Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order Review

Genre: Action Role-Playing | Developer: Team Ninja | Release Date: 2019

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is the third installment in the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series and follows superheroes who come together to save the universe from Thanos and the Black Order, who have launched a campaign to find the six Infinity Gems.

Campaign:

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order takes players on an epic quest to secure the Infinity Stones before Thanos and his forces can claim them. While the core premise is familiar to fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the game's narrative manages to be an engaging ride full of twists and surprises. Numerous heroes and villains are involved, each with their own motivations, which keeps the story dynamic and prevents it from becoming stale. The interactions between characters add emotional depth, making the missions feel more personal rather than just another series of battles. Seeing heroes react to different situations allows their personalities to shine, making the experience more immersive. 

However, despite how enjoyable the campaign is, it suffers from being too linear. A more choice-driven approach, similar to Dragon Age: Inquisition, would have elevated the war-like atmosphere and added player agency. Additionally, forcing players to commit to a specific team for entire missions would have enhanced the strategic aspect, requiring more thought in team selection. Despite these issues, the story’s direction and character development are well-executed, keeping players invested in the journey. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Gameplay:

The gameplay is straightforward, repetitive beat-em-up action, and it fully embraces that. The combat is fast-paced and enjoyable, offering a variety of characters with unique abilities. Leveling up individual characters ensures players commit to their favorites while still providing a wealth of options. The Synergy Attacks, which allow characters to chain their abilities together, add another layer of strategy, though they aren't as impressive as the Fusion Attacks from previous entries. The AI is surprisingly competent, often reviving teammates and engaging in combat intelligently. Enhancing characters with Isotope Crystals offers additional depth, allowing players to tweak stats based on individual playstyles. 

The game also boasts immense replayability, with the Infinity trials providing a wealth of challenges and unlockable content, including additional characters, costumes, and upgrade materials. The difficulty scaling ensures a rewarding experience, especially when replaying on higher settings. However, the lack of meaningful customization is disappointing. Many costumes are simple recolors, and with only four special moves per character, experimentation feels limited. While multiplayer wasn't tested for this review, the core gameplay remains solid, addictive, and full of content to keep players engaged. 

Rating: 5 out of 5

Production:

From a visual standpoint, it's the best-looking entry in the series. The cutscenes are well-designed and polished, delivering strong character interactions that enhance the overall storytelling. While heavily influenced by the MCU, the character models and designs still offer enough originality to be appealing, even if not universally loved. The level designs are diverse and memorable, successfully capturing the essence of locations like Stark Tower, Wakanda, and the Dark Dimension. Unfortunately, the camera system can be problematic, occasionally zooming in too much or failing to track the action properly. 

The voice performances are a highlight, with most actors delivering solid interpretations of their characters, making conversations and interactions enjoyable. The music, while fitting for the action-packed nature of the game, isn't particularly memorable. However, the overall sound design—both in-game and during cutscenes—is well-crafted, adding to the immersion. While not flawless, the production values are impressive, ensuring a visually and audibly engaging experience throughout the game. 

Rating: 5 out of 5

The Verdict:

In the end, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is a fantastic entry in the series. While the first two games have their charm, this installment offers the most refined experience yet. The story is engaging with well-developed characters, the gameplay is enjoyable with tons of replayability, and the production values are solid despite minor flaws. While some aspects, such as linearity, lack of customization, and limited movesets, could have been improved, they do not overshadow the overall enjoyment the game provides. Whether you're a longtime fan of the series or just looking for a fun superhero beat-em-up, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order gets 4 out of 5.