Video Game Vintage Title: Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom. It features Capcom's own characters and characters from American comic book company Marvel Comics. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel vs. Capcom franchise, the eighth installment in the Vs. series, the first to be initially exclusive to consoles, and the second in the Vs. series to use three-dimensional graphics on a two-dimensional battle area.

The game was produced and directed by Ryota Niitsuma, who had previously worked on Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, and features the same fast-paced fighting mechanics as earlier games in the series, along with new methods of play designed to make the game more accessible to new players. Capcom promised three-on-three tag team fighting gameplay and a robust plot. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles on February 15, 2011 in North America, February 17, 2011 in Japan and February 18, 2011 in Europe. As of September 2013, the game has sold 2.2 million units worldwide. On July 20, 2011, Capcom announced Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, which was released in November 2011 and features additional characters, stages, gameplay tweaks and modes for a discount retail price.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds Plot

Doctor Doom has assembled the greatest villains of the Marvel Universe and has joined forces with Albert Wesker in order to unite their respective universes in an effort to conquer both. However, this course of action awakens Galactus who could potentially destroy both worlds. It is up to the heroes of the Marvel and Capcom universes to put a stop to Galactus before it is too late.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds Gameplay

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a fighting game where up to two players compete in battle using characters with their own unique fighting styles and special attacks. The game features the same tag-based team feature as previous installments of the series, where each player chooses three characters that can be swapped at any point during a match, and utilizes an order selection called "Evolved Vs. Fighting System", a modified version of earlier systems seen in other Marvel vs. Capcom and SNK vs. Capcom games. The aim of the game is to use various attacks to drain your opponent's health bars and defeat all of their characters or have the most cumulative health when time runs out. It is the first game in the franchise to feature three-dimensional character models as opposed to two-dimensional sprites, though gameplay remains restricted to two-dimensions, allowing characters to move only backward, forward, or straight up into the air.

Unlike Marvel vs. Capcom 2, which featured four attack buttons separated as two pairs of low and high-strength punches and kicks, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 uses a simplified, three-button control scheme of undefined light, medium, and hard attacks modeled after Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, which Capcom believes will "knock down the wall of complicated controls and open up the field of strategic fighting to all comers", as well as a new "Exchange" button used to launch opponents into the air, switch characters while performing a combo, and slam the opponent into the ground when used by certain characters. Additionally, a new technique known as "X-Factor" can be activated once during a match. X-Factor offers increased damage, speed, and regenerating health for a short time. It can also be used to extend combos. The duration and intensity of X-Factor boosts are dependent on the number of active characters on a player's team; as a player loses fighters, X-Factor will last longer and give a higher damage boost.

Players can use each button to string together combination attacks, as well as perform special moves using a combination of button presses and joystick movement. As characters attack, their Special Gauge fills with energy which can be expended by the player to execute powerful Hyper Combos and Team Combos that involve multiple characters. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 features a "Simple Mode" that allows players to perform combos and special moves easily at the expense of limiting a character's available moveset. The game also includes Mission Mode, which features character-specific challenges geared towards helping players explore the normal control scheme and preparing them to play against other people, and Shadow Mode, a series of downloadable packs which allows the player to fight against a team of AI opponents programmed after the techniques and preferences of Capcom's development staff and, according to Capcom, famous players from the fighting game scene.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 features a single-player arcade mode that is more robust than its predecessors. Players will use their team of three characters to defeat a series of AI-controlled opponents before battling the game's final boss, Galactus, a supervillain in Marvel Comic's Fantastic Four; each character has their own unique ending sequence, which they earn upon completion of Arcade Mode. Marvel stated that Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is "all about fan service", and worked with Capcom to include dialogue quips and mid-match events between the company's characters that reference past Marvel Comics storylines. Comic author Frank Tieri wrote the storyline, dialogue, and endings for the game. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 includes an online play mode using Microsoft's Xbox Live and Sony's PlayStation Network services. When an online match begins, both players can view their opponent's License Card. License Cards keep track of player tendencies based on fighting style, record player points and total number of wins and losses, and allow players to see the positive and negative points of their play styles.

Reception
At E3 2010, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds was a winner in the Game Critics Awards in the category Best Fighting Game. It also earned the Best Fighting Game award from IGN, 1UP.com, and X-Play and G4.

Reviews have been generally positive, with Metacritic scores of 85 and 84 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions respectively, GameRankings aggregrate scores of 85% for both versions, and a GameStats press score of 9.0 out of 10.

IGN gave the game a score of 8.5 and an Editor's Choice award, praising the game's balance and depth, but criticising the lack of extras compared to recent Capcom fighting games. GamesMaster gave the game a score of 90%, calling it "the most explosive, OTT, fan-pleasing 2D fighting game the world's ever seen." GamesRadar gave the game 9/10, calling it a worthy successor to Marvel vs. Capcom 2. 1UP.com gave the game an A- rank, calling it "sometimes cheap and overpowered, but way more fun than Super Street Fighter IV." PSM3 gave the game a score of 7.9 out of 10, criticizing that the game's chaotic style makes it difficult for casual players to pick up and play. Edge gave the game 7/10, saying "the lack of meaningful rewards suggest Capcom may be banking on the ever-alluring money pit of DLC to bolster sales." Game Informer gave the game a 9.25 and named it their "Game of the Month" and praised the game for its enjoyable and renovated gameplay, more diverse cast of characters and its training and simple mode for new players, but criticizing it for its endings and lack of online modes.[64