11 years. 36 characters. Two worlds. One game. This can mean only one thing: Capcom has made another fanboy dream come true. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has finally come to be, but is it any good? And if it is, can it possibly live up to the almost unbelievable hype?
Let’s be clear about something: this game is incredibly light on story, to the point where if you want any context to the game’s setting, you’ll have to go to the official website and watch their videos. Keeping a tight focus on the gameplay instead of the story, though, may be one of MvC3’s strong points. It allows the casual player to jump straight into the fun without having to wrap their head around the little details, however complicated they may actually be. The reason this works so well in the game’s favor is because the system, which was introduced in the highly acclaimed Marvel vs. Capcom 2, has been tweaked and improved to a high degree. Characters are MUCH more balanced this time around, and “Juggernauts” like Sentinel and Dr. Doom have been toned down quite a bit. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t characters that are simply better and more exploitable than the others *cough*Phoenix*cough*, but purists will more often than not be very comfortable with the competency level of the team they choose. These sentiments don’t extend to the arcade mode, though, where choosing your favorite characters, as opposed to who you’re good with, can literally get you killed against the final boss. First Gil, then Seth, then Yami, now Galactus. Capcom, I love what you do, but I think I speak for the entire gaming community when I say that if you make one more boss like this in one more fighting game, I’m going to personally come to your offices and beat somebody's butt with a 2x4 until I get an apology!
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 places a heavy emphasis on players using actual skill as opposed to button mashing. Projectile spammers can easily be thwarted by a well timed high jump or angled attack, and features like X-factor, which briefly raises your character’s overall abilities once per fight, emphasize the need to learn what your team is and is not good at if you ever want to stand a chance. The real star of the show, though, is the three-on-three battle system, which teaches you to not only be good at one character, but three simultaneously. Using good teamwork, a combo in the air or on the ground could be extended greatly, doing more damage and potentially earning you more energy for super moves. Allies can also be called in to help on the fly, dealing extra damage and potentially even breaking you out of a tough situation. It all sounds very complicated, but it’s surprisingly easy to master its quirks, and after a little practice, you’ll be racking up 50-hit crossover combo finishers in no time. If you’re still having trouble, though, the game does offer a “simple” control scheme for the characters that cuts down on the potential moves they can perform, but makes it much…well…simpler to ease into the process of learning what they can do. There’s also a “mission mode” that teaches you how to use some of a particular character’s more advanced combos, but the game lacks any kind of real tutorial or strategy coach that helps you understand what each character can do well on a fundamental level. With other fighters like BlazBlue offering such tools to beginners and casual players looking to take their skills one level further, Capcom really needs to start stepping up their game.
So, is this a history-making game with the potential to become a legend in itself? For people who enjoy fighting games: most likely. For people dissatisfied with the flaws of the last game, looking for something better: probably. For casual players just looking to have some fun: maybe. It all depends on how you approach the game, and if you’re willing to put in the practice and play by it's insane, seizure-inducing rules, there’s a lot of fun to be had.
Let’s be clear about something: this game is incredibly light on story, to the point where if you want any context to the game’s setting, you’ll have to go to the official website and watch their videos. Keeping a tight focus on the gameplay instead of the story, though, may be one of MvC3’s strong points. It allows the casual player to jump straight into the fun without having to wrap their head around the little details, however complicated they may actually be. The reason this works so well in the game’s favor is because the system, which was introduced in the highly acclaimed Marvel vs. Capcom 2, has been tweaked and improved to a high degree. Characters are MUCH more balanced this time around, and “Juggernauts” like Sentinel and Dr. Doom have been toned down quite a bit. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t characters that are simply better and more exploitable than the others *cough*Phoenix*cough*, but purists will more often than not be very comfortable with the competency level of the team they choose. These sentiments don’t extend to the arcade mode, though, where choosing your favorite characters, as opposed to who you’re good with, can literally get you killed against the final boss. First Gil, then Seth, then Yami, now Galactus. Capcom, I love what you do, but I think I speak for the entire gaming community when I say that if you make one more boss like this in one more fighting game, I’m going to personally come to your offices and beat somebody's butt with a 2x4 until I get an apology!Marvel vs. Capcom 3 places a heavy emphasis on players using actual skill as opposed to button mashing. Projectile spammers can easily be thwarted by a well timed high jump or angled attack, and features like X-factor, which briefly raises your character’s overall abilities once per fight, emphasize the need to learn what your team is and is not good at if you ever want to stand a chance. The real star of the show, though, is the three-on-three battle system, which teaches you to not only be good at one character, but three simultaneously. Using good teamwork, a combo in the air or on the ground could be extended greatly, doing more damage and potentially earning you more energy for super moves. Allies can also be called in to help on the fly, dealing extra damage and potentially even breaking you out of a tough situation. It all sounds very complicated, but it’s surprisingly easy to master its quirks, and after a little practice, you’ll be racking up 50-hit crossover combo finishers in no time. If you’re still having trouble, though, the game does offer a “simple” control scheme for the characters that cuts down on the potential moves they can perform, but makes it much…well…simpler to ease into the process of learning what they can do. There’s also a “mission mode” that teaches you how to use some of a particular character’s more advanced combos, but the game lacks any kind of real tutorial or strategy coach that helps you understand what each character can do well on a fundamental level. With other fighters like BlazBlue offering such tools to beginners and casual players looking to take their skills one level further, Capcom really needs to start stepping up their game.
So, is this a history-making game with the potential to become a legend in itself? For people who enjoy fighting games: most likely. For people dissatisfied with the flaws of the last game, looking for something better: probably. For casual players just looking to have some fun: maybe. It all depends on how you approach the game, and if you’re willing to put in the practice and play by it's insane, seizure-inducing rules, there’s a lot of fun to be had.
Submitted By: WhatTheFnu (Customer)
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