Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite

Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite has the heart of a warrior but a tad ugly one. The game’s gameplay is still top notch, with a great combo system and an addition of nice new features such as the infinite stones and the return to 2v2 battles. But the weird character design, mediocre story and omission of key fighters such as Wolverine and Magneto really prevent it from reaching its full potential.

I don’t know what it is with Capcom recently, but they seem to be getting the most important parts of their fighting games – the fighting systems and mechanics – spot on, but dropping the ball in other departments. That said, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is too much fun to simply advise people to ignore, it’s a good fighting game surrounded by the unpolished presentation, but it does enough to be able to recommend it to fighting fans, but less so for the Marvel comic/film fanatics.

Marvel VS Capcom: Infinite's primary goal is for the player to have fun with it, allowing him to do many and fancy things with a little bit of effort, but also has the depth for anyone who decides to look under the hood.

Regardless of the complaints, Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite proves to earn its place in the powerful series laid out before it. Furthermore, the genre of 2D fighters is a very familiar concept, with a rich history and a dense family of games taking after it. Often, these games can seem too generic to stand out or to feel worthy of any time given, but conversely, many of these games try too hard to make something of themselves, and result in a game far too complex and clunky to be enjoyed in any way. Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, however, treads this line perfectly and offers an engaging experience born out of a classic style.

Sadly, nice visuals and a bit of banter isn’t enough to make Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite anything more than a blazing disappointment. It was always going to have a rough time: MvC is a beloved series, and there’s no avoiding the critical eye of series die-hards. You know that, I know that, but apparently Capcom didn’t, and it shows. This should’ve been so much more than what it is: a promotional vehicle for Disney’s Marvel films with questionable balance, muted fighting, and frustrating DLC practices.

As somebody who’s played each entry in the series, I couldn’t help but feel a little slighted by Marvel. Despite this, I still really enjoyed the game. It’s mechanically sound, and performs incredibly well online. At the time I sat down for this review, the game had almost completely overcome my objections. While it may not be my favorite fighter, it still has me reaching for the controller for more matches.

As surprising as it is given how unappealing the package initially looks, Marvel vs Capcom Infinite is a decent brawler when all’s said and done. It may look borderline repulsive in spots, have a subpar soundtrack and be sporting a less interesting roster than previous iterations (and no, there’s still no sign of Sheva Alomar or Regina from Dino Crisis) but the fights are enjoyably high-octane affairs with solid mechanics, and as cliché as it might sound, that’s really what it’s all about at the end of the day.

An instantly likeable game hiding a brutal edge that demands mastery. Balance is concerning, but partially mitigated by an extensive roster.

Accessible crossover fighting game with FX-rich, extremely fast battles, which feel tamer in comparison to its predecessor.

Despite the Marvel vs. Capcom brand power, the Capcom portion is absolutely the most important, but this time feels like it’s fetching Marvel’s coffee. But this isn’t a kitschy mobile game, it’s a Capcom fighter, and that Means Something – and I can’t shake the feeling that the Marvel Machine doesn’t care.