So, I was finally able to get some hands on with Marvel vs. Capcom 3 today, and I'm impressed. I mean, it looked good on it's first few trailers, but something about it didn't excite me. After getting to play, and kicking the ass of two random challengers, I'm sold. You want impressions? I got 'em.
From what I can gather, MvC3's story revolves around Victor von Doom teaming up with Albert Wesker to take down the heroes who seem to always thwart them. However their unholy union leads to the unleashing of an even greater evil. Dayummmm, The Fate of Two Worlds hangs in the balance, don't fuck this up, heroes!
From what I played, the game felt a little sluggish, but not in a bad way. Compared to Marvel vs. Capcom 2, the third entry in the series is much slower, which I don't mind. At times, I felt like MvC2 moved too fast, almost compelling me to overdose on speed to keep up with it. MvC cubed has a pace I'm much more comfortable with, similar to Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, where if you don't know all the 35 hit combos, you'll be able to wreck shop by having good timing and typical fighting game sensibilities.
My team was Deadpool (who says "Your momma!" as he bounds around the screen), Captain America, and Super Skrull. I thought Deadpool was going to be my huckleberry, I gotta tell ya, Super Skrull is the man right now. He was the last one I tagged in, but once I got into a groove, it was over. He mixes it up so well, it's hard not to be fan. At the MvC3 panel, people were shitting on Skrull. I was one of the only people to give him a pop, while the hundred-plus crowd of below drinking age gamers booed him. Haters gonna hate. Play as Super Skrull and I'm sure there's no way you'll tell me he's not awesome.
Of course I didn't play the most recent build, so some characters were not playable. Wesker, Dante, Dormammu, Tron Bonne, X-23, a few others. It's understandable, tighten them up, Capcom. Speaking of which, Capcom was very impressive in their MvC3 presentation; on the show floor was one big screen on a stage, where challengers lined up to get a crack at a match narrated by a play-by-play guy. If you didn't feel like waiting on line, there were screens (with Fight Sticks) surrounding the stage, for you to get your ass kicked by a certain Otaku But Gangsta editor-in-chief. Unfortunately, I couldn't customize the Fight Stick buttons to my liking, so I had to make due with an inferior button scheme. C'est la vie.
What else of note? Well, in past Marvel vs. games, color swaps were just that. In Marvel vs. Capcom 3, you'll have to option of entirely changing costumes. The only one we saw was Spiderman, but it was impressive enough. Regular everyday web-slinger, or symbiote wall-crawler, or Stark Armored Iron Spider, the choice is yours! It's a nice touch to add some variety to the game. Will each suit have it's own palette of colors? Hope so!
And, continuing the trend of late, a 'simple mode' will be included. This means one button special attacks and super moves, and simple chain combos. Meh, you guys already know how I feel about these beginner modes, but Capcom is clever. If you choose simple mode, you will only be limited to one super instead of both available over-the-top techniques. Throwing a curve ball there Capcom, and I like it.
Oh, you wanted to hear about the new characters, not get KO'd by an illegible wall of text? My bad. Here they are; Nathan Spencer of Bionic Commando fame, and Arthur from Ghosts 'n Goblins, dating way back to the NES/arcade days. I can dig it, can you? Of course you can! Watch the reveal trailers, and if they feel a little to lonely for you, watch 'em with the crowd reaction. Capcom moved New York City tonight. Well done, gentlemen.
Update: Adding videos for MODOK and Magneto, also revealed at New York Comic Con.