Marvel Pinball Vengeance and Virtue
SCORE: 73
Zen Studios serves up a fresh four course helping of Marvel Pinball just in time for the holidays. The Vengeance & Virtue pack includes four new tables for owners of Marvel Pinball. Ghost Rider, Thor, X-Men, and Moon Knight are on the menu for this latest DLC.
The Vengeance & Virtue bundle displays the same fantastic, high-quality graphics found in previous Marvel Pinball tables. Each table is designed to complement the attributes of the featured Marvel character. As has been the case with the prior table releases, Zen Studios has remained incredibly true to the source material. However in this Vengeance & Virtue pack, that isn’t necessarily a good thing for families (I’m looking at you Ghost Rider). Graphically there’s not a lot of content here to be concerned about aside from the Ghost Rider table. Parents can expect plenty of demonic imagery in this particular table including Lucifer (yup, that one). Ghost Rider himself isn’t the cutest kid on the block either (unless you happen to have a fondness for flaming skeletons). You’ll find mild comic violence in the other tables, but for the most part the remaining three tables are relatively safe in the area of graphics.
The music and sound effects in the Vengeance & Virtue bundle are amazing. Zen Studios puts the same amount of thought into the audio as they do the visual aspects of the game. The music is powerful and helps to build the mood for each table. The sound effects are equally potent and create a realistic pinball experience. Sadly, the voiced dialog in the game is going to be a blemish on this Marvel Pinball package. The quality of the voice acting is fine; the content however is going to raise concerns for some parents. Between the four tables I heard the “d-word”, the “a-word”, and the “h-word” used on multiple occasions. While these would go largely unnoticed by adult players, parents may take issue with their children being unintentionally exposed to this language from a game that has, up until now, steered clear of this type of thing. Marvel Pinball is rated E for everyone and this new Vengeance & Virtue pack does not appear to be rated otherwise. There are also a few references to Egyptian and Norse gods.
The Vengeance & Virtue pack offers substantial replay value. While pinball is simple to play, it takes much practice to do well at it. Each of these four tables features several mini-games that can be accessed by accomplishing certain feats of pinball wizardry. Winning these mini-games can significantly boost your score. There are on-line leaderboards to conquer, trophies to earn, and competitive multi-player action to be had. This four pack retails for $9.99 on the PlayStation Network, which is a great value considering the quality workmanship that has been put into this game.
The gameplay of the Vengeance & Virtue pack remains virtually unchanged from previous tables. Players get the feel of real pinball with the added bonus of creative table designs that would be impossible in real life. The controls are smooth and intuitive and the mechanics work great. The Vengeance & Virtue pack adds more addictive pinball action to an already astounding game.
This four table bundle was
a blast to play and review. Unfortunately it contained a surprising
amount of content that is not family friendly. While Zen Studios is
obviously trying to stay true to the comic book source material, there
are some things that could have easily been omitted to make these tables
more accessible to a wider range of players. If you’re an adult looking
to play some great pinball, the Vengeance & Virtue tables are worth the
investment. If you’re a parent, this serves as a gentle reminder to pay
attention to content found in games rated E for Everyone.
-Roger
Graphics: 76%
Sound: 63%
Replay/Extras: 83%
Gameplay: 83%
Family Friendly Factor: 59%
System: PS3/Xbox 360
Publisher: Zen Studios
Rating: ‘E’ - Everyone
{Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence}
Want more info on this
product,
or the company that made this product?
Set web browser to:
Link
Got a question, comment,
or a concern regarding this
review?
Email them to:
Roger@familyfriendlygaming.com