Marvel vs. Capcom 3 First Details
The fighting series returns with a brand new look.
The game is scheduled for a spring 2011 release date on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms. Unlike the download-only Marvel vs. Capcom 2, this will be a disc-based title. In its current state of production there are around 30 combatants in the game including Wolverine, Iron Man, Hulk, Morrigan, Ryu, and newcomer Chris Redfield of Resident Evil fame. Based on the new trailer, it also seems like Dr. Doom, Deadpool, Magneto, Captain America and Chun-Li could also be in the game. Capcom is still hard at work trying to squeeze in as many characters as possible before the tentative ship date, so there's no word yet on what the final total might be and whether it'll rival the over 50 playable fighters in MvC2. Expect a number of characters to return along with others who have yet to appear in the franchise.
Capcom says the reason it takes a while to implement each character isn't strictly because of balancing, but also because this is an entirely new game being built from the ground up. The team is using Capcom's MT Framework tech from Lost Planet 2 and Resident Evil 5 to bring this game to life, and is going for an authentic comic-book style of look. All we have to go on at the moment is the trailer which doesn't show any gameplay, but we're hoping to see more in the coming months. Capcom is handling all art design, though Marvel is checking the work to make sure it's appropriate and fits with the fiction.
What Capcom and Marvel seem particularly excited about is the immense rise in popularity of some of Marvel's characters over the past decade. Thanks to flicks like the X-Men trilogy, Iron Man, and the Spider-Man movies, it seems like there's a greater level of public awareness than ever. As for Capcom, in the time between now and MvC2's release there have been plenty of new franchises, including Dead Rising and Lost Planet. Does that mean we'll see Okami or Monster Hunter characters in Marvel vs. Capcom 3? We'll have to wait and see. We might even hear about something on the same level of weirdness as Gears of War characters showing up in Lost Planet 2.
Since the game is still in development, there aren't yet many specifics on how it'll play. It'll include an online mode and the mechanics are going to be similar to Marvel vs. Capcom 2, but not much is yet set in stone. Hyper combos will be in the game, but it hasn't been determined yet if the game's fights will take place between teams of three or two, and the way assists work is still being tweaked. As reiterated by Capcom's Keiji Inafune who oversees global production, the company is dedicated to producing games that appeal to a worldwide audience. No real specifics were offered as to what this means for Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
Franchise fans may be either horrified or sublimely pleased to learn that all the music is being redone for this game. I think we can safely say that means there'll be no grating jazz tracks and we can all forget about getting taken for a ride. If you don't know what that last part means, don't worry about it. Another change will be how the story works if you're playing through solo. Players shouldn't expect any kind of epic tale, but there will be character specific endings here along with a greater emphasis on story, and a boss character that Marvel says fans will appreciate.
This game is all about fan service, and plenty of character specific quips and even in-match events are being implemented. More casual fans less dialed into each character's history and personality probably won't care as much, but these kinds of things will likely bring a smile to the faces of those who spend more time editing Wolverine's Wikipedia page than under direct sunlight. Again, this is just what we're being told at this point, we haven't yet been able to see the game in action.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a game many fans have wanted for years, and now that it's official and we can all speculate about who'll be included and how it will play. The way this announcement was timed seems perfectly aligned with showing off more at this year's E3. We'll be at the show, running from June 15 17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and if anything's shown off there, you can be sure we'll cover it.
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