Justice League Heroes delivers the solid, fun gameplay that most superhero games have been lacking up until now.
Why: For some reason, unknown to everyone, video games seem to have lost their 'fun' element. As of late, many gamers have begun to notice the definite loss of this very important element to gaming. So, it is no surprise, that when Justice League Heroes was announced as 'in development', many people (especially those used to the superhero-video-game-genre's history) were sceptical, to say the least, as to whether or not the game would deliver. But what is it that people want in a superhero game? Surely it depends on who you ask, but this reviewer wants action, a good story, and the feeling that you are controlling the superheroes and not video game characters that go by the same name and look as the real-life counterparts. In fact, I'd say that most superhero games up until now have been simple cash-ins on the fact that public interest in superheroes has risen as of late. With the exception of Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, and a few batman games, most gamers have been disappointed.
But enough of all that, what is it that makes this particular game so good? To start off, this game is a dungeon-crawler style RPG. Basically, you go through each level, kill the various enemies, and eventually get to the final boss. The levels progress the story and are quite interesting, some of which have quite a bit of objects that you can pick up and use to your advantage such as cars, tables, chairs, jeeps, and pillars to name a few. Depending on what superhero you control, you may or may not be able to use these weapons. So, if you're Superman you can expect to lift trucks whereas if you're Zatanna, you may only be able to pick up smaller objects like bikes and desks. All in all, the game makes good use of the superheroes strengths and weaknesses and allows you to fully customize them, which is a nice touch. Each character has five super powers, along with a heal, energy, health/energy recovery, and combat stats that can be upgraded up to the fifth level. Each level can be even more improved by slotting a boost, which can be found throughout the game from fallen enemies, and can reach a maximum of level 7. These boosts allow you to take the idea of superhero to a whole new level. When you upgrade Superman's heat vision with five level seven damage boosts, you'll see what I mean.
The storyline in the game is quite intriguing and the cinematics are done quite well. One thing that would have benefited this game would be to have the characters look and sound like they did in the TV series. Though I'm not entirely certain that the game is based on the TV show.
Another downside of this game is that you do not get to pick your character for the first half of the levels, which is a drag. However, the latter levels more than make up for it in my opinion. One thing that could have helped the game in this area would be if it allowed you to choose any character you wished for any level after you've beaten the game, but, sadly, this is not the case.
Overall, Justice League Heroes is a brilliantly designed game that incorporates RPG and action adventure elements quite well, and produces a game that is well worth playing over again even after you've beat it.
Graphics: 8
Why: The graphics in Justice League Heroes are done very well. In fact, since the game is, in essence, a comic, the graphics are, in my opinion, as good as they need to be. Granted they are not as good as the Xbox has to offer, but they are all the game needs to be convincing.
Sound: 7
Why: The one main problem with the sound value in Justice League Heroes is the fact that the character's voices are not done by the same voice actors as the television series. Other than that the sound effects and music all sound exceptionally well, and the music score fits fantastically with the theme of the game.
Value: 10
Why: This game is a true work of art, despite it's drawbacks. It's fun, and it puts a unique emphasis on customization that works well for a superheroes game. It was a long shot, but in the end Snowblind made it work very well. If you want Batman to be stronger than Superman, you can do it. Freedom like that is important in any game.
Reviewer's Tilt: 10
Why: Justice League Heroes is one of my top ten favorites. It brings fun back to video games. I can play through it over and over and never get tired of it. It’s living proof that games don't need alot of fancy extras, they just need a good story and good gameplay. I love the inclusion of the stats system, I think it really allows you to be creative and make these characters as powerful as you want them to be, and the game has enough replayability to keep you going long after the 10 hour long story-mode is done thanks to the unlockable characters and costumes.