Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a triumphant return to the fighting game genre, with noticeably improved graphics and a roster that reads like a nerd’s All Star List. But within this relatively straightforward game lies an incredibly in-depth and satisfying brawler.
The story is bare bones. Characters from both the Marvel and Capcom franchises must team up to save the world. There’s little story, and the only dialogue is 10 seconds of trash talk before a match starts.
When you beat the arcade mode, the game rewards you with a tiny cut scene about your characters, which is disappointing at best. Honestly, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 barely has a semblance of story. But that’s not the point.
Every match is absorbing. Your heart pumps vigorously as you try to punish your opponent before they do the same, frantically mashing buttons in a manic rush to win.
By the end of the match you’ll look up to realize you’re sweating. It’s the rush of a well-executed fighting game, and if you have a few friends I’d recommend you try it out together.
Marvel’s formula is simple to learn but difficult to master. You have 3 fighters apiece which you use to hit your opponent with various special attacks. The first person to lose their health is defeated.
But the simplicity ends there, as there are 36 characters to choose from with hundreds of move combinations for each. Even top-level players don’t know every move, but the game offers you options to learn.
Take for instance the Mission Mode, which is unique to each character. Within the Mission Mode reside a series of 10 levels. In each level, you learn a new combo or skill set, with the first level starting at something simple like a two-hit combination.
Gradually you work at improving your coordination and learning new moves, but eventually you’re asked to execute 8 move combinations in the span of seconds. Then 15 move combinations, and then … well, you get the picture.
So there’s a huge learning curve involved, and lot of room to grow. Just because you can read how to perform a move doesn’t mean you’ll be able to execute it until you have the reflexes built from playing others.
Fans will be happy to know that the gameplay system is extremely in-depth, and will take an extensive amount of time to master. However, new players to the series may be overwhelmed by the utter chaos from the moment the announcer says, “Fighhhht!” But if new players hang in there, they’ll find the game’s core mechanics relatively simple.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 brings a rock-solid fighting experience that appeals to both veterans of the series or new fans alike. I’d easily recommend this game to any fighting fans. In fact, even if you just like a good beat-em-up game once in a while, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is well worth checking out.
Ryan Carpe is a graduate student studying journalism. If you want to play Marvel vs. Capcom with him, e-mail him at rc336801@ohiou.edu.
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