Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects (XBox, PS2, PSP, Nintendo DS)

Herald rating: * * *

New York has again incurred the wrath of larger-than-life characters in Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects.

The plot is your typical comic-book tale of good versus evil, the fantastic characters hellbent on vanquishing their rivals. It all boils down to this: alien scientist Niles Van Roekel wants to take over the world and has developed six mutant superhumans to help him. All that stands in their way are our favourite superheroes - Spider-Man, Wolverine and Daredevil among them.

There seems to be an element of social commentary in the appearance of new characters such as superbaddie Brigade, who is the mutated result of nerve gas used in the Iraq war.

Some of the best talent in the comic-book world was recruited to design the game - and it shows. Seven artfully mapped New York locations are used.

The characters also have leeway to use their environment, throwing cars and barrels at enemies and smashing each other through walls. As usual the action all happens in the shadows. That doesn't matter to superheroes, who have super-eyesight, but can become a strain for the rest of us.

The new Imperfects are being primed for a future in the Marvel franchise, but none of them is as interesting as our classic superheroes.

The problem with Rise of the Imperfects is that we've seen so many like it before. Still, there's an insatiable appetite for superhero games and Rise of the Imperfects taps the genre. 

* Rated 16, $80