Before I get into the review of this game, I would like to point out that I am reviewing this game as it is; I am not scoring it based on the fact I am seriously disappointed in Marvel and Capcom for removing the X-Men (and Fantastic Four, but no one cares about them) from the lineup all together. This was reportedly due to Marvel’s big cross marketing policy, as the game was developed prior to their acquisition of Fox Studios. With this being said, I would not have purchased the game if Venom was not added. With the omission of the X-Men, whom were a staple in this franchise prior to this entry, I would score this game much lower than the score shown.

In the early 90’s, the X-Men and Street Fighter were both in their prime, and Capcom/Marvel took advantage of this by releasing X-Men vs Street Fighter. As a kid who loved both franchises, I was instantly drawn to the game, which has since evolved to not only include the characters from those series, but most of Capcom and Marvel’s line up. We have now reached the fourth entry in the series, so let’s see how it holds up.

While Mortal Kombat (Capcom’s biggest competition for the fighting game crown) has evolved and added new features and characters over the years, the newest MvC feels a bit stagnant. Instead of the 3 vs 3 option the past 3 entries offered, we’re back to 2 vs 2. This would not be a huge issue if the fighters’ life bars did not seem to take millennia to be depleted, making single matches last a lifetime.

The game features a fairly short story mode, which makes no sense. Sigma and Ultron have merged both universes and are ruling with an iron fist. Our heroes must join forces to take down the threat. Featuring cringe worthy dialogue that only Capcom could come up with, the story can be fun for fans of the respective characters, but overall is very forgettable. Sadly, the individual comic book endings offered in the previous entry for completing the arcade mode are no longer here. So there’s no real reward aside from some cosmetic things for your profile and extra colors for the characters you complete it with. You’ll also find the standard versus option and single fights, omitting any type of time attack or survival mode for leader board competition.

The online modes are not much better in terms of variety, since player and ranked matches are the only current options. The online play itself is decent and will match you fairly quickly if someone is actually playing. More often than not, I was only able to find online matches by leaving the option to find a match on while playing against the AI.

While the backgrounds are all animated well and highly detailed, the character models could use some work. Some, such as Chris Redfield, look waxy and muddy, making them look almost worse than their previous appearances. Most appear to be straight ports from Marvel vs Capcom 3, featuring the same move sets and models. The overall roster is respectable in terms of character quantity, but with most being rehashed and only a few new contenders (most of which require purchasing DLC), it comes across as another cash grab orchestrated by Capcom.

There are a few exceptions to this, but most of the characters on the Marvel end are made to appear more in line with their Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance, since all of the characters but Venom have appeared in the MCU in one form or another. Rocket Raccoon is the only returning character with any new tricks up his sleeve, as he can now summon Groot as a support character.

The only substantial addition to the combat is the option to select one of the Infinity Stones which have been missing from most of the previous games. Each will feature a different trait, ranging from putting your character in a box, creating a storm that will damage the opponent regularly, or simply create an additional projectile attack. That being said, it feels like the change to 2 vs 2 and the removal of the ability to jump high into the air for never ending air juggling combos makes this entry a step backwards.

Unless you are trying to stay current for the tournament circuit, I would highly recommend this game only for those who haven’t visited the previous entry, as it is essentially the same game with very minor changes. If this doesn’t sound like you, it’s safe to say you can wait for the inevitable Super Hyper Ultra Mega Tournament Turbo Edition that Capcom will release in 3 months.

 

6 out of 10

Pros

• Beautifully Animated Backgrounds
• So Bad It’s Good Writing
• It’s Still Fun to Play…

Cons

• Not Enough New Content
• Overpriced DLC Characters
• Rehashed Characters
• Tried and True Mechanics Have Been Removed

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite was developed and published by Capcom. It was released on the PC, PS4, and X1 on September 21st, 2017 for $59.99. The game was not provided to us for review on X1. For more on Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, check out the game’s official site.

 

Here at GBG we use a rating method that you are more than likely familiar with – a scale of 1 to 10. For clarification, we intend on using the entire scale: 1-4 is something you should probably avoid paying for; 5-7 is something that is worth playing, but probably not at full price; 8-10 is a great title that you can feel confident about buying. If you have any questions or comments about how we rate a game, please let us know.

 

 

Check out OpenCritic for a better idea of how our review stacks against others.