Deadpool

Deadpool is a videogame adaptation of the popular Marvel comic series of the same name. Development reins have been been handed to High Moon Studios, whose most recent projects have been the Transformers games, including Fall of Cybertron. They also developed 2008’s The Bourne Conspiracy. Deadpool takes the form of an action game that blends both swordplay and gunplay against multiple foes with a wicked sense of humour, and Activision invited us to take a look recently to see how it’s coming along.

Players take control of the titular hero who, outside of comic-reading circles, was probably most famously brought into the mainstream by Ryan Reynolds in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The game seems to eschew that representation in favour of something closer to the original comics, an approach which is aided immensely by having an ex-writer of the comic series, Daniel Way, on-board.

Those unfamiliar with the comics will likely be struck by the irreverent approach of the fiction, with Deadpool himself a source of constant wise-cracks and fourth-wall breaking asides to the audience. This transfers to the game, with Nolan North voicing Deadpool, and from what we’ve seen it transfers well. The character is surprisingly well-rounded, and both cutscenes and in-engine narrative elements carry a welcome charm and enthusiasm that ends up feeling quite fresh in the current full-release market despite the odd gag falling flat. Sometimes it’s nice when a game knows it’s a game.

The Deadpool gameplay we’ve got our hands on focused heavily on melee combat with multiple foes at once. Basic combos and counter moves (with Deadpool’s handy ability to teleport included) are at the player’s disposal as they dispatch groups of enemies of varying type. Weapons and abilities can be upgraded with experience, or new weapons can be purchased if you want to mix things up, for example you can switch out your standard dual-swords for dual hammers if you’re feeling like you’d rather clobber than slash for a while.

The game’s sense of humour bleeds through into the combat, which happily leads to people occasionally getting kicked in the balls. The playful sense of humour doesn’t contrast too sharply with the violence (this will be an 18-rated title), partly because it’s all part of the identity of the source material and partly because the dialogue and narrative skips past at a quick pace regardless.

Alongside, and occasionally during the melee battles you’ll also need to whip Deadpool’s pistols out and take on enemies at range. That melee/gunplay balancing act calls to mind the classic Devil May Cry games, although what is likely to pull players through Deadpool isn’t so much the drive to master the combat, but more the expectation of the next outlandish sight-gag or ironic jab at the games industry. Beyond the standard fighting and shooting, there are stealth sections with genuinely entertaining execution moves which frequently lead to bits flying off of enemies.

A challenge mode (think along the lines of the Batman Arkham games’ Riddler’s Revenge mode) will be included, and should add some longevity for those with a hankering for more action once they’re done with the core campaign mode. The indication is that we’ll see map packs for the challenge mode available as DLC following release.

Deadpool isn’t going to change the world, but it might make it laugh. It’s currently slated for release on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC (via Steam) 28th June, and it will be a full-price release.