MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE
Complex fighter’s switch to accessibility takes some Stones
It’s ironic that a series centred around Marvel (wildly popular superhero universe) and Capcom (daddy to Ryu and Resident Evil) has a reputation for being unfriendly. It’s not that Marvel Vs. Capcom titles lack charm – far from it – but that the skill bar for their manic airborne action has always been set high. Can’t chain together a 40hit combo? Go home, Iron Man.
By contrast, one of the first things we’re told about Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite is that we can walk up to our opponent, hammer the ‘light punch’ button a bunch of times, and this’ll explode into an accomplished-looking firework of a combo.
We’re taken aback. But it makes sense. With Marvel dominating mainstream cinema, Infinite’s poised to take advantage of superhero fever by blowing the bloody doors off its “members only” club. Never played a fighting game in your life? Brilliantly, Infinite defies all expectations by being the first in the series where that doesn’t matter. Pick up that pad or fightstick, hit ‘light punch’, and the combo takes you from ground to air – MVC-style. It’s all about letting newcomers experience how it feels to play. The emphasis is on pressing buttons and having cool, colourful, comic-strip action play out on-screen. Worry about the particulars later, learn fighting fundamentals – and have fun – first.
“IT’S BLOWING THE BLOODY DOORS OFF THE SERIES’ EXCLUSIVE CLUB.”
“WE ENJOY THE POWER STONE, BUT TIME’S TELEPORTDASH MAKES IT OUR CLEAR FAVOURITE.”
It’s why Hyper Combos – Infinite’s version of an ultra-powerful ‘super’ move – are triggered by a simple tap of the ‘heavy punch’ and ‘heavy kick’ buttons. It’s why tagging in your second character (Infinite has reduced MVC3’s three-person tag team to just two) is as easy as tapping u. And, when you’re a little bit more comfortable with throwing punches, it’s why that ‘universal combo string’ of light punches can be entered manually.
THOR BLIMEY
There’s vast potential to riff off of this damagedealing starting point, creating your own devastating set-ups. At the same time, it simply means that Infinite won’t punish you for trying out all the shiny new characters your heart desires. Thank goodness, as the roster is a veritable toybox of action heroes. Favourites return with subtle tweaks for the new title. Thunder god Thor, for instance, can now lob his hammer across the screen – a refreshing change, given his super-slow movement in the previous game. But new additions are just as thrilling.
Fans of the blue bomber, brace yourselves: X from Mega Man X has finally come to MVC, and he’s got all sorts of tricks up his buster. His various fireballesque shots each have specific uses, while he’s also able to earn three different suits of armour for special advantages in battle. (Wonderfully, they’re faithful to the last pixel to their representations in Mega Man X.) Slinging X’s shots in one match, we’re able to switch to our other character, Captain Marvel, and chase the projectile in towards our opponent to gain the upper hand. When they strike back, it’s time to test Infinite’s panic button: a counter-switch. Hold down that u ‘switch’ bumper while you’re getting beaten up, and your character’s tag partner will fly in from off-screen to save the day. Our foe can still finish their combo, of course – fair’s fair, we suppose – but it means at least X can jump in to prevent Captain Marvel’s already dangerously low health bar from plummeting any further. The mechanic blends accessibility and tactical possibility. And then there are the Infinity Stones.
STICKS AND STONES
Based on the Marvel Universe’s six mystical gems (Space, Time, Power, Mind, Soul, and Reality), your single selection at the beginning of a match grants your fighters unlimited use of an ability on o. We’re able to try the first three Stones: while we enjoy Power’s wall-bounce and dragging the more shy opponents towards us with Space, Time’s teleportdash is our clear fave. There’s just no passing up the opportunity for endless cross-up attacks: hit one side, dash to the other, continue a bamboozling combo. It makes bulky Hulk terrifyingly quick, and nippy little Strider Hiryu positively broken. That’s the point of Infinite. “We’ve kind of taken away all the rules,” producer Mike Evans tells us.
Exciting news for fresh-faced fighters – although hardcore fans are likely balking at the prospect of a watered-down MVC. But trust us: while the inputs have simplified, the new mechanics mean the ‘hype’ will remain as real as ever. With more creative freedom for top-level players than ever before, the possibilities for more magic MVC moments are now… well, do we really have to say it?