Deadpool is a strange character to like. There is a lot to like about him but if he's not handled properly, it can quickly become a problem. Last summer when it was announced there would be a Deadpool video game, most of us immediately got excited. Seeing some of the trailers made the game look promising but there was that concern over the annoyance factor. Let's be honest, Deadpool can get annoying. That's a huge part of his character. He's the Merc with a Mouth. Once people started thinking about how that would be in a video game, the concern started to rise.
Last week I got the chance to check out the game and even play through a level. As you may know, the game's story was written by Daniel Way. He successfully wrote over 60 issues of Deadpool. There might be some that feel his Deadpool wasn't their Deadpool, he definitely left his mark on the character. It's safe to say this is a Deadpool comic come to life.
Deadpool is known for breaking the fourth wall. In comics, he knows he's in a comic book. That means here, he knows he's in a video game. Nolan North provides the voice not just for Deadpool but also for his other two voices. They are distinct and there's also a little pop up to let you know which is which. As you would expect, the voices have their unique personalities, just like in the comic. There was some concern over the possibility of it being just non-stop Deadpool talk throughout the game. The fact that he has the other two voices breaks it up. The game developers paid careful attention to finding the right balance of annoyance.
This is a third person combat brawling game. You can easily dive right into it. The controls immediately make sense and the little tutorial walks you through pretty much everything you need to know. I was especially thrilled with the ease of the movement of the camera. The action gets pretty crazy and you need to be able to quickly move your view around to see what's around.
Backing up to the beginning, you start off in Deadpool's apartment. What's great about this is you get the chance to explore it. You might be a little afraid of what you find but it's the little touches of humor that make this feel the way you'd expect a Deadpool game to feel. Deadpool doesn't hold back. What does Deadpool think about Spider-Man? You'll definitely find out.
One of the levels I saw was set in Genosha. It does look like what you'd expect a ravaged Genosha to look like. There are also a lot of weapons you'll be able to use throughout the game. Each weapon can be upgraded so you'll want to earn those achievement points. It's not just guns and knives for Deadpool. Thankfully I got to see some crazy upgrades and try them out.
Along with the weapons upgrade, you also unlock combos by switching your fighting style. For example using the different types of attacks and switching between guns and knives adds more combos to you repertoire. The super moves can get impressive. This game is rating M for a reason. Actually a couple reasons. There is violence. There is blood. It wouldn't be a true Deadpool experience without that. Is it absolutely necessary for the enjoyment of the game? Actually, it kind of is. This adds to the mindless fun of the game. There is also some mature language here. Perhaps we should say immature language. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised when Cable first appears. You get the chance to get a brief lesson on the character and please do not skip over them. It is absolutely immature but it will make you laugh.
Don't dismiss this as just a simple brawler. Yes, Deadpool has some intense moves and you can just dive right into hordes of bad guys but there is more. Deadpool can also take out his opponents in stealth mode. The kills are different and there will be some circumstances when you will want to go this route. Deadpool also has a teleporter. He can take quite the beating but after a while, you can see his body getting abused. He will heal if you give him time. This is where sometimes you might want to strategically teleport around when surrounded by a ton of guards ready to kill you.
What it comes down to is I did have fun with the game. This is our chance to play as Deadpool. From what I've seen so far, it is the right combination of what you'd want. How the overall game will play remains to be seen. Will it get to be too much? Will there be enough variation in all the levels? I was interested before but now I'm on board to definitely check this out. It may not be a masterpiece in terms of video games but it looks like it's going to give Deadpool fans a good time.
The game is set to be released on June 25. It will be on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows-PC with a retail price of $49.99 for Xbox and PS3 and $39.99 for PC. It's already been announced that there will be guest appearances by Psylocke, Mr. Sinister, Wolverine, Domino and Cable. Arclight, Blockbuster and Vertigo will also be making appearances. Check out their fact sheets.
Remember that bouncy house in the one trailer? It turns out there is a reason for it. And you get to be the one to inflate it. There's a lot to see here. Hopefully, knowing Deadpool, there won't be too much to see.
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