If anything good came of 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" film, it made me more aware of the character, Deadpool. While his mouthless depiction in the film was terrible, coined by fans as "Barakapool", it did make me want to look more into the real version of the character, and his hilarious antics through comics, internet videos, and video games made me a fan of the character. When it was announced last summer that Deadpool would be getting his own solo game, I was ecstatic. Now that I have finally played it, I can definitely say that it was a game worthy of the character.
First things first though for the uninitiated, who is Deadpool you ask?
While Deadpool has made video game appearances before, he has usually had to share the stage with other Marvel (and Capcom) characters and had to tamed down for T rated gamers. Now with his own M rated game, he can be the Merc with a Mouth he's meant to be: a foul-mouthed, gore loving pervert. Using swords, sai, a variety of guns, not to mention a pair of mallets that create a big mess of henchmen blood, players can enjoy a great mix of action-adventure and shooter games.
As part of Deadpool's hilarious charm, he breaks the fourth wall. For those that don't know what that means, he actually talks to the reader of his comics or the player of his games, i.e., he knows he's a fictional character, though that will be usually written off as part of his psychosis by the other characters he's interacting with. This makes for great comedic moments in the game, such as this clip of him repeatedly slapping an unconscious Wolverine to wake him up:
Not only that, but there are two songs developed as well. One for Deadpool himself, and this catchy one for his best buddy, Cable:
This is only a fraction of the hilarious moments players can have in the game.
Some reviews complain that the gameplay is repetitive, but when it comes to a guy who solves his problems with weapons, I feel it's forgivable. Besides, the comedy in the game should be enough for players to look past any shortcomings.
While I myself enjoyed the game as much as I hoped I would, I could not help but feel that the finale could have felt a little more "video gamey". Throughout the whole game, Deadpool constantly makes references to being in his own game, talking about levels and upgrades and the like. The final boss of this game was the mutate villain, Mr. Sinister. Gamers know that final bosses once beaten in their first form transform into a stronger form that will definitely be the final battle. Deadpool, however, did not include a "Super Sinister" as the final boss. Even then, Sinister is crushed by a giant Sentinel boot, so it's the ending cinematic that finished the job and not the player. You'd think with a game with a character that knows he's in a game, he'd make sure there'd be a big final battle.
Another thing I didn't really care for was the health meter. Due to his healing factor, one even more powerful than Wolverine's, he can't really die. I know games like this need to have a health meter to make a player feel like they'll fail if it reaches zero, but it doesn't really fit with Deadpool's character. I didn't die that much anyway, so it wasn't that big of a deal. I'm just pointing out the flaw of a health meter for a character that can't die.
Despite some issues, Deadpool is overall entertaining. It's a perfect mix of action-adventure and shooter games that includes enough comedy and gore to appease those who enjoy any or all of the above, especially during the stealth attacks. It's great for Deadpool fans and will definitely create new fans of those who weren't before. If you don't believe me, watch a walkthrough on YouTube first and then play it for your own joyful experience. With that I have two words to say: SEQUEL PLEASE!
Score: 9/10
Now if only they'd get the movie off the ground.
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