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Activision’s latest mutant-fill adventure has been released for Gamecube, PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox, which version is best? Raven Software did a great job with the game even though X-Men Legends II doesn’t stray far from the formula established by the first game The game is certainly compelling, but which platform plays it best?
The story and gameplay of X-Men Legends II is essentially the same for all of the versions. You’re still paired up with some key members of the X-Men (Wolverine, Cyclops and Storm) and their formal rivals, the Brotherhood (Magneto, Mystique and Sabertooth). The gameplay is nearly identical between all three versions. The PC does have the advantage of having 17 characters to start, compared to only 15 for the console versions. These characters have a number of different moves ranging from traps, melee and projectile in addition to a special skill unique to each character. Otherwise, the game is the same.
In terms of modes offered, the Xbox and PlayStation 2 versions benefit by offering both offline and online multiplayer. The three console versions allow for four-player cooperative multiplayer. Though the PC version doesn’t have an offline cooperative mode, it does support online multiplayer along with the Xbox and PlayStation 2 versions of the game. We noticed a bit of lag with the PlayStation 2 version, but nothing too distracting.
As expected, the PC version of the game looks sharper than any of the console versions. The Xbox version follows because of 720p. The high-resolution widescreen allows you to view more of the stage and simply makes everything look sharper. Differences are negligible between the Gamecube and PlayStation 2 versions of the game, though the Gamecube version looks a bit more blurry. This is offset, however, by the shorter loading times. It is especially bad on PlayStation 2 since you need to wait through a loading screen to check status and another to go back into the game.
The Xbox’s sound is insignificantly better thanks to the Dolby Digital support. The Gamecube and PlayStation 2 both support Dolby Pro Logic II, which is more than up to the job.
Overall, we’re going to recommend the PC version as the best version of the game. Though it doesn’t have offline multiplayer, this is offset by the sharper visuals and additional characters. Between the three console versions, the Xbox is undoubtedly the best thanks to the relatively sharper visuals (especially if you have a HD-TV) and somewhat crisper sound.
-- Edited by Jose Liz -- Jake Wilson, PGNx Media
---- Sep 24, 2005 Screenshots
    
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