Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

Locales

Epic superhero adventures require you to leave the planet at least once, tackle some aliens and invade someone's headquarters. Both games fulfill these requisites, but one game's presentation is much greater than the other's.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance: You get to explore a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, Atlantis, Asgard, Hell, a Shi'Ar spaceship, a city on the moon, the Skrull homeworld and more. More importantly, the levels in the game feel unique. Yes, you're running around in a bunch of interconnected rooms filled with breakable objects and minions, but the game's artists have done a great job at making you feel like you're actually somewhere.

Justice League Heroes: You get to Gorilla City, Mars, the Justice League satellite, an alternate universe and more. Unfortunately, it just feels like you're running around in a bunch of interconnected rooms filled with breakable objects and minions. The levels feel like they were ripped out of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and simply painted over. There's one horribly designed level with Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter that's pretty much a box with randomly spawning enemies. Hello lazy!

The Winner: Justice League Heroes deserves to lose this one just for that crap Green Lantern/Martian Manhunter level. Unfortunately for that game, Marvel Ultimate Alliance just does a superb job at making each location feel special. If you want to go places and see new and exciting things, make yours Marvel.