Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: We've Missed You!!


Instead of a traditional review of Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, we present a guest article from friend and fellow nerd, Cody. Hit the jump to see his thoughts on a game 10 years in the making.



Marvel vs. Capcom 3 : Fate of Two Worlds

Last summer when I first read the article I couldn’t believe it. It made the hair on my back shoot right up upon the unbelievable happening.  Capcom was working on MVC3. It was real after 10 long years we were finally getting a sequel to one of my favorite games I have ever played. 

Let me get this out of the way I pride myself in being a nerd, and have been reading comics since I was 7 years old getting my first ever brand new comic X-Force #1 in the year 1991 at a Circle K gas station in Goose Creek, South Carolina.  Fast forward almost 20 years and I have been reading comics not stop and still do every Wednesday. Marvel was my first and will always be my true love in Comics.  

Also that very same day at the Circle K I laid my eyes and put in my quarters into a game that will change my life, Street Fighter 2.  The first fighting game to actually have different looking characters not just pallet swaps (other than Ryu and Ken) and everyone played different.  Throughout the years I became a fighting game junkie. Forking over allowance after allowance playing them at the arcades , then at home consoles, so on. I even had to buy a limited edition 150 dollar tournament stick that uses the same build as the arcades of old.

The day came, Valentine’s Day 2011. All day I was excited for the midnight release and as I showed up at my favorite GameStop at 10:00pm was proud to be the 1st one in line didn’t care that I was there in the cold waiting outside.  I live about 15 miles away from this Gamestop and at 12:01 I walked out with my copy and was home in my house at 12:09. I chanced getting a ticket cause I could not wait to once again to have my 2 favorite franchises ever go all out. 

The first time I put in the game I could not believe my eyes it looked better then any videos ever gave it justice.  Hooking up my arcade stick I was all ready to go to play for an hour or 2 then sleep…. Instead I was up for 10 hours straight playing the game.  

In the previews and videos coming to the games release they talked about the more casual control scheme with only 4 attack buttons ( light, medium, hard, and special) and as excited as I was for the game I was worried about them dumbing down this important franchise. Instead I was happy to say that all it did was make the game easy to play and hard to master.  

MVC2 only had 4 buttons but it was for light and hard punch and kick each button assigned to only represent punch or kick , MVC3  controls like 2 but amped to the next level.  The game is so fast , so fun and even having no experience playing fighting games the newest of players could pull of specials and ultra combos. Those with experience would learn the areal counters, cancels, the timing of the assist and something that is a must to learn for any skilled player air combos.

Air combos are an intricate part of the fast and furious game play and with the proper execution you can switch in and out between all 3 characters on your team for devastating results. In one fight using my current main team of X23, Deadpool, and Taskmaster I was able to completely defeat my opponent with 1 endless air combo, it was the stuff of legends and when you get the timing right its bliss to watch and deliver the final blow on your fallen foe. 

The hyper and ultra combos are as always amazing spectacles with 3 stand outs by far. Deadpool breaks the 4th wall knowing he is in a game proceeds to beat you with your life bar and combo bar for hilarious. Akuma once again has the infamous Raging Demon attack which I admit doesn’t take as much life as it use to but looks just wow a sight to be seen.  Phoenix, yes that’s right Marvel Girl herself Jean Grey is in the game and to keep things interesting when she is defeated with the right level in your combo meter she becomes the Dark Phoenix and all her attacks are doubled from what they where and its just awesome. 

This was supposed to be my attempt at a review for this game but instead it comes off as a love letter to this amazingly packaged delicacy that can only come from the crossing of 2 of my favorite franchises. If you are a fan of Marvel, Capcom, Fighting games, or just want to have fun this is the game for you. Among all the amazing games that are set to come out this year if I was only able to get 1 game this year this would be it.  
                                                           Make Mine Marvel
                                                                         Cody

                                                             P.S.    Hadouken!

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