Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

59%
Game Brain Score Based on 782 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Game Cover
Marvel Ultimate Alliance is a solid beat 'em up title that any comic book fan should want to own.
View game
Get on Steam

"Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" is an action RPG that lets players control a team of Marvel superheroes. The game features an original storyline with over 140 characters from the Marvel universe. Players can team up in co-op mode to complete missions, defeat villains, and save the world.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 2
  • Play​station 3
  • PSP
  • Wii
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

59%
Audience ScoreBased on 782 reviews
story46 positive mentions
stability44 negative mentions
  • The game features a wide variety of Marvel characters, each with unique abilities, providing a nostalgic experience for fans.
  • The gameplay is engaging, combining action RPG elements with cooperative multiplayer, making it fun to play with friends.
  • Recent patches have improved controller support and fixed many initial bugs, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The controller mapping is inconsistent and can be confusing, leading to frustration for players using gamepads.
  • The game lacks some promised DLC characters and content, which diminishes the value for players expecting a complete experience.
  • The price point is considered too high for a game that is over a decade old, especially given the issues present at launch.
  • story152 mentions

    The story of "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" is generally well-received, praised for its engaging narrative that effectively incorporates a wide array of Marvel characters and settings, providing a nostalgic experience for fans. While some reviewers note that the plot can feel thin or gimmicky, with comic logic overshadowing realism, the game offers meaningful choices and consequences through optional missions that enhance character backstories. Overall, the combination of a fun storyline, character-specific missions, and a rich Marvel universe makes it an enjoyable experience, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and depth.

    • “The story moves along nicely and I'll say that it is a solid nod to the Marvel universe and its deeply developed story.”
    • “They put together a really nice story combining their multiple characters and they show you in the end through cinematics the effects of your choices in optional missions.”
    • “The game's story is great, there's plenty of characters to choose from, and the combat is simple and easy to pick up.”
    • “I think the story in MUA1 is actually quite poor, and honestly the game is really exhaustively long for what it is.”
    • “The story isn't very special; it's more like an excuse to show many different Marvel characters.”
    • “You're already being tossed from one unconnected location to the next with only a paper-thin plot to tie them together, and character conversations seem to be ripped straight from Wikipedia.”
  • graphics124 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting that they have not aged well, often comparing them to early console titles like the PS1 and PS3. While some players appreciate the nostalgic value and find the visuals acceptable for an older game, others criticize the lack of significant updates and the presence of technical issues, such as poor resolution options and frame skipping. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not be a strong point, the gameplay and story still provide an enjoyable experience.

    • “This game runs fine, the graphics are still appealing after all these years, the gameplay is fluid and smooth, the story is a bit gimmicky but enjoyable enough as an excuse to combine lots of comic-book heroes and villains in one story.”
    • “The graphics, they look better than the version from 2006. I know this carefully because I have that version retail; the anti-aliasing is working this time, and the lighting is way more sharp, with more bloom, besides the new sharper textures and shaders for all the characters look so much better.”
    • “I like the enhanced graphics quite a bit.”
    • “The graphics did not age well.”
    • “I knew the game was 10+ years old going in and wasn't expecting anything too spiffy; the gameplay and graphics are clearly dated and make it very unplayable after you've played better versions of this kind of game.”
    • “The graphics weren't updated much, if at all, which quite frankly, is disappointing.”
  • gameplay92 mentions

    The gameplay of Marvel Ultimate Alliance is generally praised for its fluidity, engaging combat, and diverse character roster, allowing for a fun dungeon-crawling experience reminiscent of classic beat-'em-up titles. However, some players note that the gameplay can become repetitive and feels dated compared to modern standards, with certain mechanics and character abilities underwhelming. Overall, while the game retains its charm and offers enjoyable gameplay, it suffers from issues related to controls and a lack of significant updates in its remastered version.

    • “The gameplay is tight, the story is engaging, and each character’s powers are interesting.”
    • “The dungeon crawler gameplay has aged well and the ability to create your team of four from among thirty-three playable characters keeps the game diverse.”
    • “With smart variations to the gameplay to keep the standard beat-'em-up formula from getting stale, hours of optional content, secrets, and unlockables, and near limitless replayability, every inch of the game was a testament to Raven's love and care to the modern mythology of Marvel.”
    • “The gameplay is a little repetitive at times, but the levels are long and still managed to keep me interested.”
    • “With horrendous keyboard and mouse controls, portions of the options menu that flat out don't work, shoddy Xbox 360 controller support, buggy, glitchy, and sometimes outright broken gameplay, this PC port of these decade-old video games is an insult to consumers.”
    • “I knew the game was 10+ years old going in and wasn't expecting anything too spiffy; the gameplay and graphics are clearly dated and make it very unplayable after you've played better versions of this kind of game.”
  • stability50 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches, particularly in the menus and online features. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay without major issues, the overall consensus is that the PC port is a buggy mess, requiring extensive troubleshooting and often rendering the game unplayable. Despite these problems, some players still find enjoyment in the game, suggesting that it may improve with future patches.

    • “Sound is okay, mechanics are working, no glitches just yet.”
    • “To start off this review, I'd just like to say that while I do recommend the game in its current state, keep in mind that I only have an hour and a half clocked in at the moment and that I have not experienced everything that could still be wrong with this port. However, my time thus far has been bug-free aside from an issue of the game thinking I had 2 controllers plugged in due to using DS4Windows when it wasn't necessary to do so, as the game works with PS4 controllers with no extra programs running.”
    • “I finally get to play, and they truly are buggy messes, so thanks for the disappointment.”
    • “With horrendous keyboard and mouse controls, portions of the options menu that flat out don't work, shoddy Xbox 360 controller support, buggy, glitchy, and sometimes outright broken gameplay, this PC port of these decade-old video games is an insult to consumers.”
    • “Yes, despite reconfiguring settings, troubleshooting compatibility issues, even reinstalling the game itself, the game is basically unplayable due to this.”
  • optimization14 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with smooth performance and no major gameplay or controller issues reported, achieving over 60 fps at 4K resolution. However, some users noted poor voice acting and dated graphics, which detract from the experience, and there are concerns about the game's price relative to its optimization quality. While the engine is optimized for DX11 64-bit, it has limitations, such as a cap at 120Hz in 1440p.

    • “So, if your main concern was the PC performance, then have no fear.”
    • “Never had any controller or gameplay problems, everything runs smoothly!”
    • “The engine is DX11 64-bit optimized and getting 60+ fps @ 4k but it seems to cap @ 120hz in 1440p.”
    • “Although considering the price tag and the horrid optimizations, I'd say not.”
    • “Poor and dated graphics, phoned-in voice performances, over 140 characters, and bland generic gameplay.”
    • “The engine is DX11 64-bit optimized and getting 60+ fps at 4K, but it seems to cap at 120Hz in 1440p.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game offers high replayability due to its diverse character line-ups, special dialogue interactions, and a wealth of optional content, secrets, and unlockables. Players appreciate the smart gameplay variations that prevent monotony, making it enjoyable even after multiple playthroughs. Additionally, the inclusion of DLC further enhances the replay value, showcasing the developers' dedication to creating a rich gaming experience.

    • “With smart variations to the gameplay to keep the standard beat-'em-up formula from getting stale, hours of optional content, secrets, and unlockables, and near limitless replayability, every inch of the game was a testament to Raven's love and care for the modern mythology of Marvel.”
    • “MUA plays great, is great, and with all the DLC, replayability is very high.”
    • “While it's aged relatively well, I'd expect it to be far more playable on basic hardware (Radeon 7500) than it is.”
    • “Plus you do occasionally get special dialogue for certain scenes if you have certain characters on your team, plus the many possible line-ups add a lot of replayability.”
    • “With smart variations to the gameplay to keep the standard beat-'em-up formula from getting stale, hours of optional content, secrets, and unlockables, and near limitless replayability, every inch of the game was a testament to Raven's love and care to the modern mythology of Marvel.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unfulfilling, particularly criticizing the lack of random gear stats that would make loot grinding more rewarding. Additionally, the controls are described as confusing and frustrating, further detracting from the overall experience.

    • “I don't believe gear stats are random, so there's no real loot grinding for perfect stats.”
    • “The controls are awful and I found them confusing and tedious on keyboard & mouse.”
    • “2 sucked, 3 is half MCU and grindy.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find the soundtrack to be a highlight, others feel it falls short and leaves much to be desired. Overall, the soundtrack is noted as one of the few positive aspects in an otherwise underwhelming experience.

    • “This game played great (2 player co-op local), looked good (for a remaster of a port of a PS2/Xbox game), and I had no problems with control, controller setup (which by default matched the original game), graphics, object collision, music, or any of the other problems that people have complained about.”
    • “It's a really good game with an amazing soundtrack, tons of characters to use, and a good story too.”
    • “The soundtrack leaves much to be desired, but to be honest, this is the only positive thing about this game.”
    • “The music in this game is underwhelming and fails to enhance the overall experience.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy of the game is perceived as a "shameless cash grab," with users frustrated by the lack of updates and unresolved issues, particularly regarding controller compatibility. This has led to a negative sentiment towards the game's ongoing support and value for money.

    • “Since it's been so long since the last update, I'm just going to go ahead and guess that this is just a shameless cash grab.”
    • “Almost two years and Activision hasn't been able to fix all the issues with this cash grab; it doesn't recognize the Steam controller as a regular (Xbox) controller no matter what I try.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its unintentional ridiculousness, which complements the comic book adaptation style effectively. This blend of absurdity enhances the overall comedic experience for players.

    • “The ridiculousness adds an unintentional layer of humor that fits perfectly in a comic book adaptation.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express a sense of disappointment and emotional loss regarding the absence of console characters in the portable version, highlighting a connection to the original content that enhances their overall experience.

    • “While I didn't even know the portables had exclusive DLC, it was kind of heart-breaking to hear that the console characters were missing.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

59% average critic score

Buy Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
13hMain story
37hCompletionist
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games