Marvel vs. Capcom 2

Marvel vs. Capcom 2

2009 has undoubtedly brought with it an unprecedented resurgence for the fighting game genre. The startling brilliance of Street Fighter IV has raised expectations for forthcoming titles King of Fighter XII and Blazblue: Calamity Trigger, a game which might never normally have garnered much attention.

Likewise, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 download services have proved a hotbed for re-releases of classic fighters from Garou: Mark of the Wolves to Backbone Entertainment’s stunning remake of Street Fighter II HD. It’s Backbone again that we have to thank for this port of the arcade classic Marvel vs. Capcom 2, famous for its gigantic roster of 56 characters that allows the likes of Spider-Man and Wolverine to do battle with Megaman, Strider and Ryu.

For gamers who were put off by Street Fighter IV’s complexity, or the strict input requirements of Street Fighter 2 HD, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 offers a far more gentle and forgiving route into the genre. While this three-on-three tag team fighter may light up the screen with bombastic special moves and special effects, the inputs are relatively straightforward.

You’ve got two punch buttons and two kick buttons with combos, throws and tag-ins all controlled by combinations thereof. You only control one character on screen at any given point but, as well as being able to switch others in and out wrestling-style, you can also call in your sidelined teammates to unleash a supporting projectile, anti-air or dash move, useful for dialing up combos to dizzying heights.

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is all about stylish, impressive play and core to this are the game’s screen-filling super attacks. Unlike Street Fighter IV et al, you don’t need to input tricksy double quarter-circle-forward motions to pull these off. As such the game’s far more playable on a standard pad, and beginners will be able to execute impressive moves from an early stage.

Of course, at high-level play executing inputs is the least of your worries as you’ll need to carefully counter, block and employ strategy to best your opponent. With 6-layer multiplayer lobbies, online play is where you’ll get most use of the game. With a full lobby, games work in a round-robin format, players spectating in real-time those matches they're not playing in themselves. The system works very well and lag is rarely a problem.

Offline the game offers less value for money. While there is a standard arcade mode to play through, all of the characters are unlocked from the start and most of the modes that fleshed out the original Dreamcast port are gone. Nevertheless, the low cost ensures Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is a worthy purchase, but only for those players who are willing to get stuck in online.

4 out of 5