5:26 PM
Ryan (Entr0p1k)
Some say that the genre of fighting games is dying away, slowly degrading as gamers become more intrigued with vast environments and swarms of enemies while losing the appreciation for 1v1 style combat. It’s easy to believe when looking at recent releases like Dragon Age 2 and Bulletstorm. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, however, makes a very compelling argument otherwise.
It seems forever since the last installment of the Marvel vs. Capcom series but the wait is over. MvC3 stays true to the standards that were set by its predecessor, featuring 3v3 tag-team style combat with ridiculous combos and special moves. It’s a game that is sure to keep all the fans of MvC1 and 2 as well as create many new ones.
Since most of this game follows the mechanics of a multiplayer game, I have decided to rate it solely on the multiplayer rating system. This is because the single player and multi are very similar, and about the only difference is that in arcade mode you are fighting AI opponents rather than human ones.
It seems forever since the last installment of the Marvel vs. Capcom series but the wait is over. MvC3 stays true to the standards that were set by its predecessor, featuring 3v3 tag-team style combat with ridiculous combos and special moves. It’s a game that is sure to keep all the fans of MvC1 and 2 as well as create many new ones.
Since most of this game follows the mechanics of a multiplayer game, I have decided to rate it solely on the multiplayer rating system. This is because the single player and multi are very similar, and about the only difference is that in arcade mode you are fighting AI opponents rather than human ones.
Gameplay
9.0 |
MvC3 delivers what fighting game enthusiasts have come to expect from their games, a level of fluid complexity that is matched by no other genre. This beautiful complexity is achieved through an amazing canceling system, allowing players to combo to their hearts content.
Most of the mechanics in the game are continuous with those of the Street Fighter and MvC series including Hypercombos, Air Combos, assists and blocking. MvC3 makes beautiful use of all of these, but also has added a few things to shake things up. For one, the classic Air Combos can now be augmented with Aerial Exchanges. This means that after completing an Air Combo you can call in another character to continue the combo. This can be done twice in each AC, but can be countered. Another interesting addition is the ability to Cross Counter and effectively switch characters while blocking an attack, and countering it.
The game feature a roster of 36 characters which, although fewer than MvC2’s 56 characters, is still an impressive number. Each character has their own set of combos and special moves and every character is designed to play differently. This, combined with its 3v3 tag-team system, insures variety and that every match fought will be unique.
In addition to the MvC classic Arcade and VS modes, a new mission mode has also been added. This mode provides each character with specific combos to perform and can be used to help beginners learn basic combos as well as provide a challenge to even the most advanced players.
Unfortunately, the game features few unlockables, most of which are not really worth unlocking. Every character has their own unique ending that is unlocked after completing arcade, most of which are boring or irrelevant. The only things really worth unlocking are the 4 locked characters, but this is done easily with four quick runs of the arcade mode.
Matchmaking
| 4.0 |
The matchmaking for MvC3, although a great addition to the series, is ultimately disappointing. It gives you the option to search for either a ranked or unranked match. Unfortunately the ranking system is flawed in the way that it ranks you solely on your total wins, and does not take into account the difficulty of your opponents or even your loses.
Searching for a match takes ages. Not only that, but if you time out or fail to join a match the game has to take time to load and take you back to the menu. Things like these make trying to find a match tedious and tiresome.
It also gives you an option to join or create a player lobby of up to 8 players. This was a cool idea, but seems to fail in actual practice. For one, only one match happens at a time so, depending on the number of people in a lobby, it usually takes forever to actually end up in a match. I couldn’t find a way to even watch the match while I was waiting so I was stuck watching health bars as time passed me by and boredom set in.
One plus side was that lag was a very rare occurrence. A good thing considering how in the few laggy games I played I felt as though I was not even in control of my character.
Competitiveness
| 8.5 |
The sheer complexity of MvC3 almost guarantees that it would be competitive and ensures a high skill cap, separating beginners from more advanced players. This also encourages players to better themselves, always looking for new combos and strategies.
One controversial addition is the Simple Mode function, which makes it easier to perform special moves and may help to shorten the gap between newer players and veteran ones. But fear not, an advanced player playing on normal will defeat a new player playing Simple almost every time.
Although the game is inherently competitive, a few things definitely cause drawbacks. As mentioned before, the online ranking system is flawed, making it somewhat difficult to actually tell how a player is progressing. Also, as is the problem with many games that have large rosters, some characters definitely seem overpowered compared to others. This causes players to constantly fight many of the same characters when playing online and can discourages competitive players from branching out.
Audio / Video
| 7.5 |
MvC3 branches away from its predecessors’ 2D animations and instead goes the way of 3D polygons. The overall graphics of the game are not quite to the level of Halo: Reach or Forza 3, but it is definitely an improvement.
The whole of the game has a very comic book-esque feel to it with all of the characters appearing shades and slightly exaggerated. The backgrounds are vibrant and visually appealing and yet not distracting when playing. Overall, the game feels right, it feels like a comic book.
The audio is another beast entirely. The music is good, nice background music as you beat your opponents to a pulp. The sound effects, however, could drive you mad. Almost every effect is slightly annoying and harsh and just like it’s predecessors, just about every punch, kick and special move has a specific sound that plays every time that move is done. It may not sound like that big of a deal, but it definitely can be, especially when your friend is spamming the same move over and over again.
Huevos Factor
| 9.0 |
Marvel Vs Capcom 3 is definitely one of, if not the best fighting game I have ever played. While reviewing this game I became very addicted to it. Just about everything about this game is fun. When I played with my girlfriend even she didn’t want to put it down. If you even have a passing fancy for fighting games I recommend that you pick up this game.
Breakdown:
| Gameplay | 9.0 |
| Matchmaking | 4.0 |
| Competitiveness | 8.5 |
| Audio / Video | 7.5 |
| Huevos Factor | 9.0 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
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