I have yet to complete this port, and I am not convinced that doing so is necessary. Every iteration of Ultimate Alliance (UA) has been plagued by significant issues. I fondly recall criticisms that UA3 did not feel like a true Ultimate Alliance game, though, in retrospect, the series itself never fully embodied the vision of what an Ultimate Alliance experience should have been. This is not solely a critique of the roster depth or gameplay mechanics, both of which are serviceable but ultimately forgettable. To me, Ultimate Alliance has always represented an unrealized dream. Even today, I am amazed that we received scattered, low-effort projects over the years (mostly the movie videogames that could only serve as bread crumbles), with nothing approaching the passion and depth seen in Insomniac's Spider-Man or the recent resurgence of Marvel games like Rivals. That said, we got an atrocious Avengers game out of nowhere in the middle of everything but fine.

What I truly hope for is a definitive UA (or Omega, for that matter) with an ever-expanding roster, enhanced replayability, and a level of polish that the series has yet to achieve. However, what we have been given so far are the UA games and Omega, which allowed players to control multiple characters across various Marvel realms.

Reviewing a nearly 20-year-old game may not hold much value, but I will briefly summarize my thoughts: this game would not be the financial success many assume it would be. In other words, no, it won't be a money printer. Releasing it on modern storefronts without a proper remaster—or better yet, a remake—would render it virtually worthless. AGAIN. What the series truly needs is a reboot. While the games have gained notoriety among collectors, let us be honest: this port is severely lacking. The button mapping is poorly implemented, some indicators are outright incorrect, and the options menu is almost nonexistent. The resolution is laughable, even for a 2016 release. It's just irredeemable ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. My desire to own the game legitimately on a digital platform is one thing; Activision’s disregard for its customers is another. This is precisely why I initially skipped purchasing the game at 20 bucks, only to pay around 250 later (and yes, Amazon’s purchasing issues were another frustrating ordeal, let's just skip that part). If you are in the same boots, what's else there is to say?

Despite the port’s shortcomings, I first encountered the game when I acquired a 360, which was arguably the best platform for it. Like many others, it holds a nostalgic place in my childhood memories, allowing me to play as some of Marvel’s most iconic and decorated heroes (thinking the cover included Elektra back then is wild). This version, being an Xbox 360 port, includes additional characters such as Nightcrawler, who introduces minor nevertheless enjoyable gameplay elements, like the ability to skip certain areas and that comes handy if you are all alone. That's another issue with the game which I both like and dislike. Checkpoints can be scarce and levels are usually quite short so it's not exactly a matter of replaying the whole level but it's a matter of replaying the whole level all alone if you can't revive your team and the character you have cannot cheese the boss. There's some challange to it but it lacks. Sure loading a previous save is valid and it's the most 2006 thing ever. Meta-gaming to overcome the game's shortsightedness. Though I still must admit I like the idea of rotating the roster so your teammates can rest (usually about 3 to 5 mins, not a big deal either). But yeah, it's underutilized like everything else.

On paper, features like team-up bonuses sound appealing, but they are ultimately underdeveloped. The level design is lackluster and deteriorates with each subsequent installment. Some sections, such as Murderworld, which I enjoyed as a child, now feel corny af. Atlantis, in particular, can be nerve breaking due to the movement. The environments, whether set in the Helicarrier, Asgard, or Doom’s castle, are reduced to generic corridors that fail to capture the grandeur of their settings.

The core gameplay loop is a simplistic beat-’em-up, even by 2006 standards. Boss fights often feel cheap and gimmicky (looking at that piece of fk Mysterio). Mysterio is such an awfully designed boss fight who could wipe out your team because his clones' repeated animations cycles stunlocks (if that's the word for it) you and breaking out of it could be real tough and finnicky. No matter what I tried, I couldn't beat him with X-Men and then had to switch my team to survive the fight with AoE attacks and some good old tanking. I'd buy it if it was that strategical but it really wasn't. Leveling up is another option but in moment to moment action you barely think about leveling up your stats or changing your comp because it just doesn't feel right that way. I always see more value in having a taste of the characters and mess around with the rotating rosters but it sometimes bricks your progression and prove harder than it needs to be. I'll say it's just a balance issue but idk, I never paid too much attention to it when I was younger and thought the game could be tough as nuts but nope, it's just cluelessness of me and the game lacks once again. There are lots to mention about both enemy and your roster's animation cycles and how they are actualized.

To label this game as an action RPG is an overstatement & overselling the game at best. While characters have unique abilities—such as Moon Knight’s ankhs and batons or Johnny Storm’s flame-based attacks—these actions are bound to skills. Energy-based skills feel bland that kills all the fluidness alone, and character customization is woefully limited. It could have been enermously better if characters could alternate between ranged and melee and/or between their personas (Johnny Storm/Human Torch) with ease and more intuitively and the skills were actually being impactful. Each character has four alternate outfits, but beyond that, there is little meaningful progression. Upgrades are spread throughout the levels you'll find some here and there along unlockable figures which would let you unlock Black Panther and Daredevil, and players can use in-game currency to enhance stats, but these systems are ultimately shallow and uninspired. You don't really have an impact on the narrative either.

The game is mindless fun, but this is largely due to the lack of options across the brand and you want to have a taste of the Marvel flavour. In an ideal world, we would see a rebooted Ultimate Alliance with more distinctive level design that's built up on some actual character, an even more diverse roster, and deeper RPG elements, including meaningful character customization and a compelling narrative. However, I remain skeptical that such a vision will ever come to fruition. I'll daresay Midnight Suns (though I am yet to play it) was a bold attempt and probably is better than UA ever was but that's not 'it' either. At least not to me given the genre. I always thought X-Men Legends were the better ones but now I have my suspicions.

ps: This port deserves a negative but for the sake of everything else including a nonsensical nostalgia I just can't.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance (KCD) is one of those games that takes time to fully appreciate, but once you invest in it, you become so immersed that it becomes difficult to tear yourself away. The game, especially its combat and traversal mechanics, can be frustrating at first. The terrain, although often flat (with a certainly decent geometry), is prone to causing unexpected collisions—whether with bushes or other obstacles—leaving you to find yourself lying in the mud. Combat, too, can be unforgiving; being sort of forced to locking onto an enemy, you might find yourself overwhelmed by multiple opponents, resulting in an inevitable death meanwhile getting your head bashed in, sometimes frustratingly quick. Realistic? Perhaps. Gamified enough to keep the player engaged? I would argue not entirely. However, KCD offers something more significant: a deeply compelling narrative of personal growth. You begin as the son of a blacksmith, and over the course of the game, you rise from humble beginnings to become a skilled warrior—and ultimately a nobleman (but that's another matter). You are, ultimately, a made man and this transformation reflects on the fights. One hell of a tale.

The combat, while complex and difficult to master, becomes more manageable as you familiarize yourself with the mechanics and level up your character. Parts of it winks to STALKER, complex enough but mostly driven by stats. The game also kinda looks down on your if you don't train but it keeps being managable. When I couldn't manage to beat the first boss in a fair sword fight I had to take him down with a bow as he didn't wear a helmet (and for some reason it took me long to realize that). He was down in 2 shots. Realistic? Perhaps. Gamified enough to keep the player engaged? Alright, I swear I am not trying to be hard but I was bummed to take him down in 2 shots and the other way around was too painful as at that time I didn't learn master strike. I really do respect the fact that I was not softlocked and didn't have to load up a previous save but could have it been more balanced even if it means more scripted? Probably so.

Progression is rewarding, and the mechanics eventually click. Likewise, while traversal may occasionally be marred by awkward collisions, your horse's stamina proves more than adequate, and your character's load capacity is thoughtfully designed (looking at STALKER, coughing), offering a fair balance. Engaging with the world is intuitive. Despite my initial frustrations, I came to appreciate the systems that the game has to offer.

KCD is a clear testament to the passion of its creators. As a Kickstarter-funded project, it has a scope that is impressive given its origins, and for the most part, it executes its vision well. The conclusion of the main story, while somewhat restrained, is clearly intended to set the stage for future installments, where more ambitious storytelling can be achieved with a larger budget. The game's protagonist, Henry, undergoes substantial character development, and the supporting cast—Hans Capon, Sir Radzig, Sir Hanush, Theresa, Godwin, and others are well-crafted and likable. One area where the game could have expanded is in offering more intricate romance options.

The alchemy, while interesting, does have a downside: it allows for a form of metagaming. Players can craft items without recipes, simply following a guide, which detracts from the immersion that RPGs typically rely on. While this feature is a useful timesaver for basic crafting, quest items necessitate adherence to specific recipes, which restores some balance. Stealth mechanics, on the other hand, are underdeveloped. The monk mission, despite its potential, falls short due to the lack of a functional stealth system.

KCD is not a fully-fledged sandbox RPG, but it offers a variety of engaging options. Many of these options are not only creative but also humorous. The open world feels alive, though it can be somewhat limited. Beyond the towns and villages, the world feels sparse, and random encounters are few and far between (at least were to me). There was one certain game breaking bug which occurred during the raid of Pribyslavitz. I was unable to pass the quest as I helped bandits earlier on and the game counted them as allies hence whenever I killed the bandits I would lose the objective. You can overcome it via mods but I was bummed to see it was a known issue and was not sorted out after 7 YEARS. Apart from that, I would also loved to see more in-depth quest chains exclusive to factions as we grow our relationship with them deeper.

I do feel the downloadable content also falls short. Hans Capon’s Adventures is a delightful and humorous diversion but is far too short and limited in scope. Band of Bastards feels undercooked, and its final battle fails to deliver the cinematic spectacle that could have made it more memorable. Despite my efforts, my band often met their end off-screen as I was overwhelmed by multiple enemies constantly. A Woman's Lot presents a different take, but the Theresa sections are frustrating, and while the companion dog is somewhat more helpful than in the base game, it can hinder progress by alerting enemies. The Johanna storyline, however, provides a welcome change, and I would have liked to see more of this kind of narrative in the main story.

Having seen the positive reviews for KCD2, and with Warhorse confidently sending out review codes a month early, it seems that the sequel has the potential to be an RPG behemoth. I am excited to experience it, as it appears that Warhorse is finally achieving the self-realization it has long worked toward. There’s probably much more to discuss, but I’ll conclude my review by saying that this game feels more like a Bethesda RPG than the actual recent Bethesda RPGs. LOL at that.

★★★★☆
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