This review is late, but we know Deadpool doesn’t give a sh**, so that’s cool. Since the beginning of the much loved character’s ascent to comic cult superstardom, he has been the character most used to test the nerves and sensitivities of the Marvel audience. He’s allowed Marvel to experiment, be bold and innovative in ways that (arguably) they have never been able to. For the better game experience use the best ps3 headsets.
Deadpool pokes fun at himself, and at Marvel and that’s never been done as well before he arrived on the scene. He’s a fourth-wall destroying rogue that people can love or hate – he’s a very intriguing character and the developers at High Moon Studios (who were also behind the Transformers games) have done a grand job providing some exposition to the character. The essence of Deadpool has been captured.
Long-time DP (lol) voice-man Nolan North has some cracking one-liners in this, and the game keeps to the completely bonkers vibe that the comics follow with imaginary big breasted Deadpool fans, to Cable (the lead’s companion through various missions) appearing as a floating taco. For established fans of the character, this game will become essential. For everyone else? Well, that depends on whether you are able to get into this game, its very niche sense of humour and err, your take on the crazy hacking and slashing of some bad dudes.
In this, playing as the red guy you get to find your soul, dance with death, rip-off Alice In Wonderland (growing big and small…it’s ace), and fight clowns in really weird ways. That’s just a sample. Still in? Cool. The game’s opening is worth a mention too, it starts with Deadpool chillaxing in his skanky apartment – he’s talking about making his game and discussing how video games with him in should be made. That fourth wall is destroyed from the outset, and we’re better for it. Hardcore Deadpool fans are buzzing, and everyone else is (briefly, at least) sucked in by the overall weirdness of…everything! Deadpool’s alter-egos are a real highlight of the game itself, and they are presented expertly throughout as both different voices and text boxes (comic styleeee). They act as main support and advisor for the oddball assassin both supporting and damning his schemes.
The game’s story is not challenging in the least. It’s not meant to be. It’s meant to be really, really silly. This is necessary for the Deadpool game to work, of course. The style mixes retro and 8-bit gaming (as a result of “budget restrictions” following Deadpool’s excessive use of explosives…) at varying points, and it clearly is a mental world that we’ve stepped into. There are some pretty cool visual gags and self-referencing points that don’t wear thin (again, we like large breasts and occasional sexual references here at Soundspheremag HQ…that’s okay, right?), but some of the other Marvel references might be lost on you unless you’re a big fan of the comics. Deadpool’s immaturity is definitely part of his charm. It can be cringeworthy (in the game you’ll pump up a bouncy castle and squeeze on some man boobs), but he doesn’t really give a monkeys. Again, it very much depends on how open you are to the character.
Deadpool’s combat has some great strengths and massive weaknesses as well. The starting sword play is decent – indeed the swords remain one of the easiest (yet very basic) weapons to use throughout. The guns, meanwhile suffer from aiming problems, and we constantly struggle to get that right. With good animation, the stealth kills are near flawless, making everything pretty easy to watch. The only issue here, really, is the amount of repetition that’s served up. The same type of enemies (though the difficulty in defeating them does alter quite drastically as the game moves on), and the same battle jokes might just start to wear thin after a good long while. It’s worth noting though, that the game features a welcome upgrade system, allowing a player to earn new weapons and skills, which helps make the playability a lot smoother.
One thing that we really struggle (and we know that anyone else will too) with is the camera, and it can be really frustrating – it never works in your favour unless you have the angle right. You can move up walls and climb to different areas, but the camera is random and downright annoying unless you’re in exactly the right spot, and finding that can be overly time-consuming.
The game-play comes in at around six hours, and that is just enough time (in our view) for the big fans of Wade Wilson (oh yeah, that’s Deadpool’s real name) to get their fill and have fun without getting tired of repeated quips and slashed-up samey bad guys.
Overall, this game is all about Deadpool just being Deadpool. It’s unique in the way that it doesn’t feel scripted, and that it’s main character constantly moves from being very likeable to slightly irritating (would he have it any other way? We doubt it). Deadpool comic writer Daniel Way is at the centre of the dialogue and ideas here, and it is he (and Nolan North’s excellent vocals) that makes this game worth a play or three. It really is just good ol’ fashioned mindless fun. No more, and no less. Obviously it helps if you like Marvel…and Deadpool…and breasts too. Can’t forget those.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WCcRRs3s6c
