On the 22nd anniversary of X-Men Legends, ComicBook looked back at this action RPG and suggested that the series is ripe for a revival. The article argues that with renewed interest in the X-Men, there is still room to further develop the gameplay centered on cooperative battles among multiple mutants.
The article points out that superhero themes are naturally suited for action-adventure games, and the diverse powers and personalities of Marvel's mutants provide a foundation for team-based gameplay. While Marvel's Wolverine focuses on a single character, ensemble titles like X-Men Legends can showcase a more complete mutant world.
Developed by Raven Software, X-Men Legends was released on multiple platforms and features dungeon-crawling gameplay for 1 to 4 players. Players experience the story through the perspective of ordinary teenager Alison Crestmere; this newly awakened mutant becomes a target for multiple factions, joins the X-Men after being rescued, and begins learning to control her volcanic powers.
The main storyline revolves around the conflict between the X-Men and Magneto's Brotherhood, while also involving characters and factions such as Shadow King, Sentinel robots, Morlocks, and Weapon X. Console versions offer 14 playable characters; if Professor X, who appears in the Astral Missions, is included, the number of playable characters reaches 15. Different characters' abilities can also be combined into combo attacks.
Xavier's Mansion in the game serves not only as a hub area between missions but also conveys comic book lore through NPC dialogue and collectible documents. The direct sequel that followed continued this approach, while the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance expanded a similar framework to a broader roster of Marvel characters.
The article links its revival suggestions to the recent resurgence of X-Men-themed content, mentioning adaptations like X-Men '97. For potential new entries, it imagines drawing inspiration from comic eras such as the Krakoan Age, expanding missions and characters through additional content, and adding cross-platform multiplayer co-op or character creation features. These ideas remain media speculation rather than official announcements of a new game.