This DLC solves almost all the problems I have with the base game. It honestly shocked me how much better this works, especially considering how focused it is on the most purposely trite and annoying character in the Marvel Universe.
This is short, just consisting of a few missions, but it adds in a new enemy type, some new arenas, and Deadpool as a playable character.

Deadpool is written like a snarky jackass (just like everyone else in the game), but it works so much better in this context partly because that is who Deadpool is anyway and because Nolan North absolutely kills it as the voice.
Additionally, because everyone in Marvel knows Deadpool is annoying, they react to him believably, treating him like the fool he is. Blade's exasperation and Captain Marvel's begrudging acceptance but willingness to help out bring more to those characters than almost anything else in the main game. Even The Hunter's reaction of being completely down to hang out with Deadpool despite how obviously awful he is works as a much needed comedic beat at the Hunter's expense.
It throws into contrast how unbelievably everyone responds to everyone else in the game, who have similar levels of one note, insufferable character traits, but elicit no realistic reactions from the rest of the cast. Why would anyone ever even talk to the Tony Stark or Magik in this game?

Deadpool somehow looks better and is better animated than anyone else in the game. I don't understand this at all. It can't just be the facial modeling/animation budget, can it?

The structure of this DLC is how the whole game should have been. Deadpool arrives with a problem and you help him out with it over the course of a couple of missions by using whatever heroes you want. It wraps up with a cliffhanger and Deadpool hangs around to help in other missions.
All the interactions are centered on him, so other characters can just be themselves, rather than justifying how important they are in every single scene and line.
The relationship building makes more sense because there is no time pressure, it is just something you are doing mostly after you help him solve his vampire problem.

If the rest of the DLC is like this, I am definitely looking forward to it. Hopefully it does well enough that they can turn this into a platform for this kind of storytelling and leave the Midnight Suns as a vestigial part you can ignore and still get a whole experience.

Reviewed on Feb 01, 2023


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