UMvC3, The Ultimate Review.

First the community waited 10 years for a sequel and now we barely waited 10 months. The kind folks at Capcom have resolved many of the issues with the previous iteration they have also added a whole load of new characters.

The game boasts the same game modes as the original but with a load more thrown in to the mix. The game still includes the original arcade mode previously seen in the original but with new endings for the new characters. There are also new missions available for you to practice the shiny new cast and their combos. But what is more interesting is the addition of both Galactus mode where you get to play as the villain and obliterate Earth's last lines of defence to devour all the planet's resources and a post DLC game mode called "Heroes and Heralds". What I feel is the most fascinating component about H&H mode is the cards that you can create a set of 3 cards in your "deck" from your collection; each card has its own attributes and bonuses. Some of these cards give you extra damage and others can even allow the player to become invisible when low on health/dashing. Once you have built up your collection offline you can even take your unique set-up online to play against one another online in a weekly competition to wins more cards.

The new cast totals up to 48; 12 of which are new, 2 of whom are DLC and the remaining cast are returning from MvC3. The new characters are wonderfully unique and come from nay different areas of both the Marvel and Capcom universe. My personal favourite has to be Nova, the guy can back his punch and has a lot of cool moves and set-ups. Not only have they added a load of new cast members but they have also revamped some of the previous characters alternate colours as well as adding 2 more to each character. On the lead up to the game's release Capcom even released all the inspiration for their alternate costumes and if you are really in to the lore you can check them out online. Along with the new characters Capcom have also redesigned some maps as well as designing new arenas that draw inspiration from both Marvel comics and levels from Capcom games.

There has also been a revamp of the entire menu system and HUD. First of all the menu is far easier to navigate, no longer are you returned to unnatural screens like its counterpart. Now you can proceed through the menus in a more natural progression. Not only have they fixed navigation, Capcom have went to the point where they have completely redesigned the whole menu and character select screen. These new screens boast a new and very extravagant comic based layout, each background screams character and really captures the feeling of the game.
Now on to the HUD, personally I feel that the previous iteration was very good and provide clear and concise information correctly and almost fluently to the player. The new HUD falls short of the previous iterations design, this new HUD often feels cluttered and it is almost impossible to decipher what is happening on screen (especially in relation to which team mate is mapped to which button).

Lastly I want to talk about the online mode. The matchmaking has been significantly improved, it's now easier to find matches and the navigation is nowhere near as awkward to navigate. There has now been a spectator mode integrated online which makes it a great pleasure to play online as you are now no longer looking at two horribly designed cards rub up and down until one was declared victorious.

In conclusion the game is fantastic, it capitalises on everything that made MvC3 fun and improves them. Some might have a few problems with the release schedule but you never know when there is going to be another drought in the fighting game genre. So I say you should jump right on this wonderful sequel, especially if you missed the original you won't be disappointed. I give it an 8/10.