Not the Clint Eastwood movie.
The Merc with a Mouth has his own movie coming early next year, so it seems it was time to port last gen’s character action title to the new consoles. This generation has been weird, with remasters and backwards compatibility all the rage, these Activision ports feel almost out of place. Deadpool straddles a fine line of generally being the exact same game, albeit with slicker visuals, simply tossed onto these new consoles. Thankfully, this quirky action title still holds up pretty well, but the price tag is certainly cause for concern.
For those that don’t know what this game is, I point you to my review from 2013. Nothing has changed from my impressions there outside of adding some challenge room DLC, and of course the console version running at the same level as the PC original.
MSRP: $49.99
Platforms: XB1, PS4
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
Deadpool is a character action game with a twist. The character is known for his brutal comedy and fourth wall-breaking shenanigans. Developer High Moon nailed all of these aspects with unique game play and sections that poke fun at everything, including themselves. Nolan North voices Marvel’s loudmouth and absolutely nails it. Everything about the brief campaign shows how much fun all parties involved were having while making it.
As an action game it suffices, but comes with plenty of caveats. The gunplay is decent, but at times fickle. I also forgot how annoying it was that Deadpool stays in aiming mode after encounters. The melee combat tends to work better for most foes, and is much more satisfying, although the game does force the use of other weapons on certain enemies.
What keeps the campaign flowing though is the ridiculous situations. Whether Deadpool is trapped inside a 16-bit inspired dungeon crawler, or launching himself around in a giant foot-turret, the game does a fantastic job of breaking up the monotony, all while being entertaining and genuinely humorous at times. I love the personal phone calls to the developer mid-game to complain about tropes and bugs; classic.
The game has held up well, and still looks great in some places. The improved resolution and frame rate make certain sections of the game much more enjoyable. I checked out the 360 version during review and it was rough in some spots. This new port feels right in line with the PC release from 2013. My only gripe is their insistence on charging full price for these ports. $50 was a hard pill to swallow for both Prototype games, and now Deadpool hits that mark alone. I feel this would have performed much better, especially during the silly season, with a more budget-friendly tag.
Deadpool is a good game with baggage attached to it. The price is too high and some annoying game play quirks, but it is still a great romp, especially for fans of the character. It is cool that this game got a second chance, but I suspect not many will bother due to the high price for entry. Still if you have never played the game and only own the new consoles, it is definitely worth checking out. Maybe just wait for a sale or a price drop before diving in.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
