Before I actually get into the preview I need to say this right off the bat. Marvel vs. Capcom blows Street Fighter 4 so far out of the water that we’re still waiting for it to come back down. In comparison to the fluidity and speed with which Marvel vs. Capcom 3 plays, Street Fighter 4 looks like an old uncle drunk on Christmas day. So move off the throne and bow, because the fighting genre has a new king. All hail the king.
I knew the moment I hit the show floor on day one that Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was going to be something special. The second game in the series for the Dreamcast still remains one of my most cherished games, and like all other full blooded gamers I screamed like a girl at a Justin Bieber concert when they announced this new addition.
Throughout my three days at the grandest gaming Mecca of them all there wasn’t really a time where one could just mosey up to a kiosk and get their game on. This point was hammered home whenever I gazed over at the tournament line, a line that was always huge. However watching hardcore fans duel it out with fight sticks was entrancing and was enough incentive for me to wait patiently to take a stab at the title.
The first thing you’ll notice is how vibrant the characters and stages look and the fluidity of the combat. Each character seems to pop, The Hulk is the greenest green you’ll ever see, and so many of combatants moves cause flashy effects and elaborate motions. Deadpool and Dante were really impressive in this regard, their similar weapon catalog made watching the two duke it out a real treat for all spectators. Of course supers and more importantly triple supers look utterly chaotic as any fan would hope.
The best way to describe the art style would be to imagine a brighter, smoother Street Fighter 4, then mix it with a comic book style.
When it was finally my turn I soon realized that what was on display showed a title that was sticking to what made it popular in the first place, from controls and look to gameplay. Speaking of controls they were for the most part the same from what we are used to from the XBL/PSN re-release of the second game. I was able to quickly jump in and start having fun without fumbling around too much. This choice of sticking close to the winning formula is definitely not a negative on the title, hell I am pretty sure if we saw a radical departure we would see the same kind of outcry that Fallout 3 had.
In similar fashion the team based combat is back, allowing you to switch between whichever three party members you chose. Like the previous titles this allows you to have them pull off assist moves or, if you’ve saved up enough energy you can unleash a super move with all three heroes. While I wasn’t able to achieve a 120 hit combo with a triple super it was still pretty damn cool to see The Hulk, Deadpool, and Dante all go nuts on poor Captain America.
With the exception of them revealing Deadpool and Dante there wasn’t a whole lot of new information given about the title, we’re still unclear what new modes or gameplay features will be added, but we aren’t expecting this bad boy till sometime next year.
Bottom Line was that the game looked amazing, it played amazing, and I had the same kind of sensation when I played Starcraft 2 for the first time. It’s sexy, it plays like it should and frankly it’s just concentrated fun (sans the pulp). So one more time kids, say it with some feeling. All Hail the King!