Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Lives Up To The Hype And Rewrites The Series' Rules


Fighting games are a a strange breed of game. They can either bring something incredibly new to the table or be the most stale, also ran pile of crap ever. Thankfully, the latest installment of Capcom's long running "Vs." series has proven to be none of the latter with just enough of the former to make it a great game. If you didn't know which game I'm speaking of, it's Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds. MVC3 maintains the three on three tag team gameplay made popular by Marvel Vs Capcom 2 over a decade ago. This time, however, the character roster has been trimmed far below the massive 56 character roster of MVC2, and Capcom chose to change the control scheme from the three punch-three kick layout to a four button layout reminiscent of Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom or Guilty Gear. Most launchers, moves that send an opponent into the air, are handled with the "special" button. This makes a major component of MVC3's gameplay highly accessible to players who are unfamiliar to a "Vs." game. While the simplified controls make the game easy to pick up initially, there is a serious level of depth here for any gamer willing to delve into the intricacies of the combo system. Another interesting addition is the "X-Factor" mechanic that temporarily boosts character abilities. The maneuver can effectively change the tide of a match if a skilled player pulls it off in a pinch. The major gripe that I have heard from fans of the series is the smaller roster, but that roster save for a few hiccups is suited quite well for more streamlined competitive fighting game scene. The other concern I can see for many gamers is the new art style actually making the game feel a bit slower. the pseudo-cell shaded 3d art style of MVC3 will cause players to rethink every combo, air dash and cross up they ever learned on MVC2. Another gripe I noticed from reading other reviews is the lag felt in online matches. I played, I observed, and I witnessed no lag whatsoever. Maybe those players were attached to a bad connection, but I digress. The big question is: Is MVC3 worth $60? That answer is different for different gamers. If you are a fan of the genre and can get a lot of replay out of it, then MVC3 is worth every penny, but if you will simply just button mash your way through a few games then tuck it away like a Monopoly board, then you can wait until the price drops.Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is a great game, and it might just be worth the decade of hype.


2 comments:

  1. I can't wait to play this one! $60 is a bit steep though. I'll see what's up. Great review!

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  2. It's insane! I'm loving it, glad they moved the game forward.

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