Justice League Heroes Interview
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Q: Obviously there have been lots of comparisons between Justice League Heroes and the X-Men Legends games. What would you say are the main differences between the two?
A: There will definitely be loads of comparisons between the Marvel and Justice League franchises. There is no way to avoid it. All I can say is that nobody working on JLH ever set out to build a clone. And we're not trying to outdo Marvel in the numbers game. Instead, we've just focused on making a quality game.
On the more aesthetic side, when people boot up Justice League Heroes they will first notice the fantasy realistic art style. The cut-scenes flow nicely between the gameplay. We've gone out of our way to keep the look consistent throughout the game. I'll never forget a certain game I once played where it started with a cinematic that blew me away and when it cut to the gameplay I was like, "Why do all the characters have mittens for hands?!" People will also notice the smooth animations and transitions from move to move.
From the gameplay perspective, the title will have a far more progressive action feel than previous Snowblind games or anything else currently within the genre. Our health and power systems are not driven by potion chugging, but rather a Halo-style meter system which we've internally dubbed the "Second Wind" system. Heroes don't pop pills or chug drinks to regain their strength. They need a moment to catch their breath and get a second wind. And of course, the way we handle powers is quite a bit different from our competitors. Besides not having to learn how to fly, all the heroes begin with their core proficiencies. You should pick up the game and feel immediately powerful. Now, that doesn't mean you should go running down the street headstrong into battles. The enemies are also pretty tough. If you can throw a car at an enemy, what's to keep him from throwing one back at you? You're going to have to work as a team in Justice League Heroes.
Next, our heroes won't be collecting swords and armor. The loot system of JLH revolves around the powers and unlockables. Boosts will be collected along with shields. The shields can then be used to purchase unlockable costumes and iconic characters including Green Arrow.
Other areas that we take great pride in are the music and sound. Keith Leary at Game Audio has given us a contemporary score that blends both alternative rock with classic super hero orchestration. I remember our first briefing and we discussed bands like Audioslave and System of a Down. Their musical styles have the kind of power and the style supports both iconic heroes and villains alike. Eventually our discussions grew into Mozart's Requiem, Vivaldi, Dr. Octagon and Marilyn Manson.
On the audio design side we've worked closely with Gregory Hainer from Warner Bros. Post Production Sound. He has definitely pushed every step of the way to maximize our current gen sound tech.
