Nukezilla Review: Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (Xbox 360)

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was one of the biggest and best fighters to come out on any system. A gigantic roster, matched with an unthinkable amount of fan-service and a phenomenal tag-team-based fighting system made it the iconic fighter that it is. Naturally many were excited to hear that a third installment of the series was to be released, adding even more iconic characters that we’ve grown to love over the years, and beefing up the fighting to match the powerhouse that MvC2 was. Is Marvel vs. Capcom 3 the game that the faithful MvC crowd has been waiting for, or is this a case of too little, too late?

Each side gets 18 warriors (with more coming through DLC) to defend their cause. Almost every inch of both worlds is covered; Capcom gets big-game characters like Ryu and Chris Redfield, and some lesser-knowns like Amaterasu and Arthur from Ghosts and Goblins, and Marvel has classic heroes like Captain America and Spider Man, and random villains like Dormammu and Super Skrull. The roster is immensely diverse strategy-wise, from small, hard-to-hit characters and hulking beasts to general fighting game staples and…whatever the hell M.O.D.O.K. is. If you’ve played a fighting game before, you will find a batch of characters to fall in love with, even if it’s the same ones you’ve been using for years.

Characters we’ve seen before play almost exactly like they once did. Wolverine is still tiny and insanely fast, Hulk is still big and mean, and Sentinel is still an asshole. Some changes have occurred with Captain America and the newly-released Jill: Cap isn’t as acrobatic as he once was, and Jill has become a fast-kicking gymnast. If you had a favorite team in MvC2, more likely than not that team has survived, and will be just as great as they were before.

But if a few characters aren’t living up to what you thought they’d be, there are plenty of new and interesting fighters to choose from. Amaterasu will quickly become the Oddjob of the game, with her short stature, insane specials and Ultra Combos. Dante and Trish deftly sling spells all over the screen. Super Skrull has one move that, no matter what you do, you’ll inevitably spam…but it is an amazing special. Though the roster may be smaller, the diversity of the combatants is insane.

Normally I wouldn’t mention something as simple as a fighting game’s training mode, but a few options make it an incredible tool for new and old players alike. There are the traditional training options like deciding how an opposing character acts, and how much damage you do to each other. Then there’s the ability to play at certain levels of internet connectivity. For instance, you can set Training mode to play exactly like how you’d play a multiplayer game against someone with a horrible connection, lag issues and all. It’s fascinating to train at such a disadvantage. It’s like a Hyperbolic Time Chamber for your fingers.

The biggest problem with the game is the one that die-hard fans will have with it: it lost the best parts of MvC2. One of my favorite parts about the old game was beating the game multiple times to unlock new characters and character skins. Sure, you still get points whenever you play any mode in MvC3, but you have no control over how they’re used. The points are generally used for random Gallery items and “titles”, but during your early time with the game they’ll also unlock four characters. This seems nitpicky, but it a shame that unlocking new characters and costumes (like the insanely amazing Iron Patriot suit) will be relegated to DLC purchases. If you incentivized ten or so characters and additional costumes, like in MvC2, there’d be more of a reason to play it.

After seeing problems like this, it still amazes me how profoundly intense the focus to fan service is. Matching up certain characters at the beginning and end of matches opens up different dialogue. Comic fans will squeal with delight when Cap says to Iron Man, after defeating him, “That’s for Civil War”. Deadpool, always the consummate fourth-wall breaker, will scream out “YOU PRESSED THE WRONG BUTTON!” after his death. Every single time Chris drops into play, and he and Wesker have words with each other, I squeal in delight. Even the stages have lots of fine touches, like the Lickers that die after performing a Hyper Combo on the RE-themed Labratory and leave behind green herbs.

People have been playing competitive MvC2 for years (and online thanks to XBLA) and want a game that plays well online. With awesome new features added to it (like the ultimate punishment for rage-quitters and new modes) multiplayer is the game’s biggest draw. In the month since I’ve had it, I have had really spotty luck with online matches. While the games are great when connected, it takes me a hell of a time to get connected to one. Constant “can’t connect with lobby” messages pop up, and I’m booted to the main game screen far too many times. And, sure, I’m pretty awful when playing against my peers, but I still have an enjoyable time once the stars align and I’m connected to a match.

Aside from traditional online matches, a new update has added Events, a new in-game achievement system. While connected online, you have the ability to win player points and titles when hitting a certain goal, like winning three matches a row or beating Arcade mode while only doing damage with Hyper Combos. These in-game achievements would add a little more replay value if it wasn’t for the fact that all you’ll be doing with these is unlocking more titles for your gamer card.

Back in the day I couldn’t keep MvC2 out of my Dreamcast. When it was released on XBLA, my roommate and I would constantly have intense bouts to determine who performed different chores. I have a great love for the old title, and waited eagerly for Marvel vs. Capcom 3 to be released. Looking back on it now, with the time I’ve had with it, I don’t think I’ll have as grand a sense of devotion to this as I did its predecessor. While there are some fantastic new characters and it looks gorgeous, there’s just a spark from the original that this one seems to be missing.