We have to start by telling you that this is the biggest super-hero game ever. There's just no getting around it. With an opening cast of 20, including Spider-man, Wolverine, Captain America, Ghost Rider, Iceman, Blade, Doctor Strange, The Human.... (Enough! We get it! - Ed) there's lots more to be unlocked and revealed as you progress.

The story? Doctor Doom has re-formed the Masters of Evil (they're the bad guys) and assaulted the S.H.I.E.L.D Heli-Carrier (which is a bad thing to do) wh ... more >>

We have to start by telling you that this is the biggest super-hero game ever. There's just no getting around it. With an opening cast of 20, including Spider-man, Wolverine, Captain America, Ghost Rider, Iceman, Blade, Doctor Strange, The Human.... (Enough! We get it! - Ed) there's lots more to be unlocked and revealed as you progress.

The story? Doctor Doom has re-formed the Masters of Evil (they're the bad guys) and assaulted the S.H.I.E.L.D Heli-Carrier (which is a bad thing to do) which has really hacked off Nick Fury (who's a bad person to hack off) so he's calling down the wrath of pretty much every super-hero on his books. And that's where you step in. You get to pick and customise your own team of four, with options to name your group, give them a logo and team vehicle as well as build their rep as you progress. Your choices and actions will shape the future of the Marvel Universe, so it won't just be a linear RPG, and this is reflected in a huge final cut-scene which will show what your impact has been on the various landscapes you've moved through. There's also more of a fighting-game mechanic than is usual for an RPG; instead of the usual ranged and radial attacks, you'll see moves based on combos and the individual characters’ super-powers. Another tasty feature is that once you've thrown Captain America's shield you'll be able to control its direction with the analogue stick, manipulating it to take out multiple enemies as he does in the comic.

There's also a co-op mode, allowing you to team-up with your friends online or compete for points. On top of this, you'll find Comic Books scattered across the levels that unlock ‘Heroic Missions’. These are separate to the main game and allow you to play through key moments in a character's history. These are solo missions, but there is a further multi-player option for your friends to take on the roles of up to three villains, so they'll have the option to make you suffer as only maniacal super-baddies can (or give you an easy walk-through, depending on their mood!)

The graphics are some of the best for a comic adaptation, with multi-tiered levels taking you from the Heli-Carrier to the depths of Atlantis to the Skrull home-world in the depths of space, with some gorgeous lighting and rendering. We were particularly impressed by the Thing, who's had a tendency to look a bit blocky in previous games, such as Marvel Nemesis, but here looks nicely textured.

All in all, this beast of a game's going to have Marvel fanboys getting in a lather. If you don’t count yourself as a fanboy, the range of super-powered characters alone makes this a good romp for the yet-to-be-converted. << less