Choose your powers. Choose your allies. Choose your destiny.

by C P

Choose your limited powers. Choose you allies which don’t really seem to make a difference. Sort of choose your destiny.

That’s really what the tagline should be for the game, but if they did that, it probably wouldn’t sell better than it is. Let me start off by saying I’m a BIG fan of Marvel, but I’m not a fanboy that will fall on my knees, worship and adore anything that has the Marvel name slapped on the package. X-Men: Destiny was a very frustrating game to play.

Firstly, it is not a true RPG: your tech tree for powers is not very advanced. Playing through the game, I expected that leveling up would make a big difference when coming across the same type of bad guys. It really didn’t. The powers were interesting, but I feel like a lot more effort could have been put into it. It really feels more like a brawler than anything – go through a level, attack like crazy, next level /zone.

I liked two of the characters and hated one, which unfortunately was the one I played as: Adrian Lucan. Total BRO. Just look at those awesome tribal tattoos. Man, what were they thinking? Im sorry, but tribal tattoos just ain’t cool anymore (I’M TALKING TO YOU EVERY MMA FIGHTER IN THE WORLD. FEEL FREE TO OFFER A REBUTTAL.)

As I stated, the gameplay felt more like a brawler and along with the dated graphics, it looked like a Grand Theft Auto, just not as smooth (there’s an idea Marvel!  Make a GTA style X-Men game, I’d play that!). I did notice during one of the lengthy cinematics that Wolverine’s claws were glitched and invisible. Along with some little buggy graphics and shading, I really feel this game was pushed out too early.

The story line is somewhat interesting…You start at a peace rally being held in memory of the late Professor X. After a very very long cinematic, you can choose one of three mutants to play, created just for this game. After things get hairy, you can fight trough some baddies and eventually are faced with your first decision: do something that will make the Brotherhood of Mutants happy or the X-Men happy.

I played through the game once, then partially through a second time with the Asian girl, who is much more enjoyable to play, and chose opposite factions when faced with the decisions again. It really didn’t feel like it made a big difference in the gameplay which also made me just a bit sad. It’s like they took the easy way out and just put both factions in every cinematic event so they wouldn’t have create separate timelines. One of the things I did enjoy, however, was the many cameos from mutants across the X-Men universe.

Who will enjoy this game? Honestly, if you don’t pick it apart like I just did, and take it for what it is, a simple brawler, then many people will enjoy it. Just wait until you can get it used at GameStop or something because dropping 50+ bucks on it would not make it enjoyable.

Game Guide

Gameplay: 6/10
Fun story, great cameos, interesting powers.

Graphics: 6/10
A couple of years ago, this would have been higher; it really just seems like it’s not up to today’s gaming graphics standards.

Replay: 6/10
You might want to replay it as a different character and choose to help the Brotherhood of Mutants instead…that’s if the lackluster graphics and evironment don’t turn you off.

DLC: ???
Yet to see anything that pumps the game

TOTAL SCORE: ComicsOnline gives X-Men: Destiny 6 mutated genes out of 10!

Keep fighting for the mutant cause at ComicsOnline.com for more video game reviews and everything geek pop culture.