Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds - Video Game Review

I know, the game's been out for a few months and reviews are still pretty abundant. The general opinion is very mixed, though. I don't think it's the best it could be, but it's one of the best fighting games I've played in a while and I feel that's enough to try my hand at a review.


Update: Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 confirmed! I'm excited.

Graphics

The art style is very reminiscent of...well, a comic book. It's also sort of akin to Street Fighter IV which was a great game in its own right. The art used in the videos carries over to the fighting which also looks amazing, though there is much less shadows which works to the game's advantage. Hits are indicated with large "boom"s that are particularly flashy but do not distract from the fighting you will be doing. Hypers are also very cool and very unique. Alternate costumes are also very good, filled with references and diverse enough so you won't get confused between two characters.

Music

Everyone returning gets a remix of their theme to fit the game's style, and of course, all newcomers get their own theme as well. They're all fast-paced techno-like songs which work with the new and updated changes to the game very well. You won't hear the themes during fights until you change the sound to "Arcade" instead of "Dynamic", but thankfully both sound options are very well done. It's also good to have a choice. Stage themes aren't too memorable though that may be my fault for not paying as much attention to them as I could be.

Gameplay

So how does the fighting stack up when compared to the fan-favorite MvC2? For one, the controls are changed drastically. Instead of Punch and Kick buttons, the scheme is based on the Light-Medium-Heavy chain from Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Whether this works to fans' advantage is up to debate, but for those who may not be familiar with the games, it's an easy control system to get used to. Still, this does not make the game easy and it definitely takes practice before you'll be able to get online and play. The netcode could be better, but overall online is pretty enjoyable when you're not lagging. 

Back to controls and fighting. There is another control scheme in addition to the Normal setting, named Simple. It removes the attack chain in favor of only allowing special attacks and one Hyper combo. I've only used it once and didn't really like it, but I suppose it could be fun for a little bit. 

The game also lacks a large amount of content, especially compared to Capcom's other recent outings. The online content which gamers are now reaching for are gone. There are a total of two downloadable characters that could have easily been included in the game without having to pay for them. Spectator mode is not included at all either. Matchmaking is rather flimsy and it's hard to find someone with the exact same skill level as you. Mission mode is fun but gets very difficult, but the only other modes included offline are Versus and Training. It's good to have them but there really needs to be more in a package people have been expecting for ten years.

Overall

Despite the lack of content, the game is extremely well-balanced and solid for fighting fans. It may take a while to get used to but it is still an amazing game that is just missing features that really should have been included. What you get is still good for the price, but not perfect. I'm still having fun with the game after a good while, and that's a good sign.

Score: 8.5/10