Comic books nerds and fighting game nerds unite!!!
Overview
Capcom gaining license to using Marvel comics in their games have become a huge profit for both companies and fans. However, it seems when it came to their dream matches, Marvel continuing expanding their repertoire of characters with each release, Capcom stands still with just the Street Fighters battling them.
That all changes because the Street Fighters are now being join by several of their past accomplished superstars within the Capcom community. While both are of even balance to each other now, the fights have become a bit more unstable. By their powers combine, they are “Marvel Vs Capcom!”
Graphics 8/10
Wow, wow, wow! Capcom have gone done it again. The graphics clearly look completely washed, dried in the sunlight, and look like there no leftover wrinkle marks. The portraits were very well organized and sleek in the drawing of their faces, seen on the player select screen, versus screen, and winners’ screen. All the sprites were shimmering with delight. Even Morrigan’s old sprite, that fans have been complaining about for many years, fits very well with the whole cast. Nice work on Captain Commando’s buddies as well. The stages are absolute cool with several references of nostalgic outlooks on Marvel’s universe and Capcom’s works. My personal favorite is the Mega Man stage featuring Dr. Wily and Spider-Man’s rooftops.
In battle, everything goes down smooth like Gray Goose vodka. Everything reacts at a fast rate and the double feature of doing super team attacks and double team assaults are wonderfully drawn, with almost no slowdowns to ever lessen the greatness of this game. In my opinion, Onslaught’s first form of animation is stunning and is one of the best works on art in the entire series. However, not so much his second form which is just getting repetitive since we have seen it done before from the last two games.
Every collision of energy beams, legions of weapons, explosive strikes reached the fullest level of awesomeness. I also have to give props to the people who designed Chun Li’s super air kick as they did a good job making a normal command jump kick look powerful and insane. Sort of wish, however, that Mega Man did not come off so child-like.
Gameplay/Controls 9/10
Over on Marvel’s side, marks the debut of the derange Venom on the 2D platform. War Machine is pretty much a carbon copy of Iron Man, except for the coloring and one new super move. Everybody else have some added traits to make the game crazier. For example, Ryu can now channel in the abilities of playing as Ken or Evil Ryu in one swift motion. However, once again there are no fully playable Marvel females again!!! Capcom expands their playing field in a huge way with guys like Mega Man, Captain Commando, Strider Hiryu, and Jin Saotome having now hopped onto the 2D fighting bandwagon.
Heroes and villains making their debut came out in full force with remarkable moves that no one saw coming. Capcom did an excellent revamp of Commando’s moves from his original old-school debut. Strider has a butt load of specials that I could not imagine and Venom’s actions just works with his attitude. Jin, while very small on specials, have powerful normal attacks and effective supers to make you run home to your momma.
Gone is the teammate partner assists and in comes the special partner assists. After picking of teams, a miniature grid of dozens of souls appears, featuring characters from both companies who come in limited quantity and perform one special move to help even out the score. Some have great attacks, while other fizzle in comparison. If you want to choose a pacific special partner in particular, pressing and holding a certain combinations of the joystick and buttons can yield your desired playmate. It is a very welcome addition to have that choice, automatically or manually. Another detail that greatly shines is to call upon both teammates and fight at the same time. For a limited time and crazy as it is, you have the chance to use two. This is a grand time, in which you just go nuts and throw unlimited specials and supers during this trance. I love every minute of it.
The battles on the computer’s side are quite unproblematic, expert or novice. Only during the game’s later progress will you have frustrations towards certain fighters, most noticeably Hulk and Gambit. I liked the little tidbit where if you continue to wail on your defeated opponent, you get some bonus points if you are freeze in a special or super move position in a certain way. Onslaught is really no pushover in his two forms just as long you do not jump in like an idiot.
On the controls’ side, the use of moving around and using attacks on all forms is great and impressively perfect. The air combos, defense deflects, and enlarge projectiles come and go with no consequences and playing two characters is a real eye pleasing, especially if you know what you are doing. I think I have not been this happy doing air hit combinations and doing combos while your opponent is still down on the ground until now. No delays on this one. The timing of the pressed buttons hit the exact action it is to confirm.
Sound/Music 9/10
Once you watch the beginning intro displaying the Q-Sound technology symbol and familiar jingle, you can rest assure that you will be guaranteed with crisp sound effects and top notch music listening. The fighters’ voices got their throats clean thoroughly to showcase the unbelievable tones of their rage, sorrow, and excitement. Attacking with fierce strikes really sounds convincing to put the hurt on you or your opponent and Strider’s sword slices in all directions of goodness. The announcer this time is straight to the point, coming off as thrilled like the last two speakers of the crossover games. Although, Mega Man still came off annoying spooky with his voice box sounding like he has yet to hit puberty.
The music is something that grows on you as you play the game more and more. It was just genius to have Ryu’s theme be the remix version of Street Fighter 2’s arcade theme. Venom’s music makes you think is he dangerous and unpredictable, which he is. The intro to Onslaught has a great confrontational feeling before fighting him. One more thing is that I am not embarrassed to say this and that is my favorite music track from the game is Roll’s theme. Something about it being sung in Japanese makes it awesome. The music has a very modern touch to it and like Captain America says gets a "Thumbs, up! Solder."
Replay Value 8/10
Like Marvel Super Heroes Vs Street Fighter, Marvel Vs Capcom inputted secret characters to fight against or to place into your team. While they are nothing more then color swap versions of the originals cast, many of them have altered normal attacks, specials, and supers. Called it a repeated offense, but it still adds some temporary replay points to the game. If you do not believe it, just look up the way to uncover and play as Shadow Lady. The endings to the regular fighters are quite amusing, even though they are not to be taken seriously at all. This is a fine piece of tag team battle history to endure with in single mode or two players versus.
Overall 9/10
The third story of the Marvel & Capcom rivalry is the finest dream match game to grace the 2D fighting circuit. Everything is done flawlessly and you could care less how broken it is because it is just pure entertainment. The negative marks on the game are very minor comparing to the overwhelming positive integrity being seen on screen. No matter what version you find this game under, it is a definite pick up. You will eventually participate in it many times on memory lane for years to come.
- by Boombada
