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Justice League Heroes is also more streamlined than the Flash's red tights. So there's rarely anything that keeps you away from pummeling these purveyors of pure putridness. Save points work automatically as you walk up to them, and save right as you keep on playing. Cut-scenes are quick but effective, adding flavor to this comic book yarn, while providing a motive and goal for the adventure. Leveling up is nothing more than a matter of choosing which abilities you want to increase, with the future effects all laid out for you. And best of all, there isn't a backpack full of equipment to lug around. That's been replaced with various orbs, that can upgrade the range, damage, and efficiency of a hero's talents, which can even be combined to form more powerful orbs. Speaking of collecting, there are a number of shields scattered around each map, which can be used to purchase additional characters and alternate outfits, though the latter only have a very minor effect on the hero's stats.
With a running time of ten to fifteen hours, depending on chosen difficulty and player skill, some might find Justice League a bit short, but it's done in a way that doesn't overstay its welcome, and remains fun through a second play at a higher difficulty, especially when you get to keep all your progress and unlocked characters. Yet the game's commits two big sins in regards to replay value. The first is for half the game which heroes you play are chosen for you, even during a replay. This is because they tie into the cut-scenes that follow, but I say screw continuity, and let me play through the whole game with Hawkgirl, because that would have been more fun. Another and larger sin is there really isn't that many heroes to choose from. You've got the original seven, three unique unlockable characters, and three clones that aren't worth the time it takes to upgrade. The ability to replay individual stages or bonus areas would have helped, but that's another thing JLH is lacking.
If you're lacking a friend, you're bound to have a harder time with it. The ally AI is serviceable in most fights, but completely falls apart in difficult spots, using inappropriate attacks and abilities while getting smacked around by the enemy, and it only gets worse during bosses. The boss fights themselves tend to be a bit on the dull side, and wouldn't be much of a challenge if they didn't all have an ability to send you crashing into a wall when you got too fresh. Since I'm descending into the realms of nitpickery here, a few of the environments are oddly designed with very narrow corridors and turns that makes it almost impossible to see enemies or your heroes, leaving you fighting blind while adjusting the slow turning camera. There are also a little too many secret lairs.
With a friend and high difficulty setting, this game is an absolute blast, with fun powers and real challenges that'll often leave you a hair away from death. Yet with save points never too far away, it never becomes too frustrating, and the lower difficulties mean that kids can take up the role of Superman and smash everything in sight without having to worry too much about the consequences. A couple of extra powers, a few more heroes, and the ability to change characters at any save point would have made Justice League Heroes a comic fan's dream game. As it is, it still has that "one more time" feeling after the end credits roll. |
