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Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Update - New playable characters and sim missions DLC

By Ricardo Torres, GameSpotPosted Oct 15, 2009 5:00 pm PT

We get a look at some of the content in the new downloadable content pack from Activision and Vicarious Visions.

Now that Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 has been released into the wild and fans have plowed their way through both of the game's campaigns, it's likely that people are experiencing a need for some more things to do. Fortunately, Activision and developer Vicarious Visions have been thinking ahead. Albany-based Vicarious is currently putting the finishing touches on a sizable chunk of downloadable content that's set to give fans of the game more to do and more characters to do it with. The upcoming DLC pack is set to feature several new playable characters, made up of heroes and villains, and new simulator missions. We recently had the chance to try out some of the upcoming content and will be sharing our thoughts during the next two weeks. This week, we're talking Psylocke, Carnage, and two new sim missions: Balance and Insidious Alliance.

Hello, Psylocke!

X-Men fans will likely be very pleased at the addition of Psylocke to the roster. The psychic ninja's model looks great and is curvy in all the places fans will want it to be. Her default outfit is based on the iconic blue ninja outfit we all know and love, with some nice subtle touches and two-toed ninja shoes. Her alternate outfit is based on one of her more modern suits, which is a bummer since we were hoping for Lady Mandarin armor, but so it goes. Psylocke's powers are a nice mix of some of her classic powers and some ninja moves. Her katana lunge is a forward charge using her psychic knife. The butterfly kick is a short series of kicks. Psionic bolts are psi bolts that stun enemies. Finally, the triple strike is a series of three slashes. We've tried a few of her fusions with different characters and are pretty pleased by how she fits in to the mix of powers. What we've seen skews more toward clearing and guided fusions, which are handy.

Spider-Man fans should be cool with the inclusion of Carnage to the roster of villains in MUA2. You can never have enough crazy symbiote-powered nutjobs in your baddie options. The twisted villain comes rocking his classic black and red gooey costume, which makes an unsettling squishing sound as he moves. We didn't get a look at his alternate outfit, but we reckon it will be equally freaky. In terms of powers, Carnage doesn't overlap too much with Venom. Lunatic lunge is a handy charge that sends him barreling into foes, biting everyone along the way. Symbiote surprise shoots out tendrils to impale anything around him, and you can extend them by mashing the B button. Berserk blade keeps it simple and has him toss a massive axe at his foes. Finally, slice 'n dice hacks up nearby foes with blades. Carnage's fusions share some similarities with Venom's, but they do differ a bit.

Fact: Psylocke is a distant relative of the neurotic Pokemon, Psyduck. Or not.

The two sim missions stick to what's fun about the game: beating things up. Balance is a fun challenge that has you moving to keep ahead of an energy wave. The catch is that you can't get too far ahead due to an energy wall directly ahead of you that is positioned a set distance away from the advancing wall, essentially boxing you in. You'll have to deal with enemies that drop in as well as random obstacles like doors, which you'll have to bash down. As in all the sim missions, things get nuts the longer you last, with more challenging enemies getting dropped in. Insidious Alliance is a good timed challenge that plays out like a survival mode with midbosses. You'll face a who's who of all the heroes and villains you took on in both campaigns. As you clear each wave, you'll have a breather to break open some crates and restore what health you can. If you manage to make it to the end, you get to face Carnage, which is as hard as you'd expect a battle against a symbiote sociopath to be. Thankfully you'll be rewarded for your efforts with new boosts. In addition, the DLC pack will let you earn new achievement points or trophies, depending on your platform of choice.

If all this sounds good to you, just wait until you hear about the other stuff Vicarious is tossing into the upcoming DLC. The content is set to hit before the end of the year. Check back on November 4 for more word on what's coming in the DLC.

134 Comments

  • Human-Pheonix

    Posted Nov 9, 2009 5:51 pm PT

    Will Someone tell me how to get Juggernaut? I already Downloaded him but I can't seem to get it. Do I play the game again Unlock the Hulk What?

  • Human-Pheonix

    Posted Nov 9, 2009 5:47 pm PT

    Sweet they have The Smoking Hot Psylocke. Now if they only add ALL the Hotties of the Marvel Universe. Especailly Rouge and Emma Frost.

  • pkujulo2

    Posted Nov 8, 2009 2:16 pm PT

    issizots, I don't have a problem with paying for DLC, but $10 is just too greedy.

  • issizots

    Posted Nov 5, 2009 7:28 pm PT

    I TOTALLY agree with you @VandymanNKU, people ALWAYS whine about stuff. they forget that it COSTS the developers time and money to develope new DLC content so ofcourse they HAVE to charge.

  • issizots

    Posted Nov 5, 2009 6:46 pm PT

    Even though I really am glad the DLC is out I am alittle dissapointed that it's $10.00. I would have been more than happy to pay $5.00 for it for only 5 characters and ONLY two simulator missions inwhich they could had easily added more since it seems the simulator missions take place ni the same room unLIKE the first where you got to have different environments and it was just OVERALL more entertaining. I support DLC to the max and being we're at this phase of internet gaming people who want DLC have no right to whine, even if the price is a bit steep, I thought it was but i'm NOT complaining and i just bought it. i prolly won't get to the game until Im taking a break on dragon age lol cuz i just started that game and for the LIFE OF ME everytime i tried to play it the past 2 nights i've been too tired to hold my eyes open to even play. So the hour i've actaully played as my human commoner warrior i'll catch up on tonight. If my friend does get this DLC add on then i'll pop it in and play coop with him but if not ill just wait. I also thought this DLC was going to ADD more trophies to the game? I looked at my trophy list before I downloaded and it said it has 51 trophies and after installation of new dlc it STILL has 51 so i guess and HOPEFULLY they won't stop here with dlc i hope they make MORE dlc that hopefully will add OMEGA RED!!

  • issizots

    Posted Nov 5, 2009 6:46 pm PT

    and MR Sinister, maybe even apacolypse himself! Even though he's the uLTIMATE BAD AZZ they could alter him weaker due to something that coulda happened to make him more vulnerable so he can atleast die lol. Also a great Sim mission where you fight sintinels would be SO GREAT, and be that add new Aerial fusions and possible sentinel specific fusions due to the sentinels SUPER toughness. But get the sim mission OUt of that retarted small weapon x like room or nut house padded wall room(lol) and add the sentinel Sim Mission in the City of even multiple game levels where you can climb the buildings to fight the sentinels hands/head where before you climb you take out his feet, and when you're on top of the building do an aerial fusion specific ONLY for sentinels for each hero/villian. Would ALSO be GREAT if they had a HeroVSVillian royal rumble to give you ultimate rewards for each character you win with, maybe a new power/fusion specific or even another costume(inwhich i would disagree for that weak of n award. Also Cyplops is in the PS2/WII/PSP version of the game but not in the ps3/360 versions, i'd rather see nightcrawler/Mistique before cyclops anyway due to nightcrawlers abilities to teleport(which lack in this game) and Mistique for her support for magneto and his army of bad villians. ANyways i'm going to run, have fun with the new dlc, and message me if any ofyou hear about new trophys for the game on ps3.. thanks....

  • Hizakii

    Posted Oct 31, 2009 11:48 am PT

    yes carnage! please add ghost rider. buying dlc for a game u like means you also support the team who developed the game you bought in the first place so why not.

  • VandymanNKU

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 2:19 pm PT

    Right there with ya Barighm, people just like to cry. If a game doesn't do DLC; people whine. If they do DLC, people whine. So lets boycott everything. Why don't we demand that GTA, Fallout, and Rockband give away their DLC free too. Everyone wanted online gaming, well welcome to the future it brings with it. It is what it is. If you didn't like the game or are cheap then don't buy it. I liked the game, and I like Carnage and Cable so I'll prolly get it. Got my fingers crossed that add Cyclops too. So child please.

  • mad_marvy

    Posted Oct 27, 2009 9:02 am PT

    This game is shaping up to be quite cool, I hope they release more DLC for this in the future with more characters like Punisher, Namor, Emma Frost, Spiderwoman & Vision (more avenger & x-men characters basically) They don't want to admit they have rushed the game but at least they want to extend it and keep people happy!

  • lloydbanks2004

    Posted Oct 27, 2009 3:19 am PT

    how do u get carnage cable and psylocke?

  • Barighm

    Posted Oct 26, 2009 12:25 pm PT

    *sigh* People complain when developers don't announce any plans for DLC at launch, then they complain the DLC should have been included in the final product if they do announce plans for DLC at launch. They just can't win.
    Stop judging this DLC. We don't even know all of its new features yet. This article only reveals a small portion of the new DLC. Wait for the whole reveal before complaining plz.

  • bnolan25

    Posted Oct 25, 2009 7:31 am PT

    I just hope they put in Colossus and Cyclops

  • JazhS04

    Posted Oct 25, 2009 7:02 am PT

    That's business. They release the game in september and release dlc just a few months later of course to make more money. They should have put these dlc content and characters in the game which was released in september, that would've been fair. but it's just about money you know. they will release even more dlc packs each of them will cost 9.99 bucks i think then you play the characters and after a few hours you have enough of the new characters.

  • reddo123456789

    Posted Oct 24, 2009 8:20 pm PT

    whats gonna happen if you don't pay for dlc?? you think they're just gonna go 'you know what, you are all totally right. here have all the free dlc you want'. you're all dreamin, you can't fight the power. if they're not gonna get paid for developing new content, hey big surprise, they won't develop new content. boycott it til you turn blue in the face, it won't change a thing. i like dlc, i will continue to buy it. i'm just spewin it gonna cost me twice the amount to get it than most of you. and you're still complainin. weak america, real weak.

  • DFen

    Posted Oct 24, 2009 2:53 am PT

    well part 1 of this game was fun and Im guessing this one is even more fun of course, why it got a 7.5 ?

  • Neo_Geno

    Posted Oct 23, 2009 10:21 pm PT

    Welcome to the world of economics.

    If you don't like it, that's your problem.

  • Misfit1119

    Posted Oct 23, 2009 1:33 pm PT

    beak1313: No such luck. You know it's going to be at least 5 bucks for a faster but somewhat weaker Venom and yet ANOTHER X-Man. You're basically buying it for the trophies. And Psylocke sounds like she's going to have some overlap with Deadpool which is annoying.

    @Bloodnumber: preach to the masses brother! Teach them of the stupidity of "if you don't like it don't buy it"! Break the fanboys!

  • beak1313

    Posted Oct 21, 2009 1:56 pm PT

    I just hope this is free!! So we can all get it and not have to dish out extra money for it. Its like buying a hot dog at the hot dog stand and then you have to pay for mustard too. It really grinds my gears!

  • ronedaddy

    Posted Oct 20, 2009 6:06 pm PT

    yo bloodnumber i swear i got ya back on this one

  • Exclusive_

    Posted Oct 20, 2009 4:50 pm PT

    bloodnumber if nobody hears you lord know i do.

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