Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting
ERSB Rating: Teen
Release date: Available now

It has been a whopping 11 years since the world last saw the heroes and villains from Marvel and Capcom battle it out in MvC2: New Age of Heroes. Since that time, the highly successful game has been ported to various systems, most recently in 2009 where it made a popular comeback on the PS3 and Xbox Live Arcade. Now, Capcom has rolled out the 3rd game in the franchise, Fate of Two Worlds, incorporating both new and old characters in an attempt to revitalize the series for a whole new audience.

The premise of MvC3 is straightforward; akin to almost all fighting games- beat the snot out of your opponents before your health runs out. Players choose three characters from a possible 36 (18 Marvel-based and 18 Capcom-based) to formulate a team. Each character has a different fighting style, such as slow but super strong like the Hulk, or the wildly fast Spider-Man. Games can be played through different modes, including Arcade where players beat multiple CPU teams before taking on the final boss, Online against other humans, Training, and Mission where players must accomplish tasks with specific characters.

The controls in MvC3 may feel a bit like button-mashing, but in reality there is a lot of strategy in the game regarding which attacks to use and when. At any given time, the player’s off-screen partners can be called in for assistance, performing a move or two to dole out additional damage. Players will also be rewarded for coupling combos with unique moves. As the fight progresses, players can level-up, giving them the ability to perform super-charged moves which, when executed properly, can nearly incapacitate opponents.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has two great things going for it, which should be at the core of any game: fun and graphics. MvC3 is a wild chaotic mess, but in the best possible way. I defy players not smirk at the dialogue, the little inside jokes and the satisfaction of pummeling these now beloved characters. Visually, the best way to describe it is as a fluid comic book. The bright colors literally leap off the screen with gorgeous contrast. It is quite clear that a lot of time and effort went into the visual direction, and the result is a work of art.

There are a few flaws I found that detract from what otherwise would have been a perfect game. First off, there is no direct way to challenge your friends to online battles, at least none that I could find with ease, which is obviously a big disappointment. Next, the endings are simply average. For all of the great artistic models used for the characters, I would have preferred animated conclusions rather than just storyboards. That said, at least all of the endings are unique to the characters. Finally, the Mission mode is a little bland, and is really just a version of training where the player has to complete specific moves.

It is hard at this stage of the game for fighting titles to be inventive and interesting given their long history, but Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds pulls it off. Any fan of fighting games or comic books in general should at least give it a try. If you’re already a hardcore fan, don’t be surprised if you find this one in your console repeatedly.

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