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LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 (PS4) Review
Developer: TT Games
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action-Adventure / Platformer / Puzzle
Release: 2017
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 takes the successful formula of the original LEGO Marvel Super Heroes and expands it dramatically. This time, the Marvel universe is thrown together through time and space by Kang the Conqueror, creating the bizarre world of Chronopolis.
The result is a colourful and content-packed LEGO adventure featuring an enormous roster of Marvel characters, creative levels, puzzles, collectibles and a large open-world hub. While the basic LEGO formula is starting to show its age, the sheer amount of Marvel fan service and the variety of locations make this one of the more ambitious LEGO games on PS4.
Gameplay & Mechanics
At its core, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 retains the familiar LEGO formula.
Players smash objects, collect studs, defeat enemies, solve environmental puzzles and switch between characters to exploit their unique abilities.
The combat remains deliberately simple. Characters can punch, kick, use special abilities and perform combinations of attacks, but there isn't much mechanical depth. This is intentional, however, as the game is designed to be accessible to younger players while still providing enough variety to keep older players entertained.
The biggest strength is the character system.
Different heroes possess different abilities, meaning that progressing through levels often requires switching between characters. Spider-Man can use webs, Captain America can interact with certain objects, Doctor Strange can manipulate magical elements, Star-Lord can use his blasters and many other characters have their own specialised powers.
The enormous roster makes experimenting with characters one of the game's biggest pleasures.
Strengths
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Simple and accessible controls.
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Huge variety of character abilities.
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Switching characters keeps puzzles interesting.
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Combat is easy to learn.
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Environmental destruction remains satisfying.
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Plenty of collectibles encourage exploration.
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Excellent cooperative gameplay.
Weaknesses
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Combat is extremely easy.
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Boss battles can become unnecessarily long.
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Some puzzles are too simplistic.
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The sheer number of characters can make abilities difficult to remember.
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The core LEGO formula hasn't evolved dramatically.
Exploration & World Design
Chronopolis is the game's biggest new feature.
Kang has merged locations from different periods and alternate Marvel realities into one enormous world. This allows players to travel between places such as modern and futuristic New York, Asgard, Ancient Egypt, the Old West, Knowhere and other unusual Marvel locations.
The concept is excellent because it gives TT Games an excuse to throw virtually every corner of Marvel history into one world.
The hub contains numerous activities, including:
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Side missions
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Character unlocks
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Races
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Collectibles
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Gold Bricks
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Challenges
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Boss encounters
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Hidden areas
The different districts provide plenty of visual variety, and simply travelling around Chronopolis can be entertaining.
The main weakness is that the world can sometimes feel more like a collection of themed areas than a genuinely cohesive open world. Nevertheless, the sheer variety makes it enjoyable to explore.
Story & Themes
The story revolves around Kang the Conqueror, who has merged different worlds and timelines together to create Chronopolis.
The heroes must work together to stop him and restore the Marvel universe.
This gives the game a perfect excuse to bring together characters who would normally never appear alongside each other.
The story doesn't take itself seriously, and that's exactly what makes it work. There are plenty of jokes, references and ridiculous situations.
Kang is particularly entertaining as the villain, while the interactions between characters from completely different Marvel eras provide some of the game's funniest moments.
The story does occasionally become confusing because so many characters and locations are introduced. For younger players unfamiliar with Marvel history, some of the references will probably go unnoticed.
Nevertheless, the narrative provides an enjoyable framework for the gameplay.
Mission Design & Progression
The main campaign contains 20 story levels, each built around different groups of Marvel characters and locations.
This provides considerably more variety than simply following one team of heroes throughout the entire adventure.
Some missions are particularly memorable because of their unusual settings. The Noir-inspired sections, Asgardian battles and time-travel scenarios allow TT Games to experiment with different visual styles and gameplay mechanics.
The basic mission structure remains familiar:
Explore smash objects solve puzzles fight enemies unlock a new area repeat.
It works, but veteran LEGO players will recognise the formula immediately.
The boss fights are one of the weaker aspects. They often involve repeating the same sequence several times and can feel unnecessarily drawn out.
Final Verdict
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is a huge celebration of Marvel's history wrapped inside the familiar LEGO formula. Its greatest achievement is the sheer amount of content. With more than 200 characters, numerous Marvel locations, a large open-world hub and plenty of collectibles, there is an enormous amount for fans to discover.
Chronopolis is an especially clever concept. Combining different eras and universes allows the developers to create scenarios that would otherwise be impossible, while the huge character roster ensures that almost every Marvel fan will find several favourites to play.
The underlying gameplay is less impressive. Combat remains extremely basic, puzzles are rarely challenging and the formula is beginning to feel familiar after so many LEGO games. Some boss fights and side activities also become repetitive, while occasional technical problems take some of the polish away.
Even so, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 remains a highly entertaining family-friendly adventure. Its enormous roster, colourful world, accessible gameplay and excellent co-op make it particularly enjoyable for Marvel fans and younger players.
Score: 8/10
