Reviews

Captain America, The Hulk and more join the fight

Last year, Disney Interactive introduced its own take on the Skylanders franchise with Disney Infinity, collectively bringing together various franchises into a playable universe that gamers of all ages could enjoy. This year, the company decided to one-up this formula by including elements from the Marvel universe for Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes. Does this addition make the game better overall? Despite a few setbacks, yes.

The initial Starter Pack comes with the Avengers play set, which takes place in a snowy New York City, where Loki has set up shop with a series of snow beasts terrorising the populace. Iron Man, Thor and Black Widow figurines come bundled with the purchase, and secondary characters like The Incredible Hulk and Captain America (sold separately) add extra value because they all play differently.

Captain America, for example, performs better with ground combat, throwing around his shield and putting together combos, while Iron Man effectively works better flying around, shooting enemies from afar before moving in for the final blow.

Room for expansion

Along with the initial play set, two others from the Marvel universe are available for Disney Infinity 2.0 Guardians of the Galaxy is a must own, taking Star-Lord, Gamora and other characters through the Knowhere realm battling intergalactic forces while completing missions. Spider-Man's play set, which comes with the web-slinger and his ally Nova, is also noteworthy, as you swing through New York while opening up new areas.

The only downside? Some of these play areas are a bit limited. While staying above ground does Spidey some good, a majority of his missions take place underground, eliminating the option to fly around. That said, you're still able to free-roam and look for additional items, like toys for the Toy Box mode.

Out of the three, Guardians offers the most value, although each play pack has its fair share of issues when it comes to mission variety. For the most part, you beat up bad guys or protect key targets throughout the entire experience. However, this results in the introduction of secondary characters in the universe that fans will appreciate, such as Ms. Marvel and other oddities.

Finally, with each hero you progress through the story with, you can unlock new abilities through the Skill Tree. There are a minimum of 20 new features to unlock per character, including increased jump capability, better powers and even stronger techniques to pound enemies into oblivion. This adds some great replay value, especially if you have a second player along for the ride.

Build your own Toy Box

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes comes with Toy Box 2.0, featuring bigger worlds to create custom levels. Toy Box remains an essential part of the game, as you can build at will using items unlocked in the single player campaign, whether you pick up capsules over the course of the journey or hit the shop to purchase items using earned experience points.

While Toy Box is often a grind for those lacking creativity, there's something refreshing about building. Furthermore, the ability to share it online and see what others created within the same universe is a treat, as it gives you new opportunities to explore outside from the in-game campaign.

In addition to making levels at your leisure, you can call upon secondary characters to build right alongside you. These little munchkin-like figures pack a punch, able to create a house or a similar building in a matter of seconds. It's best to get a league of them together and let them go to work.

Not a huge upgrade, but still noteworthy

While Disney Infinity 2.0 doesn't quite go to the next level over the original’s design, Avalanche Software created a fun little universe for the Marvel squad, as well as the other Disney characters entering the fray (including Donald Duck and Maleficent). The graphics are cartoon-like and fun to watch, especially when you've got Rocket Raccoon unleashing his furry havoc on Knowhere's evildoers.

The sound is equally good, but not great. The background music is mostly forgettable, and Guardians takes a small step back without a classic 70s soundtrack to back it up. Still, the voice work is fun to listen to (especially with Spider-Man and his squad), and the sound effects deliver.

To infinity and beyond

While Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes doesn't reinvent the mold, it provides a comfortable fit for the Marvel universe. Both comic book and video game fans will find something to like, whether playing around in a pre-built worlds or creating on their own. This franchise continues to flourish with a few good heroes (and villains), and who knows where it could go from here? Perhaps Star Wars in 2015.

GAME's Verdict: 8/10

The Good

• A variety of familiar heroes and villains to choose from.
• Colourful visuals prove that the Marvel universe fits into the Disney Infinity mold.
• Toy Box and the Skill Tree go a long way to adding value.

The Bad

• Repetitive missions drag down the fun.
• Music is somewhat lacking, especially with the Guardians play set.
• Devoted Toy Box levels take time to build.