Snes Central: X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse

X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse

Review by GoDSmurF

When great comics are transferred into video games, it was most often that something was lost along the process. X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, however, captured the very essence of what made Stan Lee's master series so compelling, so action packed, and so full of drama. As the background story, the government in an attempt to control the mutant population, sent countless soldiers, sentinels, to crush any attempt at rebellion. You have the choice of Wolverine, Beast, Gambit, Cyclops, and Psylock. The story progresses along as they encounter far more sinister villains from the X-men universe. It is up to you to control the X-Men to thwart any attempt made at harming the mutant and human kind alike.

Graphics: 10/10

The graphics are nothing short of outstanding for the SNES. The animation is superb, the characters are accurately drawn. The between-level cinemas flesh out the story quite nicely. From the moment you see Wolverine slash his adamantium claws in to the enemies' chests to the moment you see Cyclops focuses his optical energy and blast away at the enemy, your jaws will be dropped as each frame of animation is simply done in amazing detail. There is only a tiny complaint. The face of Psylock was not very clear. But that alone does not warrant any point knocked off at all. The background is also very well presented with colorful palletes. To be the most impressed, you simply have to be a fan of the X-Men universe to appreciate the tiny details present in the game.

Sound & Music: 9/10

If there is anything worth complaining about, it's the lack of voice-over for certain climaxes of the game. Imagine how much drama it would add to hear Apocalypse's sinister laugh as Professor Xavier worries over the impending battles. Other than that, the music is very good as it sets appropriate mood for different parts of the game. Even during levels the music would change. For example, the music would be slow paced as you walk through a deserted mine, but the minute you notice something is wrong, an "escape music" would kick in as you struggle to jump up to each platform before the lava melts your feet. The explosions could use a little better sound though.

Gameplay/Fun Factor: 10/10

Despite what everyone says about how tiresome it is to throw the directional pad and then push a button to perform a special move, it simply works like a wonder in here. The control is very responsive, almost frame-exact. The variety of special moves are standard like Street Fighter II. Each character comes equipped with about 3 to 5 special moves. The variety of ways you have to try to beat the bosses are simply endless. *Warning, Spoilers ahead* For example, when you try to fight Apocalypse, you simply can not attack him in anyway with a melee combatant such as Wolverine, Beast, or Psylock. His spikes are simply too long for you to get close enough to do any damage at all. Then there's Juggernaut, where you absolutely have to get close to him in order to unleash your most effective moves. *Spoiler over*. Overall gameplay is even better than some of the 3D adventure fighting games such as Perfect Weapon and Fighting Force. The password save is simple yet effective.

Conclusion/Overall: 8.5/10

Have everything said, something is still "not there". Yes you have endless swarms of enemies. Yes you have an excellent gameplay. However, it just did not create an environment for which I could immerse myself in to. Yes it's a very fun game, but it's very easy. This game is for moderate gamers at most. Seasoned fighting veterans would probably find this cart fun for a weekend spin. But if you're looking for a fun time, this cart would definitely be it. But just don't expect this game to be too hard after you get used to the controls. In fact, it is easier to die from falling off a ledge than to be actually killed by enemies. Still, this is a must-play for anyone who hasn't played it yet.