Home » Previews » Preview: LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
Previews

Preview: LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

Generally, when it comes to LEGO games, I pretty much know what to expect. A wide variety of interchangeable characters, simple combat and puzzles, some floaty platforming and a need to replay about 100 times to unlock everything. I always forget just how much fun they are though. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is no exception.

In the short section I played recently – on PS4, which made it all the sweeter – I could alternate between Mr. Fantastic and Captain America. I’m not sure at what point in the story this section occurs, or even what the story is. It seems to involve some special LEGO bricks that hold a special power that the good guys want to stop the bad guys from getting. Something like that.

Anyway, Mr. Fantastic and Captain America jumped down from the Avengers Helicarrier and into a New York City in a panic. Doc Ock had managed to get his hands on one of the special LEGO bricks and it was up to me to get it back. The first order of business was scaling the Fantastic Four’s headquarters to give chase to the nefarious Doctor over the rooftops of NY. Unfortunately, the entrance to the building was guarded by a laser system that would fry anything in its sights. By using Cap’s shield to deflect the blast and stretching through a nearby drain as Mr. Fantastic, I was able to disable to lasers. Once inside I partook in the familiar LEGO gameplay of smashing everything, collecting studs and building new toys to help me progress.

Interestingly, it seems in this Marvel universe, Mr. Fantastic’s stretching powers allow him to transform into basically anything he wants/needs to complete the task at hand. It’s really very funny to see him turn into a giant pair of pliers or a crane. While not strictly in keeping with the comics, it’s a mechanic that’s both useful and fun. Captain America is more in line with his comic book version. He can throw his shield – like Batman’s batarangs in LEGO Batman – to activate switches or destroy obstructions. He can also use it to walk over flames, which was handy for reaching areas that Mr. Fantastic couldn’t.

While largely unchanged from previous LEGO games, one addition to LEGO Marvel was simply stunning and had me wondering why it had not been used before. In previous games, when players went in separate directions the camera would pull out to try and keep both characters on screen. At a certain point though, the screen would stop and both players would be stuck in an endless tug-of-war. LEGO Marvel cleverly introduces a split screen system. But not just a regular split screen. This one is fluid and dynamic. In a very cool comic panel-esque effect, the line separating the two players moves according to the action on screen. If one player is higher up than the other the line will be diagonal and shifts in relation to the way both players move. It’s difficult to describe, but when you see it in action you’ll understand why I’m so excited. I’m not aware of a similar system being used in any games before this and I suspect it will become a mainstay of not just future LEGO games, but any game that features couch co-op.

After clambering over the rooftops of New York, Mr. Fantastic and Captain America met up with their friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. From this point getting to Doc Ock become a series of puzzles that utilised the skills of all three heroes. While not terribly taxing, there was a certain sense of accomplishment by successfully swapping between each character to carry out the required action and move on. Eventually, I managed to catch up to Ock in Times Square – naturally – and force him to stand and fight. The boss fight was very much Spider-Man’s affair as his spider sense was necessary to dodge Ock’s incoming slam attacks. After a few well timed punches, Ock was defeated and the special LEGO was all mine…or so I thought. As it was flung from Ock’s hands the Green Goblin swooped in and stole it from mid-air. It was here that the demo ended.

LEGO Batman never took itself very seriously, but it still had that gritty Gotham at night look and feel. It felt a little oppressive in spite of its light-hearted tone. LEGO Marvel is very different in that regard. It’s filled with bright colours, wise cracking characters and a tonne of fun. The PS4 build – while it won’t blow any minds – was very pretty and the vibrant colours really stand out.

LEGO Marvel is one for fans of LEGO games. Kids and adults will have a blast playing together and it’s a great way to introduce young fans to the world of Marvel and its huge cast of characters. With over 100 confirmed in the final game, there’ll be something for everybody.


This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. Stevivor is an independent outlet and our journalism is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

About the author

DeltaPhoenix08