Alright, so I know I don't normally just review a game outright since that's
somebody else's job, but I figured since a new
Marvel vs Capcom is only released
every decade or so that I could make an exception in this case. Still, I'll do my best to talk about the game a bit more broadly and try and avoid a straight nuts-and-bolts review since, let's face it - if you're going to buy this game, you already know it. In fact, you've probably already bought it.
On the game's relese yesterday, I took the day off work so that I could spend a sufficient amount of time with the game, learn its subtle nuances, and generally get to know it as well as possible. After many....many [consecutive] hours spent playing the game in its various modes, my overall impression is that Capcom has succeeded in changing the game's mechanics as much as possible from the familiar MvC2 formula while simultaneously retaining the same spirit of the series, and I think that's a good thing.
While I don't want to write a full fledged review of the game, what I will do instead is compare it directly to my "MvC3 Wishlist" to see just what Capcom delivered on, what they surprised me with, and what disappointed me.
Unlockable Characters
Ok, this one doesn't really count since I knew before the game's launch that it was going to be included. While the game ships with 4 characters that need to be unlocked (Akuma, Taskmaster, Hsien-Ko, and Sentinel), unlocking them is quite simple, and was achieved by me through just a couple hours spent in mission mode. I would have liked maybe more strict criteria rather than "get a certain number of player points", with stronger characters in return (Akuma and Sentinel were regulars in MvC2, after all), but the fact that Capcom included unlockables at all is a good thing.
Alternate Costumes
When I wrote my wishlist post, I was sure to distinguish between a true alternate costume and merely different "colors" for the characters. In MvC3 it looks like Capcom has come down somewhere in the middle. They have opted to include different skins for each fighter, which means that while we do get more than just a simple color change, we still don't truly get any alternate costumes, since they were restricted to working with the default character model. I suppose it's a decent compromise, though there are some instances (with Marvel characters specifically) where they tried to copy looks from the comics, but were restricted by the character model and what we ended up with was a weird looking skin that was "inspired by" a particular look. I still haven't given up on the idea that Capcom will release alternate costumes for characters through DLC, a la Street Fighter IV.
A Robust Training Mode
It seems clear that Capcom anticipated that this was the section of the game where most players would be spending the majority of their time, as they've really tricked out training mode with a bunch of options - even a slider to simulate varying degrees of network lag. Back again is the ability to have a second controler take over for the training dummy, though it would have been even better if this could be done online to train with a friend over Xbox Live or PSN. Thankfully, managing characters and assists is much simpler, with the ability to change any character's assist in-game through a menu, and an option that takes you directly back to the character selection screen rather than the main menu. Also included is the new "Mission Mode", which is basically the same as the trial challenges from Street Fighter IV. It's a great way to learn some devastating combos and setups, though it could stand to be a bit more substantial - each character only has 10 "missions", instead of the 24 trials per character in Street Fighter IV.
Video/Theater Mode
Oddly enough, this is totally absent from the game. This is perhaps the most surprising part about the game, since the ability to record and watch replays has become almost standard in modern fighters - not to mention a fairly complex replay/channel system was included in Capcom's most recent fighting game, Super Street Fighter IV, so I have no idea why it didn't make it in here. Perhaps even more startling than the lack of a theater mode, though, is the lack of any sort of spectator system. When multiple players join a lobby (which is a favorite passtime amongst my friends and I), the players who are not currently fighting do not get to view the match. Instead, they're treated to avatars of the 2 opponents' "license cards" (more on those later), bouncing provocatively off one another. This is a huge oversight since, for many players, watching their friends fight is just as entertaining as fighting themselves. This too is a convention from Super Street Fighter IV that got cut - perhaps me using that game as a benchmark for what I could expect was folly on my part, but it didn't seem too far fetched to assume that similar, seemingly standard features would be included in both (not to mention that spectator mode was included in MvC2 - a re-furbishing of a 10 year old game!). This is by far the biggest disappointment I found on launch day.
In-Game Online Profile
Admittedly, when I was writing my wish-list, this was the one item that I thought was least likely to be included, since it was more a product of my own whimsical musings of things I thought would be cool rather than any sort of justifiable inclusion i thought
should make it. Oddly enough, Capcom has actually included something like this in MvC3. Each player has a "license card" associated with him, which in addition to tracking stats (like measuring your play in terms of things like balance, defense, advanced offense, etc) also keeps track of your win/loss record, your most often-used team, AND gives you the option to save up to 3 teams in reserve that you can "quick-load" at the character select screen - great for keeping your alpha team close at hand. All this information can be checked by your opponents online as well, which is pretty much exactly what I asked for so I can't complain even a little bit.
I think the strongest impression I was left with after a full day of playing the game is just how different it feels from MvC2. Capcom has managed to adapt their awesome series in a way that makes it much more strategic and deliberate without sacrificing what made the first 2 games great. While some interesting omissions in game modes are disappointing, the great new gameplay and incredible depth has me excited to spend many many hours trying to conquer this game. It's certainly not MvC2, nor is it Street Fighter IV - it's its own unique package, which I think is just what was needed to reinvigorate this great series.
