Could Street Fighter IV lose its crown?
Ah, the fighting genre. I’ve had mixed fortune with it over the years, from great games like Smash Bros, Soul Calibur and Street Fighter to some pretty awful ones that aren’t even worth mentioning. But I must confess, this is the first Marvel vs. Capcom game I’ve played and after the greatness that was Street Fighter IV; I was in two minds about whether it could take the title as the best fighting game this generation, but what conclusion did I come to?
There is an impressive roster of characters to choose from such as Wesker, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Hulk, Magneto, Chris Redfield and Wolverine to name just a few. If you have never played an MvC game before like me, you’ll find it very different to the likes of Street Fighter as you fight in teams of 3 v 3 and pick the right members that work well together for victory. You can also pull off ridiculous numbers of combos in fights, as well as pulling off special moves for each character that can do some serious damage to your opponents.
If there’s one thing that disappoints me, it’s that there’s no real story mode in the game besides the traditional Arcade mode, and that just results in a text-based comic book ending for the character you are controlling as you beat the final boss. Considering the source material and the great style of the game, it would have been great to have a deep story of why Marvel and Capcom’s universes have come together, much like how it did in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. Ok, it wasn’t the best fighter out there, but its story was fairly decent.
Some will complain that the roster isn’t as big as in past games, well I wouldn’t know about that…but it’s still the cream of the crop from both Marvel and Capcom characters. Finally, Wesker and Chris can fight it out without having to resort to some silly virus that makes Wesker weaker. Or you can let Marvel characters duke it out to see who is truly the strongest, of course it’s all about mixing it up for the ultimate line-up that will really stick it to your opponent and that’s what makes it all the more enjoyable.
There are hundreds of missions to do as well, but these are a collection of missions where you have to complete fights only using certain moves. Online is where you’ll get the most fun out of the game and lag is pretty minimal, of course…depending on you and your opponents’ connections. The matches I played had little to no lag and best of all; I won a number of matches against people I really should have lost to. I must admit, I usually get my arse handed to me when playing fighting games online…but I actually had a few victories, which I was more than happy with.
Visually, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a treat for the eyes. There’s a lot going on screen and it’s all bright and the fighters are authentic to their original design. The stages are well designed and will be enjoyed by fans of both franchises. Voice-acting is minimal, but what is in there is fairly decent…if on the cheesy side. The soundtrack isn’t too shabby either.
The Verdict
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 may not be on the same level as Street Fighter IV, but it’s still an amazing game that anyone can enjoy, regardless of if they are good at fighting games or not.
