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.

MvC 3 Revisited.

For those of you who may not have been around for the original boom of fighting games in the late 80's  and early 90's when Capcom took off with the fighting game genre. Marvel vs Caocom 3 is the latest entry in the "VS" series from Capcom, the first entry being X-men vs Street Fighter in 1998. The game was followed by many other entries to the series up until Marvel vs Capcom 2 in 2000. That means it has been over 10 years since the game last hit the shelves of your local store, although there has been several re-releases for different consoles and as arcade games. Now off the back of the very successful Street Fighter 4 and it's updates, Capcom have decided to renew a much loved series.

Although since the last release of MvC2 the fighting game community had started to dwindle. With the introduction of the aforementioned SF4 the community is growing and there is a new wave of warriors (like myself) picking up the games and getting involved in the community. This means it is the perfect time for Capcom to unleash such an anticipated sequel.

The game gathers 44 fighters from across both companies' most famed series and includes several X-men and a good few familiar faces from Street Fighter and other notorious Capcom games. Like many other fighters there is a rather steep learning curve to reach a level of competitive play. Offline you are able to play on training mode, learn new combos in challenge mode and play your bog standard arcade mode. But as most you know Fighting games aren't based around how many times you can complete the story but whether or not you can play with your friends. As expected the offline works just fine and is a great load of fun but at times the online can be laggy and very hard to find a match. A while after the game was release a new game mode was also added, called shadow mode which Capcom claimed would enable everyone to have the shot at "The Best" although after the first one or two disappointingly poor free DLCs, these unconvincingly robotic type players, Capcom started charge for this "opportunity". So I decided to stop there with it. Other disappointing aspects of the online play are the lack of spectator mode. 

Now for the Graphics, this is definitely my favourite part of the game. The visuals are fantastic, nothing short of what you would dream of. They stay true to the very comic book fashion that inspired the game. It even feels like your favourite comics have come to life on screen. And what keeps me even more in awe is the fact that it still manages to capture the 2D element of street fighter without the loosing either side of the series' art style. Even all the alternate colours to the Marvel side has generations of back story to them alone, it’s not just all mango sentinels and oddly coloured magnetos. It’s X-Force Wolverine and Deadpools costume from Uncanny X-Force, there’s even CaptainAmerica/Punisher. It’s a work of genius and I love every tiny little detail from Deadpools taunt to Wesker lobbing missiles in his level 3.

Now in terms of gameplay the series has taken a new variation of the classic button structure by eradicating the much loved punch and kick buttons for a far more simple; Special, Light, Medium, Heavy 4 button set up with 2 buttons for assists. What this does for the game is make the entry level for players lower than that of a usual “experienced player” yes there are still the greats of the community lording it over others but it is far more friendly to give it a bash with friends. There is even a simple mode in which the computer pretty much plays the games while you mash away at buttons, although you lose a major amount of capability it allows for a younger generation to get a basic understanding of the game and work their way up to playing the “normal” mode.

The game is fantastic, you can fun both offline and online. There is a world of combinations within teams you can lose yourself in. If you love comics, games and fighters then don’t shy away from a masterpiece. Hopefully sit on top of another 10 year reign of fighting game dominance. I'd give it a 7/10.