Back to the Arcade with Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3

Ah, the days of taking names at your friendly neighborhood arcade complex. You could always tell the hustlers from the patsies with how they were hunched over the flashing light of the console. Their gestures were just a bit more precise, just a tad bit faster than anybody else’s. Plus, there’s that detached concentration in their eye, the video game equivalent of the thousand yard stare. 

 

If you’ve ever pined to relive those moments again, then Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 on Playstation3 is a fine, fine way to relive your glory days at the arcade. 

 

This game is basically an updated version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Released in November last year its launch was delayed by the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. Supposed to be just a downloadable extra, the developers decided to beef up everything and release it as a stand alone. And if you’re lucky or rich enough to own (a curse be upon you, fat cat) the tasty and very new Playstation Vita, this one is a flagship game for that. 

 

Are the additions cool enough to justify a stand alone that was previously an update? Well, let’s count the ways: 

 

 

That really is, weighing everything, a yes and a no. See, if you already own fate of two Worlds it really is just the top three things that would make a difference. 

 

If you’d really like to see how devastating (and, he—or rather it--really is) the Nemesis T-Type from Resident Evil 3 can be in crucial circumstances, or how Ghost Rider can be valuable from a mid-screen distance then this is really a no brainer. I mean, it’s 12 characters more! Even if it’s just the novelty value of it, the added tweaks can be generous enough to have you selling your old Blu-Ray disc.  

 

Other notables among the new character additions include Doctor Strange, Nova and Hawkeye for Marvel and Vergil, Frank West and Strider Hiryu (from the old MVSC2: Age of Heroes) for Capcom. 

 

If you waited long enough and didn’t get FO2W then you will find UMVSC3 to be excellent and thrilling 2D action with all the bang and whiz you expect from a merger of two franchises. If you frequently have guests or friends over who want to play, it really is great for parties with its distinctly bold, right out of a comic book appearance. 

 

The main gameplay is still the same: each player selects a team of three different characters to do a heads up against each other. Anytime during this three-on-three match, a player can choose to swap between their other characters for battle assists. Use the Avengers (now with the Hawkeye option) and become a brute, unrelenting force or opt for the Capcom heroes for precise and swift moves to beat your enemy before they’re even off the ground. 

 

I had a grand time switching from the Avengers variants (sometimes Wolverine can be a bit too artless. Know what I mean, bub?) and then utilizing the Capcom monsters as a slow but armored team for devastating results. It’s where I dug the Nemesis T-Type’s tentacle attacks and bazooka. Whereas Phoenix Wright the lawyer, I soon discovered with his shuffling papers crap, was totally useless.  

 

With the “Heroes and Heralds” downloadable from PS Online Network you can even go online to taunt the 12-year-olds and give them the kind of acute, digital beating their snotty behinds deserve. You play as either Earth’s defending “heroes” or am marauding force allied with Galactus, his “heralds.” And I’m always rooting for the bad guy, see. It’s got options for both single and multiplayer but all in all it’s a team-based mode where players can ratchet up new abilities with what’s called “upgrade cards.” With the points you can then customize characters and go head to head against other players. 

 

When I got bored I tried out the Spectator Mode, allowing me to watch two players online beat each other up. Entertaining? Yes, but at the end of the day, really a filler mod. If you’re going at it alone, there’s a thin shred of story (from what I could figure out, Galactus is still trying to eat worlds and Earth’s next on the menu) to keep you going but, for maximum pleasure, it really is a social game to be loaded when the boys come over.  

 

With all the fun time I had with it, I can’t recommend it enough especially for fans of either franchise. Again, if you do own the previous Fate of Two Worlds, the price tag (at around Php2500 and up) will undoubtedly give you pause. So think about how big a fan you are and if your heart says “I wanna see Rocket Raccoon get some!” then pick this up and enjoy a classic time at this ultimate crossover.  — TJD, GMA News

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This game is available at Datablitz.com.ph