Marco takes LEGO seriously. So seriously he wrote this review while Sam sat on the floor building a little LEGO Iron Man. There’s a Let’s Play video on the way – make sure you subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you don’t miss it!
LEGO Marvel Avengers should not be confused with the last Marvel title in the series LEGO Marvel Superheroes. Avengers is a specific title based off the cinematic universe surrounding the Avenger cast. Thor: Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and more. Sure this sounds like a match made in heaven, because the movies were great so the LEGO adaptions should be too, but this is not the case. Rather than it being a solid entry in the series, the film holds the game back by restricting them to the same Hollywood set pieces that we have all seen and heard already.
The game constantly swaps throughout the scenes from the Avengers movies. One moment you will be taking on Ultron, and then the next you will be smashing Loki’s head against the floor. This would be a great way to experience the films and LEGO adaptions, but instead it confuses the the scenario, and anyone who missed one of the films (because we are human… Ed’s note: if you have missed the films you’re probably not doing a good job at humaning) would feel out of place whenever it comes back to that said cinematic setting. My biggest issue here is that, from what we have experienced in previous LEGO games, say the last one LEGO Jurassic World, this layout just felt inconsistent, and lacked the high-quality package that we are so used to from the series.
The game also lacks its flair when it comes to its tedious level design, which at times feels less than monotonous thanks to the cast of playable characters which help bring them to life. Combat is basically copy and paste from previous titles in the series, and mimics entries like LEGO Batman, and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes. Basically, if you have ever played a LEGO game before, you know how this all works. The game however is right on the spot when it comes to its explosive set pieces. Sure you have probably seen Iron Man shoot rockets into a building in the film, but it is nice to see it portrayed in LEGO glory for a change. Th game also introduces a QTE (Quick Time Event) system where you have to press a button at the right time during some cinematics, which will result in you executing some pretty cool moves, like a team combo which sees every character in that moment kick some ass in the best Marvel way possible.
When taking into consideration that all the locations are basically cloned after a film, they are done extremely well. Highly detailed cities, pretty-looking S.H.I.E.L.D base, and massive Asgard, all look fantastic and are a joy to explore. Each location has tons of collectibles to find and side-quests to undertake, which keep you busy when you are not playing the main story quest. With over 200 playable characters, getting around a larger area will be best done with someone who can fly, or glide, like Iron Man. This just helps speed up the traversing process a little. What I loved about LEGO Jurassic World was its amazing co-op, and this returns as expected in Marvel Avengers. Everything can be done with a friend, and everything can be explored together too. You can both take on different side quests, and go about your own thing while playing co-op. Although this is a major addition to the game, at times it feels like the second player is just tagging along during the story missions. Only one Hulk can go against Iron Man’s massive robot suit machine, so the other player just wonders around in hopes of not getting killed by a stray rocket.
In the end I have a fear that this LEGO franchise is getting a bit out of hand. After this title, I was kind of let down by its lack of structure, and it all felt like quick way to make a few million dollars. We don’t need a LEGO game for every massive series out there, and Marvel Avengers is a clear sign that sometimes a series just lacks the right formula to make it so. Sure there is something here for the die-hard fans, but if you just not in the mood for another LEGO game, then feel free to wait it out until LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (*Sam runs off screaming in excitement*).
So Rad
- Over 200 playable characters
- Sometimes explosive set pieces
Makes us Sad
- Limited co-op during Story Line
- Copy-and-paste mechanics.
