Return of Mutant Power
X-Men game takes sideways approach to new blockbuster
Just as the fascination of the movie studios with Marvel’s superhero universal continues, so its current money-making potential pulls in game makers. But surprisingly Activision’s newly announced X-Men game isn’t based on a movie. Instead it takes more of a Matrix-style prequel/backstory approach with game characters and storylines intersecting with the action following on from X-Men II and what will take place in this summer’s blockbuster X-Men: The Last Stand
What is strange then is that the game’s current working title is X-Men: The Official Movie Game. But hey! This is a superhero universe so why should anything make sense?
What we do know is the game, which will be released for DS and GBA (as well as other home consoles), will focus on three characters: the brutal strength of Wolverine, the acrobatic and teleportation powers of Nightcrawler (who doesn’t even appear in the movie - how mysterious) and the slightly less exciting Iceman, whose signature skill is to create ice slides where ever he wants to slide to, as well as zap people with ice beams and hailstorms. Other characters will be playable, with exclusive X-Men selected for DS and GBA games.
As you might expect, combat will be much the order of the day, with a role playing-lite element (something Activision amusingly calls the ‘mutant evolution system’), enabling you to upgrade your powers as you play. Other promised elements are stealthy action and time-based missions, while the game itself has a global setting, as well as taking you to X-Men hotspots such as Alkali Lake, the Statue of Liberty, and the Dark Cerebro room.
Currently sharpening up its claws and looking moodily into the middle distance, X-Men: The Official Movie Game is being primed for a May release.
