The biggest disappointment for me in 2016 was Street Fighter V. The series was a foundation to my love of video games and especially fighting games but the latest entry felt like an insult to the series with how it was launched and managed afterwards. I really wanted and needed something to come along and bring back my faith in Capcom fighters. So when it was announced that one of the best 2D fighting games was to be remastered and released, well let me just say that the trailer alone gave me goosebumps!
Ultimate MARVEL Vs Capcom 3 is a remastered version of the classic 2011 game first released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Xbox One owners have had to wait a little while longer than PlayStation 4 fans but finally the wait is over. Now in full 1080p resolution and 60FPS, this is a fighting game perfect to compliment the current void in fighting game genre on modern consoles and ready for a new generation of fans.
It has an incredible roster of 50 characters made up of iconic Capcom game characters and MARVEL heroes and villains and the bonus of all the DLC costumes and colours readily available for each of the characters. The action features 3 Vs 3 tag team battles with fast and fluid action that is so easy to access that those who prefer to button mash can get into the game but also a rich and deep fighting system that experienced players can relish and dive right into.
I have always loved the MARVEL Vs Capcom series, it has allowed fans to create, no pun intended, the ultimate in fan dream matches across the years and this remastered Ultimate MvC 3 delivers not only nostalgia but with MARVEL films being so dominant on the big screen, there has been no better time for this release. It is a shame it has taken an extended amount of time for it to land on Xbox One but it has certainly been worth the wait. Delving back into this game took very little time and soon found myself struggling to pick the right combination of characters to tackle the various modes before taking my team online to fight other players.
It has two great Single Player modes starting with the traditional Arcade mode. Arcade mode simply puts three character team of the player against AI controlled teams to fight their way to the big bad of the game, Galactus, who serves as the final boss fight. Depending on which character gets the final blow on Galactus, which is no easy feat let me tell you, and you will get a different ending for each of the 50 characters. Putting a team together that compliments their fighting style and abilities is not an easy one but the fighting system is just as smooth and easy to get to grips with as it originally was.
The next mode is Heroes and Heralds which is similar to Arcade mode but has two campaign sides to it. If you elect to play as the Heroes, you will be challenged to take down teams who have been turned into Heralds by Galactus and it is vice versa if you select to play as the Heralds battling the heroes in order to destroy the Earth. It uses a card based system to introduce skills buffs and bonuses and playing through will unlock more cards for the player to build new decks to use. It has a number of stages to fight on with the battle to control that stage leading to striking off certain characters from the hitlist for the opposing side. Both the Single Player modes add a great way to learn how the different characters work and to experiment in putting teams together.
The control system has been simplified since MARVEL Vs Capcom 2 with a three button system for attacks and one for the ‘launcher’ or S button, this can be used to send opponents into the air to help create an air combo opportunity. Bumper buttons are used to call in the other members of your team to assist in a combo or if held will tag out the current character for the next one in the team, a big help if one is taking far too much damage.
Visually this game looks incredible, but then it had looked that good originally and when remastering a game, animated or cell shaded games rarely look any better bur for me, this game looks a lot better than Street Fighter V, no pixel corruption on colour collisions in this game. When you bring in your team mates for a massive full team combo finisher, the onscreen animation is very cool indeed and of course changes depending on the composition of your team and characters. There is a real satisfaction with this game that is quite refreshing after feeling so let down by Street Fighter V.
Sadly though trying to take this online, even this amount of time after release, is a trying one. Heroes and Heralds has an online element but no one is seemingly playing it. Competitive online matchmaking can take some time to find a match, even late in the day or on weekends, which is a shame as taking on other players is the real thrill of any fighting game. The game does have solid sofa versus potential and perhaps if the community can grow around it more in the coming months, online matchmaking will improve.
I am a fan of remastered games, not only can they bring classic games to a new audience and generation of players but the nostalgia factor can be rewarding for those missing the experience of years past. This remastered version is a very solid take on Ultimate MARVEL Vs Capcom, a fighting game series that is iconic to many fans of the fighting genre. It feels as comfortable and fun to play today as it did back on its original release and has lost none of its charm or impact and for me at least, plays a little quicker and smoother than the original.
If you have never played an entry in this series then there is no better time than right now to resolve that failing!
