As is the case with
Zen Pinball and
Pinball FX 2, theming is the main attraction behind all of
Marvel Pinball's add-ons. Without the stylized artwork and fantastically implausible special effects, all of it would amount to nothing more than an admittedly well-designed series of pinball tables. But the theming always manages to keep all of your actions grounded within the reality of the Marvel Universe. And for that, Zen is to be commended.
What exactly am I talking about? Okay, I'll pretend that you haven't ever played a modern pinball game. Way back in pinball's heyday, ramps, targets, and ball-locks only existed to serve as sources of points and multipliers. However, as pinball evolved, it naturally became more video gamey. By that, I mean the eventual gravitation of the medium towards more emotionally-rewarding objectives (i.e. storytelling) affected pinball. Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue takes that concept to dizzying new heights. No longer are you simply pulling the plunger back -- you're firing the ball with Cyclops's optic blasts. Ball locks are occupied by Moon Knight's partner in vigilantism (and Egyptian Moon God) Khonshu, who constantly eggs Spector on. Zen has made it abundantly clear that they are huge fans of the source material.
