People say:
For X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 on the PlayStation, Gambit by Windman.
This is interesting. Scheduled to come out just in time for the movie, X-Men: Mutant Academy is an X-Men fan's dream come true. Featuring all the characters found in the movie, it features some nice 3D characters and backgrounds, non-embarrassing vocal samples, responsive controls and a wealth of X-Men-related paraphernalia to unlock by beating the game. It also offers a neat-o take on the typical training mode by offering the 'Academy Mode,' set in the Danger Room where you learn your character's techniques. A Cerebro Mode contains all the sketches, CG renders, into movies, and even the theatrical trailer from the X-Men movie. The usual survival modes and versus modes abound, and the game makes good use of the Thrill Kill/Wu-Tang graphics engine. So what's the problem? Well for one thing, the game doesn't let you move in 3D, only left and right. That would be permissible, since it just plays like a 2D fighter, but there just isn't enough to it--the fighting system is incredibly basic. And while the game has responsive controls, the enemy Al is surprisingly dimwitted. I was able to juggle Gambit, Cyclops and others, in the corner, using only Beast's strong uppercut, pressing only one button. Other simple routines will see you to the end just as easily. For fans, this is a keeper, for everyone else, XM:MA is a short-lived button-masher. Flardcore fighting game fans will be disappointed.
After seeing the X-Men so many times in the Capcom versus fighting games--looking just like their comic book selves in 2D with silky-smooth animation--they look pretty horrible here in semi-clunky polygons. This is not the best-looking game in terms of graphics and effects, and let's admit it-that's an important part of any fighting game. Gameplay-wise Mutant Academy fares better, but not great: There's enough characters, moves and special attacks to keep it fun against friends for a bit, but after extended play or against the CPU it gets dull. Nothing special, but if you're a fan who needs more after seeing the movie 10 times, this'll work.
As far as 'third-party' fighting games go (games outside of the Namco and Capcom camps), Mutant Academy is damned amazing-especially considering it's part of a big movie license. In fact, I had more fun with Mutant Academy than I've had with some of the recent Street Fighter games. Granted, the game isn't as deep as Soul Calibur or the Alpha games, but its fighting system can stand on its own. The interesting combo and counter system, plus an imaginative series of power-up attacks and a decent amount of secret stuff to open is all included. And I don't know about you, but I've always enjoyed kicking ass with Wolverine in a vid game.