Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Game Description:

Ten years after the release of Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds has burst onto the scene as the premiere fighting game of 2011. The game is basically an arcade-style 3 on 3 tag team fighting game returning with a cast of both fan favorites and obscure characters from both the Capcom and Marvel universes. In total, the game has 36 fighters with two more coming as downloadable content in March 2011. Both fighting game veterans and newcomers alike can find this game easy to play as the game supports a Simple input mode for those wishing to perform impressive techniques without having to practice or memorize all of the inputs and combinations.

For gamers playing alone, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 features an Arcade mode, which is a series of six computer opponent battles followed by a fight against Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, to save the Earth. There is also a Training mode with a variety of game settings for players to hone their skills. New to the series is the inclusion of Mission mode, which gives players a chance to attempt ten increasingly difficult combos specifically tailored to each character in the game. For gamers seeking to battle other real-life players, the game has a Versus mode for offline head-to-head play with a friend and an Online mode to challenge players from around the globe.

What Parents Need to Know

Violence

Fighting and defeating the opponent is the goal of the game, so violence is central to the gameplay. Similar to previous incarnations of the series, there is no blood or gore in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, but rather flashes of color when fighters land attacks. The attacks are widely varied, including the use of swords, knives, claws, lasers, missiles, explosives, guns, fire, lightning, magic, and, of course, super powers.

Language

The game is light on crude language with “a**,” “h*ll,” and “b***h” used sparingly.

Some sexual references are uttered by characters as taunts. For example one character says “Ya got any naked pictures of your mom?”

Sexual Content

Many of the female characters wear revealing costumes. One character named Felicia is a cat woman with almost no clothing whatsoever, with the exception of white stripes that cover up her extremities. The characters Morrigan, C. Viper, Storm, and Trish wear outfits that expose a lot of cleavage. Some other characters, such as Phoenix and the upcoming downloadable content character Jill Valentine, do not expose a lot of skin, but wear very tight costumes.

There is one still scene (think comic book stills) that shows a pole dancer under a sign that says “Sexual Embrace.”

Spiritual Content

Some characters in the game, both heroes and villains, have demonic origins. On the Marvel side, Dormammu and the upcoming downloadable content character Shuma-Gorath are both considered demonic villains. On the Capcom side, Dante from the video game “Devil May Cry” is a half-demon, but also a demon hunter and a “good guy.” Also from “Devil May Cry” is the character Trish, who was created by a demon, but like Dante, is not evil. The character Morrigan is a demon succubus, which in ancient mythology and fairy tales were said to seduce men in their dreams. If you complete Arcade mode with Morrigan, the player can see a cut-scene which depicts a bar/nightclub that is said to be somewhere between the physical world and the demon world.

Some of the characters in the game use magical or dark powers while fighting.

Three of the stages (fighting arenas) in the game also contain spiritual content. One of these stages is simply titled “Demon Village” and in that stage are various monsters, although most of them look like cartoon characters. Another stage called the “Hand Hideout” has a giant moving statue holding two swords and at the base of the statue are a few shadowy figures with outstretched arms kneeling and bowing to it. Finally, the stage “Asgard” is the home of the Marvelsuperhero Thor, but also regarded in Norse mythology as the capital city of the Norse gods.

Reviewer’s Thoughts

As a fighting game enthusiast, I could not be more satisfied with how this highly anticipated title turned out. For me, the most important part of a fighting game is the gameplay itself and how enjoyable it is to play, learn advanced tactics, and battle against friends and strangers. In my opinion, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a complete and total success in all of these areas and I would venture to say that most fighting game fans will enjoy this title, especially if they prefer gameplay at a faster pace. As for content, however, parents will have to decide if the above mentioned content meets with their families entertainment guidelines when deciding if Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a good fit for their family or not.