It's been 11 years since Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was the last hurrah of arcade fighting games. Now finally the sequel to one of the most beloved fighting games of all time has finally arrived and while it may upset some purists, the fact remains that it's an absolute blast to play.
While the roster lacks some series staples like Zangeif, Mega-Man and Juggernaut, the new additions like Dante and Pheonix manage to more than make up for the lack of old faces. Other characters like Jill Valentine have been completely reworked, creating a very different feel despite the number of familiar returning faces like Dr. Doom and Ryu.
Still, other changes include a simplified control scheme which will undoubtedly upset older fans of Capcom's fighting games. Taking a cue from Arc System Works' Blazblue, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 uses three buttons for successively stronger attacks and a fourth as a special button that launches enemies into the air to extend combos. This is a drastic change from the previous punch and kick buttons of Capcom's other fighters which suits the engine for MvC3 perfectly but takes some time to get used to and limits player options which will annoy fighting game snobs to no end.
Then there are the balance issues. Some characters have super moves that can instantly KO other fighters, even during assists. That's hardly what I'd call gameplay balance and those issues should have been fixed back during the alpha stage, being flaws with design rather than actual bugs. The game is further unbalanced by the addition of Simple Mode which uses a similar control scheme to Super Smash Bros. While increasing accessibility, it gives a noticeable frame advantage to players using the mode, allowing them to pull off super moves instantly instead of having to buffer the input, giving new players an edge over veterans and making the game more about timing than skill. Simple mode isn't so much a feature as it is a disservice to every player who takes the time to truly learn and master the game's various characters.
For all of its flaws, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is still a blast to play and may quite possibly dethrone Smash Bros Brawl as the many gamers' party fighting game of choice. The graphics are an even more stylized evolution of Street Fighter IV's art style filled with bright vibrant colors and shimmering particle effects that make MvC3 the best looking 2.5D fighter that I've ever had the honor of playing. Being able to unite so many characters from various backgrounds into one specific art style is no small task and the developers deserve a medal for maintaining continuity with their art assets.
The sound is even more impressive with fears that the limited number of backgrounds leading to decreased audio assets being completely unfounded with each character having their own musical theme. Each track of the OST stands out on its own while always being appropriate for a fighting game, with previous themes that weren't appropriately intense enough reworked into the harder, darker sounds that fighting games need to retain their atmosphere as fighters shout the names of their attacks and various projectiles fizzle out and explode across the screen.
While Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is far from the technical fighter that it was anticipated to be, it remains a very fun casual fighter that will be a party staple for years to come. If you're looking for a varied fighter that looks and sounds great with a ton of replay value and will hopefully have a strong online following, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is your game.
Pros
+ Great for parties
+ Sound is on par with Capcom's previous fighters
+ Graphics set a new benchmark for fighters
+ Diverse set of characters that all play differently
Cons
- Lacks balance between characters
- Simple mode gives too much of an advantage to new players
- Roster lacks fan favorites like Ken and Cyclops
8/10
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