X-Men nemesis Bastion and his evil sentinels have captured Forge and are moving to rid the world of its mutant protectors. If the X-Men are to save themselves, our mutant superheroes will have resort to any measure—even teaming with their archenemies—The Brotherhood.
Playing X-Men: Next Dimension requires looking at the moves menu. A lot. If you're the kind of person who likes to memorize lists of moves--maybe even finds it fun as it gives you a sense of accomplishment--this game is for you. If you just want a game to play with some friends without cramming as if for an exam, you'd be better off with another fighting title.
But who doesn't love the X-Men? They're all represented here. The biggies (both good and bad): Wolverine, Rogue, Storm, and Cyclops, plus Magneto, Mystique, and Sabretooth. Other favorites also made the cut, including Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Forge. The backgrounds are terrific, and in a particularly impressive design element, you can drift into other landscapes from your original map. For example, if, while fighting from inside Dr. X's mansion, you throw your opponent out the window, you'll find yourself outside on the garden map. It's a good trick, and it almost makes the load time between games reasonable (rematches are quick, but reloads that change environments are painfully slow).
Each character has their own special "super meter" attacks, all of which befit the mutant power detailed in the comic books. Playing one-on-one with friends in versus mode, you can calibrate your character so practiced players have less energy for a more balanced game. These touches are appreciated. So while it's not as addictive as Tekken or any similar benchmark game, X-Men: Next Dimension still has appeal, with a reasonably well-thought-out game design and endearing character elements. --Jennifer Buckendorff
Pros:
Plenty of fan pleasers, including the chance to unlock good-old-days yellow and blue costumes
Really cool combo attacks, unique to each character
Voice work by Patrick Stewart Cons:Requires serious memorization of moves

X-Men: Next Dimension plunges players into a powerful enemy's plot to rid the world of mutants. Leaving traditional section-based fighting games in its wake, X-Men: Next Dimension is the only console fighter game that carries epic superhero showdowns across expansive 3-D levels. Players fight as 20 different X-Men characters (plus four secret characters to be unlocked) through interactive environments, replete with combat-induced damage.