I was thrilled to be able to work on a NDS title and more so that it was an X-Men game. I’m a huge fan of X-Men and my children’s middle names are ‘Xavier’ and ‘Phoenix,’ so it was really exciting to be able to work on this.

It’s great to know that our NDS version will differ from the console version and that you get to play a new character with his own unique story. It was a tough gig, with a short time frame and many long hours, but I’m proud of what we produced and glad we made it through.

I’ll be getting my boy a NDS and a copy of the game for Christmas… but don’t tell him

I got to touch base with a lot of aspects of the game during its development, but my main focus was on the enemies within the game. The NDS has a limited capability, so it’s very difficult to get huge armies of varied soldiers, ‘hordes’, on screen at any one time, so we took the approach of smaller skirmishes, that come at you constantly as you explore the game world.

One of my favorite things that we managed to get in is the evolution of the enemies. As you progress through the game, not only do they become more resistant, but you’ll find that they start dodging your projectiles or punches, and repositioning themselves to take pot shots at you.

The best bit for me though was getting to help out on the final showdown.

We completely overhauled that section near the end of development and it was a scary decision to make, but I think it paid off. A lot of us worked together on that one section to bring all of the elements of the game together in an epic showdown – I don’t think NDS gamers will be disappointed.

It was quite a daunting task to work with something as deep and world-spanning as the X-Men Universe, but when I first saw what the guys at Activision had proposed, I knew that this is a game that just HAD to be made.

Action, excitement, mutants, searing bursts of energy, all steeped in the depth of a tried-and-true X-Men tale of fundamental conflict between human and mutant. Did I mention the story was overseen by none other than Mike Carey of X-Men: Legacy fame? Yeah, it pretty much goes without saying that I’m really looking forward to seeing the reaction when the game hits the public.

Let’s start with story. We focus on Samuel Kamerhe, a character who was originally part of the console line-up, but had to be reluctantly cut for scheduling reasons. Fortunately, he instead got to be front and center in his own title for the NDS. His timeline is the same as the one for the console in that you get the same basic chain of events, but it plays out in its own entirely unique way. Through Sam, you meet different X-Men characters, explore new locations, like the island of Alcatraz, and experience the situation from a whole different perspective.

More on that in a minute.

In forming our game mechanics, we started with the mantra “All Powers, All the Time.” In X-Men Destiny for the NDS, you don’t go punching and kicking your way through a mob of enemies while your incredible mutant powers sit in a lonely corner waiting for some future event where you “might really need them.” Your powers are as much a part of you as your hands or your lungs and, as such, you use them just as naturally.

Let’s face it, like most people, if I could blast energy out of my fists/feet/face, I would find a way to somehow work it into every possible situation in the run of my day.
 
•     Evil Robot attacking the city? Energy Blast.
•     Global warming? Energy Blast.
•     Traffic jam? Energy Blast.
•     Kids won’t stop making noise? Energ- okay, well, you get the point.
 

As part of that mandate, all of your powers are built to be useful from start to finish – no pick-your-favorite button and ignore the rest because they all essentially do the same thing. New powers don’t replace old ones; they add utility to your arsenal, so as your character develops you gain new options for how to deal with your enemies.

Continuing with that theme, your powers are your character. At their core, Samuel’s powers are energy-based, but can be developed in very different directions based on player choices. Melee characters are defined by thunderous attacks that cripple foes or send them flying, while ranged characters stay mobile and fire off intense blasts from a distance.

Which brings us full circle – back to the story. Who you are and how your new powers develop is determined by what we call Destiny Choices. Support the goals of the X-Men and new powers will evolve to stun and knock enemies back. Indulge your inner mutant separatist and these same powers manifest ruthless effects like fear and confusion.

The powers are easily my favorite aspect of the game. You start out with some basic attacks that are fairly similar across the board, but each additional power adds something new and diverges further from the root. The top tier attacks are really fun and different from one another. Nothing beats dropping an energy vortex in front of a group of charging enemies and watching it drag them into its crushing grip. And then it explodes.

I’m also quite pleased with some of the subtler aspects of combat. Our AI actually has reaction times, so while attacking from up close is more dangerous, it also gives the enemy less time to dodge. It’s not just a point-and-shoot kind of deal. There’s strategy involved, but it’s mostly common sense, not the kind of thing you look up on a walkthrough site.

X-Men expert or not, if you’re a fan of fast action, mutant powers, and cool choices with a touch of moral gray area, then this is the game for you.

If you’re not? Energy Blast.