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Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2

March 17, 2024

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 is a 2009 action role-playing video game featuring characters from Marvel Comics. It is the sequel to 2006's Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, and the second installment in the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series. The game was jointly developed by Vicarious Visions (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360), n-Space (Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii) and Savage Entertainment (PlayStation Portable) and published by Activision in September 2009. A port for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows by Zoë Mode was released in July 2016.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2
European box art[a]
Developer(s)Vicarious Visions
n-Space (PS2/Wii/DS)
Savage Entertainment (PSP)
Zoë Mode (Windows/PS4/XBO)
Publisher(s)Activision
SeriesMarvel Ultimate Alliance
EngineVicarious Visions Alchemy
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 3
Wii
Xbox 360
PlayStation Portable
Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Release
September 15, 2009
  • Xbox 360 & Nintendo DS
    • NA: September 15, 2009
    • AU: September 16, 2009
    • EU: September 25, 2009
    PlayStation 3 & Wii
    • NA: September 15, 2009
    • AU: September 23, 2009
    • EU: September 25, 2009
    PlayStation 2
    • NA: September 15, 2009
    • EU: October 9, 2009
    PlayStation Portable
    • NA: September 22, 2009
    • EU: October 9, 2009
    Microsoft Windows & PlayStation 4
    • WW: July 26, 2016[1]
    Xbox One
    • WW: July 28, 2016[2]
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Unlike the first game, which featured an original plot, Ultimate Alliance 2's storyline is mostly based on the Secret War and Civil War story arcs from the Marvel comics. After a series of devastating attacks on the United States, the American government passes the Superhero Registration Act, which forces all super-powered individuals to act under official regulation, in an effort to reduce the chaos that results from their battles. The superhero community is left divided, as some, including Iron Man, support the Act, while others, such as Captain America, oppose it. The two factions quickly find themselves in conflict with each other, all the while a new enemy threatens global peace. The game features two distinct storylines depending on which faction the player selects at the start, which cross over on several instances.

Upon release, Ultimate Alliance 2 received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who generally found it to be inferior to its predecessor. The game was praised for its branching narrative, improved writing and replay value, and new additions to the character roster, but criticized for the absence of certain elements from the first game (which "oversimplified" the gameplay, according to some critics and players). After almost ten years without a new entry in the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series, a reboot, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, was released in July 2019 by Nintendo, without the involvement of Activision (whose license to publish Marvel games expired in 2014).

Gameplay edit

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 borrows much of its gameplay from its predecessor. The game allows players to select a team of four given characters from a larger pool of heroes and villains; team members are interchangeable and may be swapped during gameplay. General gameplay mechanics are similar to those of the X-Men Legends series. The game is played from an isometric dungeon crawl perspective, supporting up to four players simultaneously. The Vicarious Visions version on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC consoles of the game also features online play via the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, and Windows Live/Steam respectively.

The power system also has been improved, allowing two characters to combine powers, yielding a new attack, known as a "fusion".[3] Each playable character in the game has a unique fusion with every other playable character in the game. An example is Captain America using his shield to reflect Storm's lightning bolts. Players have the ability to level up characters and earn new abilities and powers.

The Vicarious Visions version on PS3, 360, PS4, Xbox One and PC consoles features an updated character progression system, with each character having four core powers that evolve as the character levels up similar to original X-Men Legends. The n-Space version on Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable consoles of the game resembles the character progression system found in the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and original X-Men Legends, except the power set numbers are different, whereas the Nintendo DS version's power set number is limited to 4 powers limited like in the original X-Men Legends. While the Vicarious Visions version have an alternate costume that requires to be unlocked through defeating multiple enemies in specific conditions, n-space version does not feature an alternate costume selection.

Synopsis edit

 
Captain America, the Hulk, Iron Man, and Luke Cage fighting enemy robots. Ultimate Alliance 2 features both new and returning characters from the first game.

The game begins with a military operation in Latveria, home of the supervillain Doctor Doom.[4] "The story starts with Secret War.[5] We're using Nick Fury's invasion of Latveria as a jumping off point. The rest of the story is derived from the consequences of those actions", stated Dan Tanguay, creative director for Vicarious Visions.[6]

The game then follows the Civil War story arc: a fight between heroes and villains causes an explosion in Stamford, Connecticut, killing 612 civilians (including a number of school children). The government labels the incident "super powered negligence", and the public demand a Superhuman Registration Act.[7] The government passes the act, and all meta-humans are forced to adhere to or disobey the law. In the game, players are able to choose between the Pro-Registration side, headed by Iron Man and Mister Fantastic, or the Anti-Registration side, headed by Captain America and Luke Cage. These characters and several other characters are 'locked' into a specific side during the game's second act but can be used on either side during repeat playthroughs. Two different endings are available, determined by the side chosen at the beginning of the game.[8] Tanguay stated that the story follows into the aftermath of the Civil War.[9]

Plot edit

Nick Fury leads a team of superheroes on an unsanctioned attack on Castle Doom in Latveria after discovering that the newly elected prime minister, Lucia von Bardas, has been supplying weapons to the Tinkerer, who in turn sells them to supervillains. After the defeats of her forces, Castle Doom is destroyed in an explosion, with Von Bardas assumed dead. One year later, Von Bardas returns as a cyborg and joins forces with several villains to destroy New York City as revenge for the attack on Latveria. The heroes defeat Von Bardas, but the destruction and Fury's unlawful actions cause the U.S. government to consider the Superhuman Registration Act (SRA). In light of this incident, Fury disappears and Maria Hill is sworn in as the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., while Iron Man begins lobbying against the act in Washington, D.C.

Three days later during a telecast of The New Warriors, Nitro kills over 600 civilians in Stamford, Connecticut, prompting the SRA's immediate passage. Opposing the act, Captain America goes underground, along with several other superheroes and S.H.I.E.L.D agents who form a group called "The White Star". In response, the Pro-Registration group develops nanite technology and use it to mind control several supervillains to increasing their ranks. At this point, the player is given the ability to side with Anti-Registration or Pro-Registration factions; the missions and boss encounters during the following chapters differ based on which side the player chooses. The two sides have several skirmishes, including a Pro-Registration raid on a White Star base, and an Anti-Registration attack on a prison convoy carrying their allies.

When the Anti-Registration heroes respond to a hostage situation at a Stark Industries chemical plant, Iron Man appears and reveals it to have been a hoax. He attempts to negotiate with Captain America, promising amnesty, but Captain America refuses and a battle ensues between the two factions. The nanite-controlled villains go haywire and attack the agents they were programmed to help, stealing explosives to destroy the facility. Disguised as one of the agents, Fury enlists the help of a group of heroes to disarm the bombs, but before he can disarm the final one, he is attacked by Venom. The explosion wounds the heroes and seemingly kills Fury, but he is revealed to be a Life Model Decoy. The real Fury saves the injured heroes and takes them to his hideout, where he has recruited the Tinkerer to help discover the malfunction's cause. To obtain a sample of the nanite formula, the group travels to Prison 42 in the Negative Zone, where most of the captured heroes and villains are held. They collect the samples and Fury activates the prison's self-destruct system to prevent the nanites' spread but does not escape with the others; he and several other heroes are presumed dead.

The heroes learn the nanites survived and have now spread worldwide, causing the SRA's temporary suspension to combat the threat. A group of heroes travels to Wakanda, where they help Black Panther and the Dora Milaje defend the country from nanite agents, now under the moniker of "The Fold." Establishing a temporary base in Wakanda, they develop a cure and learn that Fury survived, now under the Fold's control. The heroes infiltrate a base in Iceland to broadcast a nanite stasis signal that will paralyze those in the Fold's control, allowing them to be cured. At the culmination of their mission, the heroes face off against Tinkerer, revealed to be the Fold's creator, and a nanite-controlled Nick Fury enhanced with numerous superpowers. After defeating Fury, everyone is freed from the nanites, and Fury receives a presidential pardon.

The game's ending depends on which side the player chose. In the Anti-Registration ending, Congress repeals the Superhero Registration Act and the President pardons the Anti-Registration heroes. In the Pro-Registration ending, Congress amends the Superhero Registration Act, making it voluntary, and Iron Man becomes the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Characters edit

 
Vicarious Visions redesigned many characters, taking cues from their comic designs and adjusting their costumes to fit the game's design.[10]

The game includes some format-specific characters,[11] with additional characters released as downloadable content.[12] In addition, each character on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions has one alternate costume that can be unlocked during the course of the game.[13] Stan Lee, co-creator of Marvel Comics and creator of many of the characters, also lends his likeness and voice to New York senator Lieber; this marks the first time Stan has made a physical cameo in a video game.[14] On April 1, 2009, Aunt May was announced to be a playable character on the official website as part of an April Fool's joke.[15]

Several playable characters also appear as bosses throughout the game, such as battling Iron Man if the player chooses the Anti-Registration path, or facing Captain America on the Pro-Registration path. Other playable characters are unlocked by defeating them, such as Deadpool, Green Goblin and Venom.

Juggernaut was available as a pre-order bonus incentive for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions.[16][17][18] A patch was released to allow those who do not have Juggernaut installed to play with others who have the character. On October 9, 2009, downloadable content was announced for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, which included new characters and comic missions,[19] as well as new achievements.[20] It was released on November 5, 2009, for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[21] Additionally the once pre-order exclusive character Juggernaut was available for $1.99/160MSP.[21] The content was removed from both networks on December 31, 2009, with Activision claiming the content was "a limited time offer".[22] On July 1, 2010, Activision re-released the DLC on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network shortly thereafter, at Xbox Live where it was released on July 3, 2010, and at PlayStation Network where it was released on July 20, 2010. Players could purchase both the five-character DLC pack and the Juggernaut pre-order character for the same cost previously mentioned. Activision, however, stipulated that the content would only be available until December 31, 2010.[23] The expansion packs returned to the European PlayStation Network in January 2012, but were not added back to Xbox Live. In January 2014, the packs were removed once again from the PlayStation Network. As the 2016 re-release is based on the Vicarious Visions versions, it includes all downloadable content by default.

  1. ^ a b c d e f Downloadable content on PS3 and 360; included in 2016 re-release
  2. ^ a b c Exclusive to PS2, PSP and Wii
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Not playable on Nintendo DS
  4. ^ Exclusive to PS3, 360, PS4, Xbox One and PC
  5. ^ a b Exclusive to Nintendo DS

Development edit

The game was officially announced in a press release by Activision on February 8, 2008.[24] MUA2 was released on September 15, 2009.[25] At E3 2008, it was given the official name of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion, which would later be shortened to Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2. On February 5, 2009, a new trailer was released, revealing that the story would continue from the Secret War saga into Marvel Comic's Civil War. Three days later, the game was featured at New York Comic Con, where players were able to take green screen pictures and have themselves superimposed into the game's backdrops.[26]

Vicarious Visions, developers for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, upgraded the Alchemy engine[27] in several ways, including adding Havok physics technology,[6] a new 3D sound system[6] and syncing character's lips to dialogue.[28] Vicarious Visions also had a development blog which began on February 6, 2009 and which is updated bi-monthly.[29] Users could follow Vicarious Visions' creative director Dan Tanguay and executive producer Jennifer Oneal on Twitter as they answer questions and post news about MUA2.[30][31]

The Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii versions were developed by n-Space, with Savage Entertainment porting the PS2 version to the PSP. Version 3.5 of the Alchemy engine was used, and a team of around thirty developers worked approximately thirteen months to develop the game.[32] Online multiplayer for the Wii is not supported due to time constraints during development.[32] Several changes were made to the next-gen versions of MUA2 late during n-Space's development, accounting for the fact that Stan Lee does not cameo in these versions, that there are no alternate costumes, nor on-the-fly character swapping.[32] n-Space created a series of articles to address fan concerns, the "perceived shortcoming[s]" of the game, and to answer questions.[33] The Wii version of the game used WiiConnect24 to implement a feature known as B.R.A.G. (Broadcast Realtime Accomplishment Gloating), which allows players to share level results and high scores, and also features extensive use of the Wii remote for puzzles and manning turrets.[34] Users could also follow n-Space president and founder Dan O'Leary via Twitter to receive updates on the game.[35]

As of 2020, the multiplayer servers for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, like other games published by Activision, have been shut down.[36]

Reception and sales edit

The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 have received positive reviews from most critics, and Metacritic currently holds the game at 74/100 for the PlayStation 3 and 73/100 for the Xbox 360.[39][38] Brian Michael Bendis, writer for Marvel Comics, was given an early opportunity to play the game, to which he later tweeted: "Happy to give a huge thumbs up for 'Ultimate Alliance 2.' The stills do it no justice. It's gorgeous".[48] The Nintendo DS and Wii fared much poorer, holding 65/100 and 50/100 for their respective platforms.[37][40]

GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd stated that the game delivers "the button-mashing, power-flinging, over-the-top action fans of the original would expect", additionally praising the branched story and unlockables, citing additional replay value.[44] However, the reviewer cited "technical oddities" and said that the "RPG elements were stripped down".[44] 1Up.com's Thierry Nguyen was more critical, saying that the game was "like Ben Reilly: almost, but not quite as good as the original", citing issues with alternate costumes that "seem pretty lame", "a persistent feeling of oversimplification" and that a hope that "either Raven returns as the developer or Vicarious Visions learns from its missteps".[41] He did however praise a "more coherent story", new fusion abilities, and gameplay tweaks.[41] IGN's Greg Miller gave the game a 7.7 /10, praising its new fusions and "healthy cast" but criticizing the game's similar gameplay to its predecessor, inconsistent voice acting, and its weak CG cutscenes.[47][49]

During the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 received a nomination for "Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.[50]

According to the NPD sales group the Xbox 360 version of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 was seventh in sales for September 2009, selling 236,000 units.[51] However, the sales dropped in October 2009, with the game no longer listed in the top ten in sales.[52]

Sequel edit

Main article: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

On December 6, 2018, a third game was announced in the Ultimate Alliance franchise titled Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. Unlike the previous games which were released on multiple consoles, this installment is published by Nintendo as a Nintendo Switch exclusive. The game features a team of heroes uniting to prevent Thanos and the Black Order from obtaining the Infinity Stones.[53]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Cover features Spider-Man (in the center) and clockwise from top right: Captain America, Hulk, Wolverine, Gambit, Deadpool, Venom (Mac Gargan), and Iron Man.

References edit

  1. ^ "SDCC 2016: MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE". Marvel. 2016-07-23. Archived from the original on 2016-08-08. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
  2. ^ "Here's What the Updated Marvel Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 Look Like". GameSpot. 2016-07-24. from the original on 2016-07-29. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  3. ^ . Marvel Comics. Archived from the original on 2009-03-18. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  4. ^ "E3 2008 Teaser publisher". GameTrailers. from the original on 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  5. ^ Secret War #1 - 5 (April 2004 - December 2005)
  6. ^ a b c "Game Informer" (August 2008). Game Informer
  7. ^ Civil War #1 - 7 (July 2006 - January 2007)
  8. ^ Miller, Greg (2009-04-03). "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 First Look". IGN. from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  9. ^ Tanguay, Dan [@Dan_Tanguay] (November 4, 2010). "Re: Acts. There are 3 major acts. Act I = Secret War & Road to Civil War, Act II = Civil War, Act III = the aftermath of Civil War" (Tweet). from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2009-08-14 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ . marvelultimatealliance.com. 2009-05-14. Archived from the original on 2010-03-05. Retrieved 2010-07-06.
  11. ^ Scammell, David (2009-07-24). . GamerZines. Archived from the original on 2009-07-27. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  12. ^ LeTendre, Brian (2009-08-17). "The Story Of "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2"". Comic Book Resources. from the original on 2010-01-31. Retrieved 2009-09-12. We will release downloadable content. In fact, the team is working on it right now. There will be even more characters and content.
  13. ^ Tanguay, Dan [@Dan_Tanguay] (November 4, 2010). "Re: Alt. Costumes. There is one per character right now" (Tweet). from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2009-08-14 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ McGuirk, Brendan (2009-07-25). "Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Panel at Comiccon". Newsarama. from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  15. ^ . Marvel Comics. 2009-04-01. Archived from the original on 2009-04-04. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  16. ^ . GameStop. 2009-07-01. Archived from the original on 2009-10-25. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  17. ^ "Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 - Get Juggernaut as a free playable character when you buy this game". Amazon.co.uk. from the original on 2009-08-01. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  18. ^ . EB Games Australia. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2009-07-23. Preorder to secure your exclusive unlockable character: Juggernaut
  19. ^ "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 DLC Character Spotlight: Carnage". Marvel Comics. 2009-10-09. from the original on 2009-10-12. Retrieved 2009-10-10. A slew of new characters and sim missions are on their way to Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers.
  20. ^ Tanguay, Dan [@Dan_Tanguay] (November 4, 2010). "Re: DLC. A little nugget for everyone. DLC will have new achievements" (Tweet). from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2009-10-12 – via Twitter.
  21. ^ a b "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2: Release Date and Pricing". Marvel Comics. 2009-10-29. from the original on 2009-11-01. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
  22. ^ Hinkle, David (2010-01-06). . Joystiq. Archived from the original on 2010-06-19. Retrieved 2010-01-13.
  23. ^ Fahey, Mike (2010-07-01). "Ultimate Alliance 2 DLC Makes A Comeback". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2010-07-01.
  24. ^ Plunkett, Luke (2008-08-28). . Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
  25. ^ "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 PlayStation 3 Trailer - SDCC09: Jean Grey Vignette". IGN. 2009-07-21. from the original on 2016-07-31. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  26. ^ Crecente, Brian (2009-02-03). "Prototype Invades New York ComicCon With June Release Date". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2020-03-21. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
  27. ^ "DevMaster.net - Alchemy engine details". devmaster.net. from the original on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
  28. ^ Nelson, Mike (2008-07-24). . 1Up.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
  29. ^ . Vicarious Visions. 2009-02-06. Archived from the original on 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
  30. ^ Tanguay, Dan. "Dan Tanguay on Twitter". from the original on 2009-08-03. Retrieved 2009-07-31 – via Twitter.
  31. ^ Oneal, Jennifer. "Jennifer Oneal on Twitter". from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2009-08-27 – via Twitter.
  32. ^ a b c . n-Space. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
  33. ^ . n-Space. Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
  34. ^ Newman, Ted (2009-09-04). Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Wii Video Demo. GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-10-20 – via YouTube.
  35. ^ O'Leary, Dan. "Dan O'Leary on Twitter". from the original on 2009-10-28. Retrieved 2009-10-21 – via Twitter.
  36. ^ "Legacy Activision Games". from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  37. ^ a b "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 for DS Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  38. ^ a b "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  39. ^ a b "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. from the original on 2019-03-02. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  40. ^ a b "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. from the original on 2019-02-17. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  41. ^ a b c Nguyen, Thierry (2009-09-15). . 1Up.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  42. ^ Pfister, Andrew (2009-09-17). . G4TV. Archived from the original on 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
  43. ^ Reiner, Andrew. . Game Informer. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
  44. ^ a b c VanOrd, Kevin (2009-09-15). "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Review". GameSpot. from the original on 2011-10-19. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  45. ^ "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Review". GameTrailers. 2009-09-17. from the original on 2009-09-23. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
  46. ^ . GameZone. Archived from the original on 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
  47. ^ a b Miller, Greg (2009-09-15). "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Review". IGN. from the original on 2010-07-30. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  48. ^ "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2: What the Real Fans Are Saying". Marvel Comics. 2009-08-28. from the original on 2009-09-12. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
  49. ^ Miller, Greg (2009-09-15). Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Review. IGN. Retrieved 2009-09-29 – via YouTube.
  50. ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details". www.interactive.org. from the original on 2018-06-05. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  51. ^ Remo, Chris (2009-10-19). "NPD: Industry Emerges From Year-On-Year Declines With Slight Growth". Gamasutra. from the original on 2010-05-09. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  52. ^ Carless, Simon (2009-11-12). "NPD: Uncharted 2 Heads October 2009 U.S. Game Sales". Gamasutra. from the original on 2011-02-21. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  53. ^ Nintendo (December 6, 2018). "MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch". YouTube. from the original on December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2018.

External links edit

 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.
  • Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 at IMDb  
  • Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 on developer Vicarious Visions' website

March 17, 2024
marvel, ultimate, alliance, 2009, action, role, playing, video, game, featuring, characters, from, marvel, comics, sequel, 2006, marvel, ultimate, alliance, second, installment, marvel, ultimate, alliance, series, game, jointly, developed, vicarious, visions, . Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is a 2009 action role playing video game featuring characters from Marvel Comics It is the sequel to 2006 s Marvel Ultimate Alliance and the second installment in the Marvel Ultimate Alliance series The game was jointly developed by Vicarious Visions PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 n Space Nintendo DS PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii and Savage Entertainment PlayStation Portable and published by Activision in September 2009 A port for the PlayStation 4 Xbox One and Microsoft Windows by Zoe Mode was released in July 2016 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2European box art a Developer s Vicarious Visionsn Space PS2 Wii DS Savage Entertainment PSP Zoe Mode Windows PS4 XBO Publisher s ActivisionSeriesMarvel Ultimate AllianceEngineVicarious Visions AlchemyPlatform s Nintendo DSPlayStation 2PlayStation 3WiiXbox 360PlayStation PortableMicrosoft WindowsPlayStation 4Xbox OneReleaseSeptember 15 2009 Xbox 360 amp Nintendo DSNA September 15 2009AU September 16 2009EU September 25 2009PlayStation 3 amp WiiNA September 15 2009AU September 23 2009EU September 25 2009PlayStation 2NA September 15 2009EU October 9 2009PlayStation PortableNA September 22 2009EU October 9 2009Microsoft Windows amp PlayStation 4WW July 26 2016 1 Xbox OneWW July 28 2016 2 Genre s Action role playingMode s Single player multiplayerUnlike the first game which featured an original plot Ultimate Alliance 2 s storyline is mostly based on the Secret War and Civil War story arcs from the Marvel comics After a series of devastating attacks on the United States the American government passes the Superhero Registration Act which forces all super powered individuals to act under official regulation in an effort to reduce the chaos that results from their battles The superhero community is left divided as some including Iron Man support the Act while others such as Captain America oppose it The two factions quickly find themselves in conflict with each other all the while a new enemy threatens global peace The game features two distinct storylines depending on which faction the player selects at the start which cross over on several instances Upon release Ultimate Alliance 2 received mixed to positive reviews from critics who generally found it to be inferior to its predecessor The game was praised for its branching narrative improved writing and replay value and new additions to the character roster but criticized for the absence of certain elements from the first game which oversimplified the gameplay according to some critics and players After almost ten years without a new entry in the Marvel Ultimate Alliance series a reboot Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 The Black Order was released in July 2019 by Nintendo without the involvement of Activision whose license to publish Marvel games expired in 2014 Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Synopsis 2 1 Plot 2 2 Characters 3 Development 4 Reception and sales 5 Sequel 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksGameplay editMarvel Ultimate Alliance 2 borrows much of its gameplay from its predecessor The game allows players to select a team of four given characters from a larger pool of heroes and villains team members are interchangeable and may be swapped during gameplay General gameplay mechanics are similar to those of the X Men Legends series The game is played from an isometric dungeon crawl perspective supporting up to four players simultaneously The Vicarious Visions version on PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 Xbox 360 Xbox One and PC consoles of the game also features online play via the PlayStation Network Xbox Live and Windows Live Steam respectively The power system also has been improved allowing two characters to combine powers yielding a new attack known as a fusion 3 Each playable character in the game has a unique fusion with every other playable character in the game An example is Captain America using his shield to reflect Storm s lightning bolts Players have the ability to level up characters and earn new abilities and powers The Vicarious Visions version on PS3 360 PS4 Xbox One and PC consoles features an updated character progression system with each character having four core powers that evolve as the character levels up similar to original X Men Legends The n Space version on Nintendo DS Nintendo Wii PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable consoles of the game resembles the character progression system found in the original Marvel Ultimate Alliance and original X Men Legends except the power set numbers are different whereas the Nintendo DS version s power set number is limited to 4 powers limited like in the original X Men Legends While the Vicarious Visions version have an alternate costume that requires to be unlocked through defeating multiple enemies in specific conditions n space version does not feature an alternate costume selection Synopsis edit nbsp Captain America the Hulk Iron Man and Luke Cage fighting enemy robots Ultimate Alliance 2 features both new and returning characters from the first game The game begins with a military operation in Latveria home of the supervillain Doctor Doom 4 The story starts with Secret War 5 We re using Nick Fury s invasion of Latveria as a jumping off point The rest of the story is derived from the consequences of those actions stated Dan Tanguay creative director for Vicarious Visions 6 The game then follows the Civil War story arc a fight between heroes and villains causes an explosion in Stamford Connecticut killing 612 civilians including a number of school children The government labels the incident super powered negligence and the public demand a Superhuman Registration Act 7 The government passes the act and all meta humans are forced to adhere to or disobey the law In the game players are able to choose between the Pro Registration side headed by Iron Man and Mister Fantastic or the Anti Registration side headed by Captain America and Luke Cage These characters and several other characters are locked into a specific side during the game s second act but can be used on either side during repeat playthroughs Two different endings are available determined by the side chosen at the beginning of the game 8 Tanguay stated that the story follows into the aftermath of the Civil War 9 Plot edit Nick Fury leads a team of superheroes on an unsanctioned attack on Castle Doom in Latveria after discovering that the newly elected prime minister Lucia von Bardas has been supplying weapons to the Tinkerer who in turn sells them to supervillains After the defeats of her forces Castle Doom is destroyed in an explosion with Von Bardas assumed dead One year later Von Bardas returns as a cyborg and joins forces with several villains to destroy New York City as revenge for the attack on Latveria The heroes defeat Von Bardas but the destruction and Fury s unlawful actions cause the U S government to consider the Superhuman Registration Act SRA In light of this incident Fury disappears and Maria Hill is sworn in as the new Director of S H I E L D while Iron Man begins lobbying against the act in Washington D C Three days later during a telecast of The New Warriors Nitro kills over 600 civilians in Stamford Connecticut prompting the SRA s immediate passage Opposing the act Captain America goes underground along with several other superheroes and S H I E L D agents who form a group called The White Star In response the Pro Registration group develops nanite technology and use it to mind control several supervillains to increasing their ranks At this point the player is given the ability to side with Anti Registration or Pro Registration factions the missions and boss encounters during the following chapters differ based on which side the player chooses The two sides have several skirmishes including a Pro Registration raid on a White Star base and an Anti Registration attack on a prison convoy carrying their allies When the Anti Registration heroes respond to a hostage situation at a Stark Industries chemical plant Iron Man appears and reveals it to have been a hoax He attempts to negotiate with Captain America promising amnesty but Captain America refuses and a battle ensues between the two factions The nanite controlled villains go haywire and attack the agents they were programmed to help stealing explosives to destroy the facility Disguised as one of the agents Fury enlists the help of a group of heroes to disarm the bombs but before he can disarm the final one he is attacked by Venom The explosion wounds the heroes and seemingly kills Fury but he is revealed to be a Life Model Decoy The real Fury saves the injured heroes and takes them to his hideout where he has recruited the Tinkerer to help discover the malfunction s cause To obtain a sample of the nanite formula the group travels to Prison 42 in the Negative Zone where most of the captured heroes and villains are held They collect the samples and Fury activates the prison s self destruct system to prevent the nanites spread but does not escape with the others he and several other heroes are presumed dead The heroes learn the nanites survived and have now spread worldwide causing the SRA s temporary suspension to combat the threat A group of heroes travels to Wakanda where they help Black Panther and the Dora Milaje defend the country from nanite agents now under the moniker of The Fold Establishing a temporary base in Wakanda they develop a cure and learn that Fury survived now under the Fold s control The heroes infiltrate a base in Iceland to broadcast a nanite stasis signal that will paralyze those in the Fold s control allowing them to be cured At the culmination of their mission the heroes face off against Tinkerer revealed to be the Fold s creator and a nanite controlled Nick Fury enhanced with numerous superpowers After defeating Fury everyone is freed from the nanites and Fury receives a presidential pardon The game s ending depends on which side the player chose In the Anti Registration ending Congress repeals the Superhero Registration Act and the President pardons the Anti Registration heroes In the Pro Registration ending Congress amends the Superhero Registration Act making it voluntary and Iron Man becomes the new Director of S H I E L D Characters edit nbsp Vicarious Visions redesigned many characters taking cues from their comic designs and adjusting their costumes to fit the game s design 10 The game includes some format specific characters 11 with additional characters released as downloadable content 12 In addition each character on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions has one alternate costume that can be unlocked during the course of the game 13 Stan Lee co creator of Marvel Comics and creator of many of the characters also lends his likeness and voice to New York senator Lieber this marks the first time Stan has made a physical cameo in a video game 14 On April 1 2009 Aunt May was announced to be a playable character on the official website as part of an April Fool s joke 15 Several playable characters also appear as bosses throughout the game such as battling Iron Man if the player chooses the Anti Registration path or facing Captain America on the Pro Registration path Other playable characters are unlocked by defeating them such as Deadpool Green Goblin and Venom Juggernaut was available as a pre order bonus incentive for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions 16 17 18 A patch was released to allow those who do not have Juggernaut installed to play with others who have the character On October 9 2009 downloadable content was announced for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions which included new characters and comic missions 19 as well as new achievements 20 It was released on November 5 2009 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 21 Additionally the once pre order exclusive character Juggernaut was available for 1 99 160MSP 21 The content was removed from both networks on December 31 2009 with Activision claiming the content was a limited time offer 22 On July 1 2010 Activision re released the DLC on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network shortly thereafter at Xbox Live where it was released on July 3 2010 and at PlayStation Network where it was released on July 20 2010 Players could purchase both the five character DLC pack and the Juggernaut pre order character for the same cost previously mentioned Activision however stipulated that the content would only be available until December 31 2010 23 The expansion packs returned to the European PlayStation Network in January 2012 but were not added back to Xbox Live In January 2014 the packs were removed once again from the PlayStation Network As the 2016 re release is based on the Vicarious Visions versions it includes all downloadable content by default Black Panther i Blade ii Cable i Captain America Carnage i Cyclops ii Daredevil iii Deadpool iii Gambit iii Green Goblin Hulk Human Torch iii Iceman iii Invisible Woman Iron Man Iron Fist iv Jean Grey iii Juggernaut i Luke Cage Magneto i Mr Fantastic iii Ms Marvel Nick Fury iii Penance iii Psylocke ii i Sentry v She Hulk v Songbird iii Spider Man Storm Thing Thor Venom Wolverine a b c d e f Downloadable content on PS3 and 360 included in 2016 re release a b c Exclusive to PS2 PSP and Wii a b c d e f g h i j Not playable on Nintendo DS Exclusive to PS3 360 PS4 Xbox One and PC a b Exclusive to Nintendo DSDevelopment editThe game was officially announced in a press release by Activision on February 8 2008 24 MUA2 was released on September 15 2009 25 At E3 2008 it was given the official name of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Fusion which would later be shortened to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 On February 5 2009 a new trailer was released revealing that the story would continue from the Secret War saga into Marvel Comic s Civil War Three days later the game was featured at New York Comic Con where players were able to take green screen pictures and have themselves superimposed into the game s backdrops 26 Vicarious Visions developers for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions upgraded the Alchemy engine 27 in several ways including adding Havok physics technology 6 a new 3D sound system 6 and syncing character s lips to dialogue 28 Vicarious Visions also had a development blog which began on February 6 2009 and which is updated bi monthly 29 Users could follow Vicarious Visions creative director Dan Tanguay and executive producer Jennifer Oneal on Twitter as they answer questions and post news about MUA2 30 31 The Nintendo DS PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii versions were developed by n Space with Savage Entertainment porting the PS2 version to the PSP Version 3 5 of the Alchemy engine was used and a team of around thirty developers worked approximately thirteen months to develop the game 32 Online multiplayer for the Wii is not supported due to time constraints during development 32 Several changes were made to the next gen versions of MUA2 late during n Space s development accounting for the fact that Stan Lee does not cameo in these versions that there are no alternate costumes nor on the fly character swapping 32 n Space created a series of articles to address fan concerns the perceived shortcoming s of the game and to answer questions 33 The Wii version of the game used WiiConnect24 to implement a feature known as B R A G Broadcast Realtime Accomplishment Gloating which allows players to share level results and high scores and also features extensive use of the Wii remote for puzzles and manning turrets 34 Users could also follow n Space president and founder Dan O Leary via Twitter to receive updates on the game 35 As of 2020 the multiplayer servers for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 like other games published by Activision have been shut down 36 Reception and sales editReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacriticDS 65 100 37 X360 73 100 38 PS3 74 100 39 WII 50 100 40 Review scoresPublicationScore1Up comB 41 G4 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 42 Game Informer7 5 10 43 GameSpot4 5 10 44 GameTrailers7 2 10 45 GameZone8 5 10 46 IGN7 7 10 47 The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 have received positive reviews from most critics and Metacritic currently holds the game at 74 100 for the PlayStation 3 and 73 100 for the Xbox 360 39 38 Brian Michael Bendis writer for Marvel Comics was given an early opportunity to play the game to which he later tweeted Happy to give a huge thumbs up for Ultimate Alliance 2 The stills do it no justice It s gorgeous 48 The Nintendo DS and Wii fared much poorer holding 65 100 and 50 100 for their respective platforms 37 40 GameSpot s Kevin VanOrd stated that the game delivers the button mashing power flinging over the top action fans of the original would expect additionally praising the branched story and unlockables citing additional replay value 44 However the reviewer cited technical oddities and said that the RPG elements were stripped down 44 1Up com s Thierry Nguyen was more critical saying that the game was like Ben Reilly almost but not quite as good as the original citing issues with alternate costumes that seem pretty lame a persistent feeling of oversimplification and that a hope that either Raven returns as the developer or Vicarious Visions learns from its missteps 41 He did however praise a more coherent story new fusion abilities and gameplay tweaks 41 IGN s Greg Miller gave the game a 7 7 10 praising its new fusions and healthy cast but criticizing the game s similar gameplay to its predecessor inconsistent voice acting and its weak CG cutscenes 47 49 During the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 received a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story by the Academy of Interactive Arts amp Sciences 50 According to the NPD sales group the Xbox 360 version of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 was seventh in sales for September 2009 selling 236 000 units 51 However the sales dropped in October 2009 with the game no longer listed in the top ten in sales 52 Sequel editMain article Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 The Black Order On December 6 2018 a third game was announced in the Ultimate Alliance franchise titled Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 The Black Order Unlike the previous games which were released on multiple consoles this installment is published by Nintendo as a Nintendo Switch exclusive The game features a team of heroes uniting to prevent Thanos and the Black Order from obtaining the Infinity Stones 53 Notes edit Cover features Spider Man in the center and clockwise from top right Captain America Hulk Wolverine Gambit Deadpool Venom Mac Gargan and Iron Man References edit SDCC 2016 MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE Marvel 2016 07 23 Archived from the original on 2016 08 08 Retrieved 2016 07 23 Here s What the Updated Marvel Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 Look Like GameSpot 2016 07 24 Archived from the original on 2016 07 29 Retrieved 2016 07 24 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Game Info Features Marvel Comics Archived from the original on 2009 03 18 Retrieved 2009 07 24 E3 2008 Teaser publisher GameTrailers Archived from the original on 2008 07 19 Retrieved 2008 07 17 Secret War 1 5 April 2004 December 2005 a b c Game Informer August 2008 Game Informer Civil War 1 7 July 2006 January 2007 Miller Greg 2009 04 03 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 First Look IGN Archived from the original on 2016 01 23 Retrieved 2009 04 03 Tanguay Dan Dan Tanguay November 4 2010 Re Acts There are 3 major acts Act I Secret War amp Road to Civil War Act II Civil War Act III the aftermath of Civil War Tweet Archived from the original on 2016 01 23 Retrieved 2009 08 14 via Twitter Deadpool Making The Merc marvelultimatealliance com 2009 05 14 Archived from the original on 2010 03 05 Retrieved 2010 07 06 Scammell David 2009 07 24 MUA2 has format specific characters GamerZines Archived from the original on 2009 07 27 Retrieved 2009 07 24 LeTendre Brian 2009 08 17 The Story Of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Comic Book Resources Archived from the original on 2010 01 31 Retrieved 2009 09 12 We will release downloadable content In fact the team is working on it right now There will be even more characters and content Tanguay Dan Dan Tanguay November 4 2010 Re Alt Costumes There is one per character right now Tweet Archived from the original on 2016 01 23 Retrieved 2009 08 14 via Twitter McGuirk Brendan 2009 07 25 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Panel at Comiccon Newsarama Archived from the original on 2016 01 23 Retrieved 2009 07 29 Early Bird Special The Making of Aunt May Marvel Comics 2009 04 01 Archived from the original on 2009 04 04 Retrieved 2009 04 01 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Pre Order Exclusive GameStop 2009 07 01 Archived from the original on 2009 10 25 Retrieved 2009 07 07 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Get Juggernaut as a free playable character when you buy this game Amazon co uk Archived from the original on 2009 08 01 Retrieved 2009 07 23 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 EB Games Australia Archived from the original on 2011 07 06 Retrieved 2009 07 23 Preorder to secure your exclusive unlockable character Juggernaut Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 DLC Character Spotlight Carnage Marvel Comics 2009 10 09 Archived from the original on 2009 10 12 Retrieved 2009 10 10 A slew of new characters and sim missions are on their way to Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers Tanguay Dan Dan Tanguay November 4 2010 Re DLC A little nugget for everyone DLC will have new achievements Tweet Archived from the original on 2016 01 23 Retrieved 2009 10 12 via Twitter a b Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Release Date and Pricing Marvel Comics 2009 10 29 Archived from the original on 2009 11 01 Retrieved 2009 10 30 Hinkle David 2010 01 06 Activision Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 DLC on PSN was a limited time offer Joystiq Archived from the original on 2010 06 19 Retrieved 2010 01 13 Fahey Mike 2010 07 01 Ultimate Alliance 2 DLC Makes A Comeback Kotaku Archived from the original on 2013 01 28 Retrieved 2010 07 01 Plunkett Luke 2008 08 28 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Crosses Over Into 2009 Kotaku Archived from the original on 2008 08 26 Retrieved 2008 08 28 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 PlayStation 3 Trailer SDCC09 Jean Grey Vignette IGN 2009 07 21 Archived from the original on 2016 07 31 Retrieved 2009 07 22 Crecente Brian 2009 02 03 Prototype Invades New York ComicCon With June Release Date Kotaku Archived from the original on 2020 03 21 Retrieved 2009 02 03 DevMaster net Alchemy engine details devmaster net Archived from the original on 2012 03 25 Retrieved 2008 08 31 Nelson Mike 2008 07 24 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Fusion First Look Preview 1Up com Archived from the original on 2011 06 05 Retrieved 2008 07 24 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Official Game Site News Vicarious Visions 2009 02 06 Archived from the original on 2009 05 15 Retrieved 2009 02 06 Tanguay Dan Dan Tanguay on Twitter Archived from the original on 2009 08 03 Retrieved 2009 07 31 via Twitter Oneal Jennifer Jennifer Oneal on Twitter Archived from the original on 2009 09 05 Retrieved 2009 08 27 via Twitter a b c MUA2 Diary FAQ n Space Archived from the original on October 11 2010 Retrieved 2009 10 20 MUA2 Diary n Space Archived from the original on October 7 2010 Retrieved 2009 10 20 Newman Ted 2009 09 04 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Wii Video Demo GameSpot Retrieved 2009 10 20 via YouTube O Leary Dan Dan O Leary on Twitter Archived from the original on 2009 10 28 Retrieved 2009 10 21 via Twitter Legacy Activision Games Archived from the original on November 6 2020 Retrieved May 27 2020 a b Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 for DS Reviews Metacritic CBS Interactive Archived from the original on 2019 03 29 Retrieved 2019 04 15 a b Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 for Xbox 360 Reviews Metacritic CBS Interactive Archived from the original on 2019 03 29 Retrieved 2019 04 15 a b Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 for PlayStation 3 Reviews Metacritic CBS Interactive Archived from the original on 2019 03 02 Retrieved 2019 04 15 a b Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 for Wii Reviews Metacritic CBS Interactive Archived from the original on 2019 02 17 Retrieved 2019 04 15 a b c Nguyen Thierry 2009 09 15 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Xbox 360 1Up com Archived from the original on 2011 06 05 Retrieved 2009 09 16 Pfister Andrew 2009 09 17 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review G4TV Archived from the original on 2011 09 17 Retrieved 2009 09 19 Reiner Andrew Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review Game Informer Archived from the original on September 23 2009 Retrieved 2009 09 19 a b c VanOrd Kevin 2009 09 15 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review GameSpot Archived from the original on 2011 10 19 Retrieved 2009 09 16 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review GameTrailers 2009 09 17 Archived from the original on 2009 09 23 Retrieved 2009 09 19 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review GameZone Archived from the original on 2009 09 22 Retrieved 2009 09 19 a b Miller Greg 2009 09 15 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review IGN Archived from the original on 2010 07 30 Retrieved 2009 09 16 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 What the Real Fans Are Saying Marvel Comics 2009 08 28 Archived from the original on 2009 09 12 Retrieved 2009 09 09 Miller Greg 2009 09 15 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review IGN Retrieved 2009 09 29 via YouTube D I C E Awards By Video Game Details www interactive org Archived from the original on 2018 06 05 Retrieved 2019 05 28 Remo Chris 2009 10 19 NPD Industry Emerges From Year On Year Declines With Slight Growth Gamasutra Archived from the original on 2010 05 09 Retrieved 2010 04 14 Carless Simon 2009 11 12 NPD Uncharted 2 Heads October 2009 U S Game Sales Gamasutra Archived from the original on 2011 02 21 Retrieved 2010 04 14 Nintendo December 6 2018 MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3 The Black Order Announcement Trailer Nintendo Switch YouTube Archived from the original on December 7 2018 Retrieved December 7 2018 External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 at IMDb nbsp Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 on developer Vicarious Visions website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 amp oldid 1189890307, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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