Ever since the release of Street Fighter IV and my purchase of a fight stick, I’ve begun to approach console-fighters on a competitive level. Since then, I’ve added BlazBlue, SSFIV, and Marvel VS Capcom 3 to my fighter library. Aside from random quarters that I’ve dropped into Marvel VS Capcom 2 arcade cabinets, I’ve barely touched the titles in this franchise. Needless to say, I was excited this past Tuesday when picking up my copy of MvC3. The excitement was not a waste of emotion.
How good is Marvel VS Capcom 3, really? The answer: Not as good as I hoped, but still one hell of a fighter.
The game reminds me of BlazBlue with tag-teams. It’s fast, frantic, complex, and a game whose character roster is as memorable as they come. But, Marvel VS Capcom is not perfect. The sad thing is, I’m pretty sure the game could have been. Why is it that Capcom let it slip through its fingers? I’m sure they were aware of how well the game was going to score in reviews, but is that risky business worth a chance of hurting game scores? Obviously, it was. If the answer is DLC, I may have to “HULK SMASH” every Capcom game in my library.
8-player lobbies are pits of wasted-time with spectator mode missing. I know that feature was included in Super Street Fighter IV, but time did not permit the game to come shipped with the option. Fine, then. Patch it later. Game modes are scarce in comparison to other fighters in the genre as arcade, training mode and combo “missions” are the only single player modes that beside VS & online play. This is not a big deal considering Arcade mode should give you plenty to do collecting unlockables and character ending sequences. The thing is, the ending sequences are completely half-assed. Aesthetically, I love the comic book approach, but 2 to 3 panels running a mere 15 seconds is not what I consider an ending. After watching the beautiful opening cinematic, I was anticipating something along those lines.
How is it, with all of these shortcomings, that I still can’t manage to keep away from playing MvC3? Maybe it’s because the fighting, which is what’s most important in fighters, but rarely the highlight, is SO exhilarating and satisfying. Basic attacks never come across as a single swing of a fist, but rather a barrage of punches, kicks, or screen-filling super moves. With the addition of “Simple” mode, where single button presses allow my girlfriend to put up a fight when we’re in a VS battle, casual and core fans can duke it out on a leveled fighting arena. Now, there’s no need to hesitate to introduce friends and family that don’t game much, to the action. It says a lot about the developers over at Capcom when a game that doesn’t quite cover the plate with food, still leaves you feeling stuffed.
** Side note: I’m always looking for online competition. Don’t hesitate to bring it if you’re a MvC3 player on a 360. GamerTag: Qualitybeats84 HULK SMASSSHH!