LEGO® MARVEL's Avengers

In LEGO® Marvel's Avengers, the LEGO style and brimming humor are ported successfully into the action-packed context of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Developed by TT Games, the game is actually based on the previous two films: The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron; also includes other Marvel movies material, such as Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This game mixes up the lighthearted, puzzle-solving fun that LEGO games and superheroes expect but would it crumble down like a poorly built tower or whether it would stand among the other LEGO adventures?

Gameplay – 8/10

LEGO Marvel's Avengers is totally LEGO - break things, solve puzzles, and save the world - with that special charm of LEGO. Each character has different abilities and there's a roster of over 200 characters (many unlockable), including Iron Man and Hulk, plus a bunch of more minor heroes like Squirrel Girl and Moon Knight.

Combat here is better than most previous LEGO games; the new and exciting thing this time is the introduction of Avengers team-up attacks that could be performed between paired Avengers like Thor charging Iron Man's beams or Cap's shield reflecting energy blasts. Quite satisfying how this allusions the films, but fight itself remains simple.

The puzzles usually rely on character abilities: Hawkeye uses arrows to hit targets; Black Widow uses stealth to infiltrate security systems. However, all the puzzles are pretty simple and repetitive, aimed at a younger audience. The game shines in its open hubs, the main one being New York City, but also with many smaller places found throughout the films. With these hubs come side quests, collectibles, and hidden characters, allowing for hours of play outside the main storyline.

Graphics & Art Style – 8/10

Much like the zone setting, the LEGO aspect in this game makes each and every environment — from the Battle of New York to Sokovia — a beautiful representation of its own colorful LEGO style, brimming with details and visual gags.

Character designs are pretty much LEGO-fied, equipped with a plethora of animations and expressions. Environments look well, but some feel rather dead or recycled from previous LEGO games, especially the open-world sections.

Sound & Music – 7.5/10

The game consists of real voice clips which captured the feel of the movies vis-a-vis the MCU — and it's a mixed bag. It's cool to hear Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark or Chris Evans' Captain America, but some lines felt strangely spliced and out of place.

The music ties into those grand orchestral tracks of the films, which work well during action sequences, but the soundscape does not carry that original LEGO style. Songs played for classic LEGO games have usually been more whimsical or playful, and for some reason, this did not use them.

Story & Atmosphere – 7/10

It narrates the Avengers saga in a lighthearted and comic manner according to LEGO. As some cutscenes recreate iconic movie moments, the humor can often feel jarring or forced when treated lightly amid serious scenes from the film.

The detours provided by the goofy gags during the serious movie moments cannot always diminish the enjoyment of seeing Hulk accidentally smacking himself or Cap stumbling awkwardly on a banana peel: humor that is quintessentially LEGO — but they are sometimes on shaky ground compared to the older LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, which relied on a more creative story.

Still, love for Marvel is evident, and the breadth of locations and characters helps appease the weaker punchlines.

Replayability – 8/10

With tons of characters, collectibles, free-roam hubs, and side missions, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers has plenty of replay value. Completionists will spend dozens of hours unlocking heroes, finding hidden areas, and 100%-ing each level.

The game supports drop-in/drop-out local co-op, making it perfect for families or friends, though online co-op is sadly absent — a missed opportunity for a superhero team-up game.

Final Verdict – 7.5/10

It is a fun family-friendly superhero romp, and it captures the quirky LEGO humor and really huge flavor of the whole Marvel universe. Repetitive puzzle designs, contrived gags, and a rather choppy dialogue hold it back from being the best LEGO game, but fans of Marvel and LEGO will still find themselves having a blast.

Whether or not you loved the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes or the movies made in the MCU, this is one that will be worth having–especially in co-op play.