Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Review

Platform(s): Playstation 3, X-Box 360

Developer(s): Capcom

Publisher(s): Capcom

Genre: Fighting

Rating: T for Teen

Price: $39.99

9 months ago, we were gifted with the long-awaited sequel to one of the best fighting games in the past decade: Marvel vs. Capcom 3. And while we enjoyed it, we all could recognize that there were a few things missing that Capcom should have fixed. So, Capcom gave us Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 as a way to improve on a good foundation. But is it a good improvement or does it need to go back to the development team?

The Story:



Capcom's Firebrand goes at it against Marvel's cocky archer,
Hawkeye.

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 a great and powerful threat that could potentially destroy both worlds. It is up to the heroes of the Marvel and Capcom universes to put a stop to this evil before it is too late.

The Pros:

Okay…before I get into the good and bad parts of the game, I’d like to clarify something for people who’re probably wondering why they made a 2nd version of Marvel 3. Originally, this game was supposed to be all DLC for the original Marvel vs. Capcom 3. However, production was delayed due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Once that was cleared up, the director and producer of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 decided to release the proposed DLC for MvC3 as a game with a lower cost with new concepts and re-balanced gameplay.

Now that we know that…onto the pros of the game.

The first pro that I have for this game lies with the online mode. Players that are in a room who are not participating in the match are now allowed to watch the match as it plays out. And honestly, you don’t know how glad I am that they’ve included this in there. Because honestly, sitting in the lobby watching nothing but the character’s bars diminish and wondering what is going on wasn’t a good idea, especially when you’re allowed to watch the fights in Super Street Fighter IV.


Ghost Rider performing his Level 3: Penance Stare.



Now, my next pro has to be the new characters added. One of the things that I enjoyed about Marvel 3 was that the character list was diverse. Well…the new addition still rings true about this game. The added characters still hold their own different fighting styles from the ground/air rushdown tactics of Firebrand and the keep-away style of Hawkeye to the long-ranged fighting of Ghost Rider and the pure power of Nemesis. Add in the fact that they’ve added in fan favorites like Vergil and Strider Hiryu and you have a great addition for this game…mostly.

Finally, the re-balancing of the game is a solid plus. Everything in this game got re-balanced, from basic combat to character specific stuff. Even the X-Factor has a much needed revamping, including the ability to do it in mid-air. And I’m thankful (so thankful for this) that they limited Phoenix’s ability to release as many fireballs in the air. Because honestly, you don’t need a high-level character like Phoenix to be able to spam fireballs.

The Cons:

Okay…so now we’re at the part of the review where I talk about what’s bad about the game. And I have a feeling that I’ll probably rant about a specific con.

The first con that comes to mind has to deal with some of the character re-balancing. Or, to be more specific, a certain character re-balancing in general. That character would be Albert Wesker. Now, Wesker’s a top-tier character who was easy enough to play with but had a few complex things. So instead of toning him down a bit, Capcom decided to barely balance him out and made his Teleport a lot simpler this time around. How? Simply do his gunshot move and press a button directly after it.

Why, Capcom? Why?

Phoenix Wright doing his most famed gesture on his
opponent.

My second and final con has to be one of the biggest issues that many people voiced when they seen this character released. And I’m pretty sure that by reading that sentence above, everyone knows who I’m talking about. He’s the Ace Attorney, Phoenix Wright and even I can say that he’s possibly the only character in the game that will make you want to turn the game off when you see him in action. Why, you ask? All of his attacks are more suited to prosecuting the defense (searching for and submitting evidence, walking forward and thrusting papers at you, pointing…) rather than fighting, his trademark maneuver – pointing at you and shouting OBJECTION!!! – activates a special mode that makes certain moves unstoppable, and his level three is dangerous. And that’s without being in X-Factor…

Granted he's actually a good character in the game, he has a large fan following in the Capcom universe, and they were trying to put him in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom but wow…you could have handed us Megaman X over him.

OVERALL:

Overall, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is the game that the original version should have been. With the new characters added, fighting system re-balanced, and being able to watch online matches as you fight, you’ll enjoy this game a lot more than you did the first one. However, I can guarantee that if you were a fan of the first one, you’ll find something in the game that’ll tick you off. And, most likely, it’ll be something other than Phoenix Wright.

Final Score: 4 out of 5

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 Review

Platform: X-BOX 360, Playstation 3
Developer(s): CyberConnect2
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Genre(s): Fighting
Rating: T for Teen

Anime-based video games…it’s the one type – if you could call it a type – of video games that usually doesn’t leave a good taste in people’s mouths. Reason why: while the series provides crazy, over-the-top action, the game puts heavy limits on how over-the-top the mayhem can get. However, there have been a few games that have gotten fans attention recently. The main one being the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series, Ultimate Ninja Storm being its highly-acclaimed hit. Can the sequel raise the bar on what its predecessor brought to the table?

The Story:

First off, if you know the story of Naruto, either because you follow the manga/anime series, then you know what’s going on and you want to skip this part. With that being said…

Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 picks up where its predecessor – and the entire season of Naruto – left off. The story revolves around an older and slightly more matured Uzumaki Naruto and his quest to save his friend Uchiha Sasuke from the grips of the snake-like Shinobi, Orochimaru. After 2 and a half years Naruto finally returns to his village of Konoha, and sets about putting his ambitions to work, though it will not be easy, as He has amassed a few (more dangerous) enemies, in the likes of the shinobi organization; Akatsuki.

The Pros:

To start this off, I’ll say this: if you have a game that can draw in fans, even when they aren’t fans of the series or Japanese animation in general, then you have a solid pro. The combat in this game is where the game shines at. Combat has a high risk of getting insane, which is exactly how it is in the series. Every move can still be evaded with the Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution Jutsu – a well-timed block will get you behind the opponent when he attacks), which is still one of the best defensive mechanic in fighting games. Reason why: it makes sure that there's no chances for infinite combos.

An improved feature that they’ve added to the game is the Team Assists, which is a pro. With the addition of the Support Drive meter and the option to choose what type of support your character does (attack, defense, and balance), it adds a new depth to the combat. It gives the option of letting a character continue a combo, stopping an opponent from charging in, and even pushing the character out of the way when an Ougi (Ultimate Jutsu) lands. And, there’s also the Triple-Team Ultimate, where all three characters attack, ending with the main character performing his finishing technique on the opponent.

A personal pro of mine is how well the story was done in the game. Simply put, when you do story mode, you’re literally playing the series. All the events in the game are the same thing that happened in the series, which is another plus for the game. Also, the crazy boss battles that the predecessor had are back and better than ever. And with 44 characters in the game, including Lars Alexandersson from Tekken 6 (his alternate costume in Tekken 6 was designed by Masashi Kishimoto, creator of Naruto)…well, it’s self-explanatory from there.

The Cons:

Sadly, there are some objectionable downsides of the game and they have to do with what was taken out of the game. A main con is the loss of the Jutsu Clashes, where if two techniques collide, the two players will battle it out in a button-mashing contest to see who wins. It’s no longer in there so if two Jutsus hit, they’ll cancel each other out unless the technique’s not a projectile.

Another con is the loss of the Ougi Battles. When a player did an Ougi (Ultimate Jutsu), they would have to input a displayed button command to see if the move would connect. With that no longer in the game, it’s just a case of “if it hits, then it’s over”. Not that it takes anything away from the game overall, but it’s a bit of a downer in my eyes.

Overall:

For fans of the series (video games, anime or both), Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a must to buy. If you’ve played the first one, then you’re going to enjoy this new installment. Everything that was great in Ultimate Ninja Storm is back along with new stuff and an Online mode, so you’ll be getting your $60 worth. And if this is your first introduction to the Ultimate Ninja Storm series, well…you’ll have your mind blown away by this game. Crisp graphics, an excellent story mode with good replay value, epic boss battles and combat that rivals the action in the series…you can’t ask for more.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5