DC's Justice League: Cosmic Chaos

Whether it's in film, TV, or games, there's no denying the superpowered punch that comic books have had on entertainment. But most of these tend to skew towards older, more mature comic fans, while DC's Justice League: Cosmic Chaos, on the other hand, aims for an all-ages experience, leaning heavily into a cute and colorful presentation, campy humor, and ease of play. On all of those, it hits its marks. The characters, while instantly recognizable, all have an adorably toy-like look. Their dialogue and voice acting is cheesy and over-the-top, but still manage to fit their roles. The story is absolutely absurd, but seems right at home for an early morning kids' cartoon show. And the gameplay is as basic as can be, splitting button mashing action with the lightest of role-playing elements. While Cosmic Chaos might be meant for younger audiences, the game tosses in more inside jokes and trivia from the DC Comics Universe as winks and nods to any older comic fans that might be watching.

Although Cosmic Chaos has a lot going for it, that doesn't mean there isn't Kryptonite keeping it from its full superpowered potential. For starters, the game gets repetitive very quickly. It's not just the button mashing combat either. After a while, the enemies and environments start to feel the same, and the witty banter feels like a joke that's overplayed itself. The game also limits itself. After all, this is a game about the Justice League, and a lot of Justice League characters show up. But they're all little more than cameos in their own games. It's a waste to have Aquaman ride a whale in the background or Booster Gold pop in for no other reason than to say a training room is ready. On the upside, the game gives lots of collectibles to find and unlock, but once again, younger players won't get most of the comic-centric references. None of this is to say that DC's Justice League: Cosmic Chaos isn't fun by any means. It's just feels more sidekick than superhero in scope and scale.