 2017
Platforms: PS4, PC, Xbox One, Switch
Rating: E10+
Genre: Action-Adventure
Assemble Avengers
Written by Joshua David Anderson
There are few properties these days that are as big as the Marvel-branded super heroes. Between whatever next anticipated movie is coming out, there are other places for heroes like Iron Man and Spider-Man to show off their skills, like comics, toys, TV shows, and video games. While there aren’t as many video games featuring the Avengers and friends as you might think, there is one place you can find tons of Marvel characters: LEGO games. And in LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2, you might just find the largest cast of Marvel characters ever assembled in a video game.
The story in LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is designed to allow maximum flexibility with the setting and the cast. Kang the Conqueror, a time travelling super villain, steals Manhattan along with a bunch of other locales from time and slams them altogether in one big plot to rule everything. This setting allows all kinds of locations and themes to show up, from the Old West to a future dystopian version of New York run by Hydra. It also gives the game the freedom to bring in any Marvel character from any period in time.
As far as the way it looks, it is a LEGO game, which means there is a certain aesthetic that has to be maintained. Everything is made out of LEGO bricks and character designs are appropriately goofy. However, it certainly feels as if the game engine has been given an upgrade, as there are a lot of visual flourishes in the game. Particle effects and lighting seem to be much higher quality, and motion blur makes the game feel even more like watching actual LEGO toys running around then before.
And when it comes to the gameplay, you are once again reminded that this is a LEGO game. They have added a lot of little things to it, but the core is still the same. If you have ever played a LEGO game before, then you know exactly what you are in for. There is a large open world to explore, with all of the side activities you would expect, like races, puzzles, side missions, and collectables. There are also 20 story levels that have you play as specific Marvel characters as they struggle to take down Kang. There are also a ton of bonus levels to unlock, and even a weird 4-player battle arena mode that feels slightly tacked on.
Like most LEGO games, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 doesn’t really stray from the formula. The game is easy, without any real penalty to dying. The LEGO games are among some of the best games to play with kids, or people who are not familiar with gaming in general. In LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 you are encouraged to run around breaking everything in the level and trying out your powers on anything you see, so this works great if you have an eager child or friend who just wants to tag along. There is also a ton of variety to the game, with over 230 characters, not including DLC! Every story level can be replayed with all your unlocks, and the game has a very liberal cheat system built in, which it encourages you to use.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is really only concerned with having a good time. The barrier for entry is low, so almost anyone can jump in. For completionists, there are tons of hours of content to bang your head against. It might be the only Marvel game where you can pair up Wild West Captain America with Aracnido Jr, a version of Spider-Man who is also a Lucha Libre wrestler. If that isn’t worth the price of admission, I don’t know what is!