X-Men Legends
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X-Men Legends is an action role-playing game released on several consoles in 2004. Players can play as one of 15 X-Men characters, switching between four computer (or human) controlled characters within one team. The basic plot revolves around the X-Men battling Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants.
Contents |
Storyline
The game begins with Allison Crestmere discovering that she is a mutant and being abducted by a military agency. As the soldiers are taking her away, Mystique arrives with Blob and takes Allison from the soldiers. She is then rescued from Mystique by Wolverine and Cyclops. She is taken back to the Xavier Institute to explore her powers.
As Allison trains, some of the X-Men are sent to protect a ship carrying Magneto that is going to be attacked by the Brotherhood of Mutants. The defense fails, and Magneto is released.
Once Allison’s training is complete, she is given the codename Magma and accompanies the X-Men to Russia to help Colossus, who is trying to prevent the Brotherhood from obtaining weapons-grade plutonium. After accomplishing this mission, they discover that Colossus’s sister, Illyana, is sick, so she is taken back to the Xavier Institute. Back at the Institute, Professor Xavier, Emma Frost, and Jean Grey enter the Astral Plane to save Illyana. They succeed, but Xavier is captured by the Shadow King.
After Xavier’s capture, The X-Men learn from the Morlocks that Gen. William Kincaid, a leader in the anti-mutant movement, is rebuilding Sentinels. Magneto travels to his base on Asteroid M and calls the mutants of the world to join him on “The Mount”.
The X-Men manage to free Xavier from the Shadow King, and Xavier sends them to Asteroid M. There, they discover that the asteroid is heading for Earth, and they are attacked by Magneto, Mystique, and Sabretooth. After defeating them, they defend the other mutants on the asteroid from attacking Sentinels, until Gen. Kincaid arrives in Master Mold. After defeating Gen. Kincaid, Magma steers the asteroid back into space.
Gameplay
The game has multiplayer co-operative and skirmish options for up to four players. Co-operative play is similar to Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2, but is more refined with the addition of combination attacks and character interactions, akin to Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Each character's abilities can be upgraded, and players can equip items found during gameplay to further enhance a character's abilities. This format of a mission and then character development is followed throughout the game.
The X-Mansion serves as a hub that the team returns to after each mission. In addition the team can return to the mansion during a mission via X-traction Points. While at the mansion, one person controls Alison as she explores and learns about herself and the other X-Men.
Characters
| Playable Characters | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Villains | |||
| |||
Professor X is only playable during the first Astral Plane mission, and during the fight against Shadow King.
Despite being credited, Angel doesn't appear in this game. The reason that Raven Software excluded him is unknown; however, several of his files and references to those files still exist on the disc.
Sequel
A sequel, X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse was released for the Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and PC on September 27, 2005, for the PSP on October 11, 2005, and N-Gage in late 2005.
Reception
X-Men Legends received mostly positive reviews. 1UP praised the game, stating "at the very least, is an impressively well-made take on Gauntlet. If you're a fan of superhero comics, it's the best Gauntlet ever". IGN enjoyed the cel-shaded graphics: "To capture the "comic book feel," Raven Soft chose to go for a cel-shaded look with Legends. It's not that the characters look two-dimensional, but they have very basic textures and a cut-out look".
