LEGO, the colourful Danish building blocks, have been favourite toys for generations of children all over the world. Although the physical pieces have somewhat waned much in popularity since they first went on sale in 1949, the company has reached out into the digital entertainment market with gusto, making a huge success in blocky video game recreations of pop culture icons.
Having already dished out cubist renderings of Harry Potter, Batman, and Lord of the Rings, they now turn to comic book giants Marvel for their upcoming game LEGO: Marvel Superheroes.
Super Who?
Whilst all the familiar characters are playable such as The Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor, Captain America et al, the game will included superheroes from across the entire Marvel universe which will include some of the lesser known heroes, heroines, X-Men, and villains: over 100 of them to be precise.
Fans of more obscure personas such as Power Man, Moon Knight, and Polaris (pictured) will be thrilled to see them included. But for those who don’t know who these heroes are, it’s a chance to discover them anew along with their super abilities.
Furthermore, the superhero you elect will also have an effect on how you play. As The Hulk or The Thing you can smash through environments and hurl cars. If you prefer to be a bit more nimble, try swinging or rocketing through the air as Spider-Man or Iron Man.
Block-Buster, Not Blockbuster
Whilst it’s easy to be cynical and initially cast the game off as a lack lustre novelty cash cow akin to a tawdry movie tie-in, LEGO: Marvel Superheroes is surprisingly original, boasting a whole new story bristling with the comically knowing humour that has become a hallmark of the franchise. Every superhero must unite to fight every super villain as Dr Doom threatens to unleash his Doom Ray of Doom upon the earth.
Players will be taken from Manhattan to Asgard via the X-Mansion, all of which are lovingly recreated out of virtual Lego.
The Hulk, The Abomination, and The Thing show us their way of doing things.
The game was well received at Eurogamer Expo 2013, and our first impressions is that it certainly looks like it’ll be a solid game that will slot in nicely (give or take some of the finer back-story details) into Marvel’s illustrious anthology.
The game may not end up satisfying the hardcore gamer or the hardcore comic book fanatics, but for children or the kid inside of us, it looks like a lot of fun. And just in time for the Holidays, too.
We’re hoping that the next LEGO adventure might involve some bright blue blocks, bow ties, and a some intergalactic whirring noises.
LEGO: Marvel Superheroes, will be available to buy from October 22nd 2013 (US) and November 15th 2013 (UK/EU). Demos are currently available to download for PS3 and XBox 360. For more information about the game, visit http://marvelsuperheroes.lego.com
