It’s 2019, and there’s no doubt that Marvel Studios rule the screen when it comes to bringing superheroes to life. With a shared universe spanning multiple characters, time periods and galaxies, each new Marvel release almost always manages to pull in familiar faces or themes from the its enormous catalogue. Yet despite how common it’s become to see these stories and teamups in recent years, it’s easy to forget that some of the biggest Marvel gatherings have been floating around for years. Around a decade ago, the first two entries in the Ultimate Alliance series were released on consoles – bringing with them some of the most unique and diverse character combinations that we’d ever seen. Finding moderate success with fans of the comics, the series allowed players to create and play out their own superhero dream teams across its first two entries before going into hiding in late 2009. Fast-forward through ten years of skyrocketing superhero success to now, and we’ve just been handed the latest build-your-own Avengers experience in Marvel’s Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. An absolute success in capitalising on the MCU’s current position, the game is very much a celebration of Marvel history and its characters – an experience unapologetically aimed toward its biggest fans.
Once again, our heroes are hot on the heels of recurring troublemaker Thanos in yet another hunt for the 6 all-powerful Infinity Stones. It’s a setup that is all too familiar to anyone keeping up with the recent Marvel films, however it’s got an entirely new spin here. Ultimate Alliance 3 sits outside the current plotlines and settings of the movies and comics, meaning that it has free reign when it comes to telling its story. It’s also given a far lighter tone, creating an experience where it seems totally plausible for Venom, Gamora, Wolverine and Doctor Strange to be fighting off ninjas on New York’s moonlit rooftops. Your hunt for the stones will take your chosen team through a number of chapters, each based around areas or time periods that are instantly recognisable to those familiar with Marvel’s work. The story itself isn’t entirely memorable, however it serves as a loose thread to tie all the madness together as much as possible – with many of the cutscenes playing out as great action pieces that could have been torn straight from the big screen. Every major scene and exchange plays out the same regardless of your character choice, so your dream team won’t cost you any of the action once things heat up – and believe us, you’ll have a dream team.
This feature in particular is great, as the roster of playable heroes here is outrageous. All the big names are there, from the core Avengers and X-Men right through to other favourites like Daredevil and Loki. A slew of recently announced DLC is also set to bring headlining characters from Blade, The Punisher and the Fantastic Four to the lineup soon, meaning that even those with only a passing interest in Marvel will likely find a favourite here. Each character has a unique set of moves and strengths based on their powers or combat style – Hulk is going to soak up more of a beating than Hawkeye, who himself is best played as a ranged fighter. You’ll also receive team bonuses and perks based on your squad of four, such as boosts gained by pulling the Spider-Man multiverse together or assembling the original Avengers. With all this being said, you can just choose whatever rag-tag group you like and you’ll still manage fine – so if you’re just looking to run the wisecracking pair of Rocket and Deadpool, go right ahead.
Regardless of your chosen squad, Ultimate Alliance 3 is first and foremost an old-fashioned, top-down beat-em-up. You’ll generally be coming up against waves of small enemies time and again, with each going down with not much more than a bit of button-mashing. Each of the characters have a few special moves available to create some breathing room as well, but these encounters are really just filler between the game’s several boss fights. A bunch of names from Marvel’s catalogue of villains are on hand to knock you and your team about, and they break up the otherwise repetitive fights with lesser-known, small-fry villains along the way. Some of these bigger fights can be a decent challenge, requiring some well-timed blocks, strategy or attempts to exploit specific weaknesses. However quite a few will go down as long as you keep up the pressure, and some can feel long or tedious just for the sake of stretching things out. All in all, the combat and fights certainly aren’t deep by any standards. Yet this approach creates a hugely accessible brawler, which is a credit to a game enjoyed most when played with others.
Ultimate Alliance‘s third entry allows you to play it entirely with up to three other people either in the same room or online. If you’re able to grab a few friends who are also Marvel fans, this is definitely the best way to play. You’ll find that, while the fights and mechanics tend to wear on after a while, switching between your favourite heroes and keeping up with the exciting cutscenes work well to keep things fresh. If you’re still looking for more after the story’s end, there are a number of optional challenges available and a whole lot of grinding potential. These challenges come with some restrictions and time limits, while offering rare items and some (admittedly average) alternate outfits. The game’s portability as a Nintendo Switch exclusive really helps here too, as these shorter missions are great for quick bursts when you’re on the go. How much longevity you’ll get from these extras depends entirely on how much of the same combat you’re willing to grind through, but it should be enough to please die-hard fans looking to get every last drop of what’s on offer.
At the end of the day, these superfans are really the target audience for Ultimate Alliance 3. Enjoyable as an accessible button-masher with a few friends, the real majority of its appeal comes from its epic cutscenes and dream character combos. These factors carry the game through some of its slower and more repetitive moments, so you’d best consider how deep your love of all things Marvel runs before stepping into the fray. Yet if Marvel and its heroes are your thing, you’ll find a surprising and exciting adventure here as you watch the Avengers assemble entirely within the palm of your hands.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order – Available now on Nintendo Switch.