Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite Gives Slay The Spire A Run For Its Money

Despite being an enduring piece of pop culture whose heyday came at the advent of home gaming, He-Man and the rest of the Masters of the Universe franchise have never really left too much of an imprint on the world of gaming. The bombastic characters seem like they would be an instant fit for the power fantasy that comes with so many games. Despite that, there have only been a handful of Masters of the Universe video games over the years.

Amazon and Luna are trying to flip that preconception around, with Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite. The mobile game, a deck-building roguelike in the vein of Slay the Spire that’s launching for free for Luna users, has a lot of fun with the underlying concept — especially when players are able to unite through local multiplayer. Launching alongside the Masters of the Universe cinematic reboot, Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite is a solid entry to the roguelike genre that makes a good case for local co-op still having a place in the modern gaming market.

A One-Way Ticket To Eternia

Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite is a couch co-op take on the deck-building roguelike that’s easy to pick up and hard to put down. Released through Amazon Luna, the game is free for Amazon Prime users and primarily works through smartphones. With Eternia under threat by the forces of Hordak, He-Man and the other heroes of the Masters of the Universe are forced to align themselves with the likes of Skeletor and his own nefarious forces, putting aside their differences to overcome a shared foe. The game benefits from the vivid world of Eternia and the various heroes and villains that populate it, with the art design doing a great job of reflecting the classic characters with some modern touches.

Gameplay will be familiar to anyone who has played Slay the Spire, with the player characters making their way through multiple rounds of combat through the use of their deck. Accessing the game through a QR code on their mobile devices, players choose one of the champions of the franchise and set off into a series of battles and mini-games on the way to defeat Hordak’s forces. Each character comes with standard attacks and defensive abilities, along with unique attributes (like Evil-Lyn’s ability to poison enemies or Skeletor’s cards that can repeat effects with the right conditions met).

Multiple playthroughs unlock characters, encouraging players to tackle the game with different character choices to showcase all the different approaches. Each playthrough also comes with unique variables, such as fresh cards that can be added to the deck to impact gameplay style. The gameplay is quick to learn and, like other solid entries in this genre fusion, very adaptable to individual player styles. Dishing out damage ot protecting allies are equally valid approaches – although this writer would be lying if he didn’t admit that poisoning enemies with Evil-Lynn was a personal favorite. The underlying gameplay is straightforward enough that players will be able to quickly adjust to the challenges that come their way – especially if they brought a friend along for the battle.

We Have The Power

The real selling point of Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite is the local co-op, which allows for up to four players to team up on their mission to save Eternia. The multiplayer aspect comes into play with each mission, where each player takes their own spot in the combat rotation and debates which branching path to take as they advance further into the game. Cooperation is key, as working together can allow the different playstyles of the unique characters to flow together for different combos and approaches. Coordinating attacks and preparing defenses with a partner lends itself well to the game mechanics, similar to how multiplayer improved upon the moment-to-moment action of Slay the Spire 2. The game runs smoothly and with a deliberate pace, giving players time to discuss and debate their strategies.

The ability to play the game through phones and pause the adventure gives players an additional reason to dive into the action. While the game can be played solo, it feels like it would lose something if it were only approached in that format. Dishing out damage after coordinating attacks or working together to empower certain ultimate moves is a rewarding co-op experience, with the local multiplayer being a key selling point of the game. In an era where online play is the norm, Legends Unite is a natural excuse to bring back that classic couch co-op style of game. That natural cooperation makes it a good game to share with friends, while the cartoonish visuals and easy gameplay make it ideal for players of all ages and experience levels. Even for players with little nostalgia for the original He-Man cartoon or its various spin-offs, the inherent fun of the multiplayer and the quick engagement of the core gameplay make Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite an easy game to recommend if you have access to Amazon Luna.

Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite is now available through Amazon Prime