| System: PC*, Wii U, 3DS |  |
| Dev: 5th Cell | |
| Pub: Warner Bros. | |
| Release: September 24, 2013 | |
| Players: 1-4 | |
| Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p | Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief |
Another thing that can be unlocked using reputation points are origin stories for six of the main superheroes. My excitement for these alternative storylines was quickly dashed when I found out they were simply snippets of the particular hero's key moments from their past, which you help along with nouns and adjectives. Each origin story can be completed in less than two minutes. They’re not really much value for the reputation points required to unlock them.
Reputation can also be used to purchase costumes. These are more than mere superficial makeovers, though, as they grant you many abilities of the respective superhero. It actually ends up lightening the already relaxed difficulty. I mean, why run around Metropolis on foot when for a mere couple hundred reputation points you can don Superman's tights, granting you the ability to fly, use heat vision, frost breath, and super strength, with increased health, damage, and speed.
One thing that 5th Cell did incredibly well with Scribblenauts Unmasked is pay tribute to the source material. You can easily spend hours on the Batcomputer (essentially the game's Wikipedia) and find even the most obscure DC characters. From Abyssma to Zum, you'll have a hard time trying to stump the system with your comic book chops. And though the graphics are simple in design, each character is given an accurate replication in the game. Even multiple versions of a particular individual are customized appropriately. There are over thirty different Batmans to choose from!
If you'd rather piece together your own superhero, that can easily be done at the Bat Cave by talking to Alfred. Any character with any object and tons of customizable physics can be created. Superpowers, however, must be unlocked using reputation points. These creations can then be uploaded and shared online, but sadly, this is the only multiplayer feature of the game.
Overall, Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure does exactly what you'd expect from the merger. Your creativity is near boundless, and the comic book backdrop gives the game a cinematic quality. Unfortunately, none of your creations can be put to worthwhile use when the mission challenges take only a minute or less to complete. The stages themselves aren't large or interactive enough to allow your handiwork to shine. It's a cute interpretation with the most DC lore I've seen in a game, but the gameplay is just lacking in too many respects to keep you interested.
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By Sean Engemann Contributing Writer Date: September 25, 2013 |
Game Features:
