The 2005 Fantastic Four film came when superhero films were still finding their footing in cinema and didn't have a connected universe to lean on. This era was also notorious for movie tie-in games, most of which are known for being poorly-made cash grabs. However, while many considered the movie to be mediocre, the game that released alongside Fantastic Four was actually pretty great.
Most comic book movies of the time only featured one enemy and a watered-down version of their history, meaning there isn't a lot to pull on to make a comprehensive video game based on the film's events. As a result, good tie-in games incorporated material from the characters' rich histories while adapting the film into a gaming genre that fit the heroes in question. In this case, Activision chose to make a genuinely entertaining dungeon crawler experience built around the history of the Fantastic Four.
Like the film, the Fantastic Four game begins with the four heroes on the Von Doom space station. It walks through basic movement controls, with Ben Grimm closing the radiation shields before the storm of Cosmic Rays hits. Following the fateful accident, the game opens up with an entertaining tutorial set in the facility where the team discovers their powers. Each level focuses on one team member and how their powers differ. It's a genius strategy that showcases how powerful these characters are on their own and how, when they finally join, they feel unstoppable.
As a dungeon crawler, Fantastic Four's gameplay is similar that of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance where each hero has a set amount of moves and must conserve health and energy in combat. However, what sets the game apart is how strategy plays into combat. For example, when facing off against the massive Moleoaf, the Invisible Woman has to pin the creature's hands using force fields after completing a mini-game. This exposes its weak spot for hits from the Human Torch or Mr. Fantastic. Similar hero-specific moves and mini-games are scattered around each level, forcing players to use each hero to find the window of opportunity to most effectively strike.
Another feature that's typical of comic book movie tie-in games that works beautifully in Fantastic Four is its use of villains from the comics. The Fantastic Four has a largely unknown rogues gallery that consists of enemies like the Mole Man, Diablo and Annihilus. The tie-in game gives all of these villains the spotlight with full levels dedicated to them. Not only do they add an extra challenge to the game, but they also make it clear that the Fantastic Four is a team of explorers who travel to new locations to take on different foes. After defeating these classic enemies, the game ends with a climactic fight against Doctor Doom -- and it requires teamwork and the strategies learned throughout the story to defeat him.
The Fantastic Four movie tie-in game doesn't get much recognition, which is a shame considering its surprising great as a superhero game and a dungeon crawler. It deserves a place among other great Marvel games like Ultimate Alliance and X-Men: Legends. With its unique gameplay, a library of classic enemies and great balance between content based on the film and an original story, the Fantastic Four game is an underrated gem.
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