Welcome back to Comics In Gaming, where I bring you word on comics-based video games with particular interest in how well they make use of their licenses. In case you missed the last entry into this new column, be sure to check out what I had to say about DC Universe Online.
This time out, I’ll be giving Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (and its Ultimate update release) a look through a comic lover’s eyes. Beginning… now!
First, however, I must confess that I’m something of a fighting game enthusiast. Heck, my latest personal blog post talks about my being a competitive gamer. I’ll be doing my best to keep that under control here, but I thought I would let you know for full disclosure.
Moving on! So, I hear you asking, “What’s Marvel vs. Capcom 3? And can you explain it without nerding out?” MvC3 is the latest in Capcom’s long-running “vs.” series of 2D fighting games. From a roster of around 50 characters now (as of the Ultimate release), players form teams of three to do battle with an outlandish array of attacks. The game is utter chaos. It can be very fun, but it will take some adjustment even for seasoned gamers to make sense of the madness.
In more traditional game reviews, I would break down the game mechanics and overwhelm you with all the little details that separate MvC3 from other fighting games. I’ll spare you those details this time, true believers, and sum up the gameplay like this: If you can handle high speeds and insanity, don’t mind putting a little work into developing combo skills, and aren’t looking for a brilliant story to go with it, MvC3 is quite possibly worth your time. If there’s one thing it does right, it’s creating a very fast and fun feel. Unfortunately, the depth and mind games associated with competitive fighting games aren’t as strong here.
Anyway, let’s talk about the stuff that matters! How well does this game utilize its Marvel licensing? I’m quite pleased to say that it makes excellent use of the Marvel name… most of the time. The sizable roster is split evenly between Marvel and Capcom characters, so that’s 25 Marvel characters represented here. You’ve got your expected Wolverines, Iron Mans, and Spider-Mans, but then you also get unexpected characters like Rocket Raccoon and MODOK. There’s a lot of variety here and, for better or worse, it isn’t dominated by X-Men characters (which was much more so the case in the game’s predecessor).
Better yet, the characters are all brought to life excellently. Marvel had a close hand in the production of the game, and it shows. My comics experience is not all-encompassing, but the characters definitely seem to carry the attitudes and general spark they’re known for.
I just wish that the same could be said for the story aspects of the game. Granted, fighting games are not known for their story modes, but it seemed like push was being given for the game’s exciting story. In reality, there are a handful of still images and captions for each character that you see upon beating the arcade mode. There’s nothing particularly awesome in these win screens. That said, it is pretty cool that the final stage of arcade mode pits your team against Galactus.
So, what’s the bottom line? Does Marvel vs. Capcom 3 do the name justice, and is it worth your time and money? I definitely think that MvC3 does Marvel’s characters justice. It’s not exactly a game based on the nature of comics (in the way DCUO is), but it certainly captures the characters well, and that’s about all that’s fair to ask of a game in this genre. Whether or not it’s worth your time and money, however, is totally dependent on your gaming preferences. If you like fighting games, it’s definitely worth getting. If you’ve no affinity for the genre, MvC3 won’t likely change your mind.
Until next time, players,
-Kenny
