Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is a 2006 action role-playing game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. Ultimate Alliance is set within the fictional Marvel Universe and features many of the superheroes, supervillains, and supporting characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. It shares many similarities with Raven Software's previous Marvel titles, X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, in that it allows players to select from its vast cast to create the ultimate superhero team. The game features an original plot in which the heroes of the Marvel Universe must join forces to defeat Doctor Doom and his Masters of Evil and foil their plans for global domination.
The PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360 versions (developed solely by Raven Software) were released on October 24, 2006. Additional versions for PlayStation Portable (ported by Vicarious Visions) and Microsoft Windows (ported by Beenox) were released on the same day, as well as a distinctly different Game Boy Advance version, developed by Barking Lizards Technologies. Shortly thereafter, Ultimate Alliance was released as a launch title for both the PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles in November 2006, the latter ported by Vicarious Visions; the PlayStation 3 version was one of three launch games for the system (along with NBA 07 and Ridge Racer 7) to run at 1080p resolution.
Upon release, the game was met with largely positive reviews from critics, who praised its simple but entertaining gameplay, and its impressive selection of Marvel characters. A sequel, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, was developed for multiple platforms by Vicarious Visions, n-Space and Savage Entertainment and released in 2009. A third game, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, was developed by Koei Tecmo's Team Ninja and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch in 2019. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance was re-released in 2016, ported by Zoë Mode, on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Gameplay Consoles, PC and PSP
Like the X-Men Legends series, Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game and retains much of the same gameplay and combat. However, some of the role-playing elements have been simplified. Character powers can still be upgraded as the characters gain experience points, but there are fewer powers compared to X-Men Legends II, and the game now defaults to automatically upgrading them. Character stats are only upgraded automatically.
All of the main versions of the game allow the players to select a team of four characters from a roster of at least 23 playable characters. Some characters from the base roster are not initially available and need to be unlocked, and certain consoles feature additional exclusive characters. Players can create their own superhero teams or recreate famous teams from the comics. Bonuses are also available if forming certain groups (e.g. the Avengers, Defenders, Fantastic Four, Marvel Knights, or X-Men).
All versions of the game (except for PSP) feature local multiplayer with up to four players playing at once, and many contain online multiplayer as well. The game has multiple possible endings depending on which optional missions the player completes. Throughout the story, the player can play trivia and collect concept artwork and "simulator discs", which unlock additional comic book missions that take place outside of the story.
Each character also has four alternate costumes that offer different bonuses. The bonuses can also be leveled up using the in-game currency. The initial costume is unlocked from the beginning of the game, while the latter three costumes must be unlocked through specific conditions. Certain costumes change the character's appearance to resemble other characters who have held that mantle in the Marvel Universe, including Iron Man as War Machine, Thor as Beta Ray Bill, Spider-Woman as Spider-Girl and Julia Carpenter from Secret Wars, Ghost Rider as Phantom Rider, and Ms. Marvel as Sharon Ventura.
Console-specific differences Visually, the versions of the game can be broadly classified into last-gen (PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii, and Xbox) and next-gen graphics (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and re-releases). The last-gen graphics are more simplified, lacking complex lighting and using less detailed character models. The next-gen graphics are improved for the more powerful consoles and feature more detailed character models and advanced lighting.
The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game feature the base roster of 23 characters, with no additional content. Colossus and Moon Knight are not found in these versions of the game, but it is possible to play as them through a glitch. In August 2007, the PlayStation 2 version was re-released under Sony's Greatest Hits brand; it contained a bonus DVD with a making-of featurette.
The Wii version features the use of the Wii's motion controls for combat. It has no online play. Like the next-gen versions of the game, it includes Colossus and Moon Knight on the roster, as well as the five additional comic book missions.
The PSP version of the game includes four additional characters: Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Hawkeye, and Ronin. There are several additional unique features, including six exclusive comic book missions (one of which contains Swordsman), an exclusive prequel mission, and three additional single-player gameplay modes. There is also microphone support (voice chat) for online play, as well as online-recordable player statistics.
The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions initially released with identical content. Both included Colossus and Moon Knight on the roster, as well as five additional comic book missions. On April 26, 2007, Activision released eight additional downloadable characters for the Xbox 360 version via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. This consisted of two packs: A Hero Pack, which included Cyclops, Hawkeye, the Hulk, and Nightcrawler, and a Villain Pack, which included Doctor Doom, Magneto, Sabretooth, and Venom. Both packs were also available in a bundle pack, which added 12 new achievements to the game. In May 2007, the DLC content was bundled with the base Xbox 360 version and released as the Gold Edition. In September 2007, the Special Edition version was released, which includes all elements of the Gold Edition and a bonus DVD. This was included in the Platinum Hits list for the Xbox 360. As of December 2009, the DLC was removed from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace by Activision, meaning that the only way to play as the downloadable characters was to purchase the Gold Edition or the Special Edition/Platinum Hits version. The Xbox 360 Games on Demand version bundles the game with all previously downloadable content.
The PC version of the game only contains the base roster of 23 characters, and it lacks the characters and missions that come with the other next-gen versions. The graphics are also customizable; while the graphics are virtually identical to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, the advanced lighting settings can be altered or turned off per the user's preference. The PC version features customizable controls, which includes "intiuitive mouse controls" and support for a gamepad. The missing console-exclusive characters and missions, as well as a large list of custom characters and other modifications, can be obtained from community sites to be used in the game.
The re-released versions of the game on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows via Steam are based on the Xbox 360 version of the game. Initially, these versions only contained the base roster and missions found in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. On August 30, 2016, an update was released for all three versions which contained the eight downloadable characters and exclusive missions, bringing the re-release more in line with the Xbox 360 Gold Edition.
Game Boy Advance The Game Boy Advance version of Ultimate Alliance features significant differences from the other console versions. Most notably, the basic gameplay takes the form of a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up game with minor RPG elements, such as the ability to alter the player characters' stats. The graphics are simplified for this system and the selection of characters has also been reduced. Some additional gameplay modes were added to this version of the game including a S.H.I.E.L.D. Simulator, Time Challenges, Scavenger Hunts, and a Survival mode. Teams for this port consist of three characters and a non-playable fourth character called a "striker", who can be summoned to perform a powerful attack directed toward on-screen enemies.
Plot After Doctor Doom and the Masters of Evil attack the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Nick Fury sends a distress call to all available superheroes for assistance. Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, and Wolverine respond to the call and save the Helicarrier from Ultron sentries led by Fin Fang Foom. Fury is given permission to start a task force to confront the Masters of Evil and Iron Man allows them to use Stark Tower as their headquarters.Nick Fury: I've been empowered by S.H.I.E.L.D. to create a task force to stop the Masters of Evil.
Fury asks the heroes to investigate a message received from Dum Dum Dugan on the Omega Base, a S.H.I.E.L.D. mobile research facility. The team defeats supervillains MODOK, Crimson Dynamo, and Mysterio as well as A.I.M. agents and failed Super Soldier experiments to prevent the Omega Base from crashing into a dam and launching several gamma bombs.
With their mission successful, the heroes travel to Atlantis, where Attuma has usurped Namor and taken control of the Atlanteans' minds.Captain America: Namorita sent a message saying a riot's taking place. A crowd broke into the throne room of Atlantis and dragged Namor off his throne. With the help of nano-technology that enables them to breathe and move freely underwater, the heroes fight the mind-controlled Atlanteans, destroy the towers which are guarded by Krang and Byrrah, rescue Namor, and defeat Attuma and Tiger Shark. After defeating Attuma, the heroes encounter Mandarin, who unleashes the Kraken on them. The team defeats the Kraken by toppling pillars on it.
The heroes travel to the Valley of Spirits to confront Mandarin in his palace. After his defeat, Mandarin reveals that he attempted to take command of the Masters of Evil and, upon failing, left the group. He suggests that the Mandarin they saw in the catacombs was actually Loki, Thor's adoptive brother and the god of mischief.Mandarin: Most likely it was that pompous Loki. He has the ability to shapeshift.
Upon returning to base, the team learns that Nightcrawler and Jean Grey have been kidnapped as well as Senator Robert Kelly. Due to the involvement of mystical forces, Fury has the team relocated to the Sanctum Sanctorum, offered as a temporary headquarters by Doctor Strange. Professor X tracks Nightcrawler to Castle Doom. Upon trying to transport the heroes there, they are sent to Murderworld by Baron Mordo. After defeating a mind-controlled Jean, Rhino, and Shocker, the heroes battle a mech piloted by Arcade.
Victorious, the heroes learn that Doom has used Nightcrawler to access Mephisto's realm.Elektra: Why is Nightcrawler in Mephisto's realm? Nick Fury: Dr. Doom somehow forced him to teleport a group of them to that dimension. Upon arriving, minions of Mephisto kidnap Jean Grey and Nightcrawler. Mephisto's son Blackheart puts the two in cages above the Infinity Vortex, stating one must be saved and the other sacrificed. During their battle with Mephisto, the sacrificed hero is resurrected by Mephisto and placed under his control. As a final effort, the resurrected hero sacrifices their life to defeat Mephisto and allow the team to escape.