LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in Peril

Genre: Isometric Action

Players: 1, StreetPass Supported

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Review:

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in Peril is a family-friendly Isometric Action game released on PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS in 2013, and then ported to mobile devices and Nintendo DS in 2014. After years of releasing half-hearted, compromised, sub-par versions of the Traveller’s Tales LEGO console games on Nintendo 3DS, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in Peril seems to take all the criticism these games have gotten over the years and runs in completely the wrong direction with it.

In terms of the story, characters, and vague overall premise of the game, Universe in Peril is clearly based on the console version of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes. However, this is not a port, but more of a re-imagining of that game in another genre, an isometric action game. Instead of swapping characters to solve puzzles, you now control one character and call in a second for support after a meter finishes charging. Instead of mixing tedious, repetitive combat, passable but unextraordinary platforming, and puzzle-solving, this game seems to be primarily just about the terrible combat. Instead of the Open-World elements and Co-Op, you have… look, just assume that if it’s something you liked about the console game, it’s not present here. And this isn’t even getting into the terrible controls for things like Spider-Man’s web-slinging…

The presentation here combines video clips pulled directly from the console games, combined with simple 3D for the gameplay. To this game’s credit, it does do some interesting things with the visuals here and there, such as reproducing the look of Sandman consisting of numerous pieces swirling around a humanoid figure. However, with the camera stuck firmly in one point of view, it’s hard to feel impressed by any of this. Add in a forgettable cinematic soundtrack, and… you have a game that’s not bad, but certainly not very memorable.

Look, I understand the thought process that led to LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in Peril. It’s simply not realistic to expect high-end PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 games to be ported to Nintendo 3DS without sacrificing something, and people complain about that. So what do you do? Well, perhaps you create a game specifically for Nintendo 3DS! And heck, if you’ve already got a story and some assets from the console games, maybe you recycle those into your new game so you’re not just wasting them. I get it!

But if you’re going to make something entirely different, you could at least make something that preserves what people enjoyed about the thing you’re taking the namesake from. If not the Open World, at least the Co-Op multiplayer stuff, right? That’s not too much to ask, is it? And if you can’t do the puzzles, at least you can make the combat interesting? Give us something to enjoy here, and not just the worst parts leftover from the console games.

Oh, yeah, so suffice it to say, I don’t recommend getting this game.

tl;dr – LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in Peril is a family-friendly Isometric Action game that feels like what you get if you removed everything fun from the latest console game and stuffed the worst parts into another game instead. This is a package filled with tedium, poor controls, an underwhelming presentation, and overall disappointment. There are plenty of better LEGO games on Nintendo 3DS. Get one of those instead.

Grade: D

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