Capcom has nearly dominated the 2-D fighting genre, buoyed by its two outstanding franchises, "Street Fighter" and "Marvel vs. Capcom." While the former has been purring along successfully for ages, the latter has been dormant for nearly a decade. Those who enjoyed "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" have certainly been wanting to see something fresh.
We have it now in the third edition of the series, which has been made appealing to both newcomers and genre fans. Neither will probably walk away feeling completely satisfied, but it's hard not to like what has been delivered.
Teams of three vs. three are created, and from then on it's a frenzied battle to the finish. If ever a game should come with a "might cause seizures (but in a good way)" warning, this might be it. Attacks and finishing moves come at a rapid pace. Although efforts have been made to balance the battles, once you get momentum it's hard to be stopped.
The visuals are crisp, with nice, faded backgrounds giving plenty of detail without detracting from the main action. To call the battles frantic would be an understatement. New controller options help newbies by assigning most actions single-button presses.
Training modes are done well, but the story mode, menu options and lobbies where online games take place are bland and lifeless, sapping the game of any long-term replay beyond online matches.
The wait has been long, but gamers can finally put away the "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" game and tear into something fresh.
