Video Game Vintage Title: Deadpool

Deadpool

Deadpool is an action beat 'em up video game based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. The game was developed by High Moon Studios and published by Activision, and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Former Deadpool comic writer Daniel Way created the game's plot, and Nolan North voiced the character. The game received mixed to positive reviews, with plot elements commonly praised and gameplay elements found lacking.

Deadpool, along with most other games published by Activision that had used the Marvel licence, was de-listed and removed from all digital storefronts on January 1, 2014.

Deadpool Plot

Former Deadpool writer Daniel Way wrote the story in conjunction with High Moon Studios. The meta-story entails Deadpool kidnapping the employees of High Moon Studios and forcing them to make "the most awesome game ever starring himself", hiring Nolan North as his voice actor in the process. The story of the game is set with Deadpool accepting a mission to assassinate Chance White (he doesn't know why he accepted, as he is merely following the part of the game's script that he bothered to read), a corrupt media mogul whose television channel produces such quality programming as "Jump the Shark", in which celebrities must literally jump over a tank of water containing a ravenous great white shark. Deadpool storms White's media headquarters, slaughters the guards there, and tackles himself and White out of a window and into the sewers (blowing the game's budget in the process). However, White is saved by Mister Sinister and his team, who then kills him after confirming that he has White's satellites under his control. Deadpool is upset that his contract is gone and wants revenge on Sinister.

Sinister escapes and Deadpool encounters Wolverine, Rogue, Psylocke, and Domino of the X-Men. The X-Men follow Mr. Sinister to Genosha, but Deadpool insists on flying their jet and crashes it, knocking everyone but himself unconscious (despite Deadpool's attempts to wake Wolverine by slapping him repeatedly). While wandering through Genosha, Deadpool runs into Cable, who has come from the future to ensure that Sinister's plan does not succeed. He attempts to inform Deadpool, but the latter becomes so bored that he shoots himself to avoid listening to Cable further. Deadpool, upon awakening, finds a message from Cable instructing him to rendezvous with him and "meet the incredibly hot and large-breasted naked fangirl who claims she's his number 1 fan", convincing Deadpool to regroup with Cable.

Deadpool then infiltrates a security tower housing Sinister against Cable's wishes and kills Sinister, only to find out it was a clone. Cable convinces Deadpool to actually care about what happens to the world if Sinister succeeds by telling him that his favorite taco restaurant will be destroyed. Reconfiguring a Sentinel boot into a flying machine to go to Magneto's citadel, Deadpool accidentally causes the foot to malfunction and crashes into Rogue in mid-air.

After crashing, Rogue is taken by Blockbuster and Deadpool goes to save her, hoping to make her fall in love with him. After killing another Sinister clone, and Blockbuster, Deadpool rescues Rogue by letting her absorb his healing powers via kissing (this briefly allows Rogue to obtain Deadpool's two personalities and homicidal tendencies). After he bleeds out, Deadpool briefly dies and unites with his love, Death. Death tells Deadpool that Sinister had been exhuming mutant bodies to obtain their unique DNAs, and she needs Deadpool to help retrieve the suffering souls. Deadpool agrees and returns to living, where he again meets Cable. Later, after reuniting with Wolverine on the surface, Deadpool travels further into the citadel, defeating Blockbuster, Vertigo, and Arclight again, and a group of Mister Sinister's clones. The real Mister Sinister later shows up and, after knocking down the X-Men, Deadpool kills him by squashing him with the Sentinel boot. Deadpool wonders if Mister Sinister was real but Cable gives Deadpool the thumbs up and the credits roll. As Deadpool exudes joy over how awesome his game has been, High Moon calls him and admits that he really hadn't blown their budget, at which Deadpool proceeds to actually do so by repeatedly creating explosions during the credits.

Deadpool Gameplay

Deadpool is an action beat 'em up video game, with new combos becoming available to Deadpool as he progresses. The game, which is rated "mature", frequently breaks the fourth wall, and Deadpool verbally interacts with the player based on their skill and progress.

By default, Deadpool is armed with both guns and swords, but he also has access to giant hammers, plasma guns, and a range of other alternatives. A short range of teleportation moves are possible as well. As he slowly falls apart while sustaining damage, players must avoid further damage in order to recover.

Reception
High Moon Studios showed an early demo of the video game to journalists at Gamescom 2012, where the game earned a nomination for Best of Show. Several sites wrote positive impression of the demo that was shown at Gamescom and the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), also including Joystiq and GameSpot.

Deadpool has received mixed to positive reviews, praising the humor, original story, and keeping true to the comics, but criticizing the repetitive gameplay, controls and combat. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Xbox 360 version 65.76% and 62/100, the PlayStation 3 version 65.62% and 61/100 and the PC version 63.33% and 63/100.