Despite launching months after the blockbuster film, Avengers: Battle for Earth still captures a fair share of its entertainment value. The game’s based more on the comic-book universe than on the cinematic adaptation, with a plot that closely follows the Secret Invasion crossover from a few years back, in which shapeshifting alien Skrulls infiltrated the ranks of Earth’s crimefighters. The result is a wider slate of combatants for your tag-team battles — everyone from Avengers mainstays (Iron Man, Captain America) to popular characters (Spider-Man, Wolverine, Magneto) to Skrull versions of many heroes.
Onscreen indicators show your combat options at all times.Everyone’s rendered in colorful comic-book style, but where Battle for Earth really succeeds is in empowering players as superhumans using a simple array of Kinect-based movements. Expanding on the PowerUp Heroes engine, the game lets you unleash gamma ray–enhanced punches, fiery Phoenix blasts, and other vivid assaults by moving your arms and raising your knees. Much as you'll be mimicking the basic onscreen move diagrams, the combat does have some depth, thanks to counters and evasion maneuvers. And triggering an ultra move is a blast: you can shout an onscreen phrase to boost its power, and then toss a flurry of punches to seal the deal.
Though the game mostly works as advertised, occasional missed moves and finicky menus disappoint. So do the bare-bones campaign and limited array of fighting venues. But with bonus challenge stages, split-screen and online multiplayer, and local co-op beatdowns, this lively Kinect romp packs unexpected (but appreciated) staying power.
Villainous Skrull versions of heroes offer suitable opponents in the campaign.PUBLISHER: Ubisoft • DEVELOPER: Ubisoft Quebec • ESRB: Teen • MULTIPLAYER: 2 on Xbox Live, 2 in split-screen mode (versus), 2 on same screen (co-op) • ACHIEVEMENTS: Diverse • COST: $50 • RELEASE DATE: October 30, 2012
+ Accessible but empowering Kinect fighter.
+ Great comic-book look with many play options.
– Some missed motions and tricky menu navigation.
? How about Marvel vs. Ubisoft next, huh?
