View full sizeCaptain America from the Marvel Universe and Ryu from Streetfighter fame trade a few blows in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
PlayStation 3, Capcom, T (Teen)
Ah . . the two-dimensional fighting game, one the staples of the video-game realm.
Over the years, people have tried to build upon the foundation of the genre. Some games flirted with being three-dimensional, allowing players to move side-to-side in addition to forward-and-backward. Others had players throwing each other through floors, breaking down opponents by body part, or adding a meaningless mission mode to the proceedings. "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" gets what the genre is all about -- stellar presentation, compelling characters, a wealth of moves and styles so players don't get bored, and just enough story to hold it all together.
This game is all about beating the molasses out of people. There are over 30 characters in the game, representing the best that Marvel and Capcom have to offer. The unique aspect of the game is that it is a three-on-three tag-team style slugfest. The Marvel and Capcom characters can be mixed and matched with few restrictions to create the perfect fighting team. Some characters rely on speed, some are balanced, and others such as the Hulk rely on pure brute strength. Players have to manage a character's energy, which regenerates while they are on the sidelines, and watch out for the sideline attacks coming from opponents. The fight is over when time runs out or everyone on the other team as been knocked out. The Marvel characters' fighting styles are based on Capcom characters, but the similarities are not blatantly noticeable.
The navigation menus have a clean and basic style that make it simple for you to get where you have to go. The character models are superb. They move well, and gone are the projectiles that travel forever and the dreaded "getting trapped in the corner" phobia/technique. There are two different control schemes -- one-button and pro. The one- button scheme is the lazy, cheater's approach to playing the game; sure, you get to see the fireworks, but you learn little about competing at the game. The pro control scheme is a traditional set of moves for each character that requires practice and good reflexes to master the combinations. The reward for the hard work is being able to pull some of the most dazzling displays of brutality that the game has to offer. The one downside to the pro controls is that there is a fine line between completely switching to a new character and just calling them in for a little backup -- it can get confusing with all the button-mashing.
Online is just as simple as offline. Players can easily see worldwide leaders and leaders by global region. There are ranked matches and a cute little system that gives users titles to defend. The matchmaking system is perfect. Depending on the filters in place -- ranking, language, etc. -- it could be hard to find the right competition. Also, a below-average Internet connection can produce lags and make load times just as brutal as the fisticuffs. "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" is a nice update to the fighting genre and an ode to a simpler time of digital beatdowns. Grade: B+
PlayStation 3, Sony Entertainment, M (Mature)
It was the best of games; it was the worst of games. Seriously, "Killzone 3" is technically well-done, but playing feels like an uninspired adventure for the majority of the time. The campaign mode is woefully short, clocking in at about six hours and 30 minutes for a veteran player. The game gives you a strange peek into the future then jumps back to where "Killzone 2" left off. After storming the Helghast gates, there is an ill-fated attempt to escape, fighting as rebels, and a little space conflict to keep you occupied. This is a recipe for an epic game, but players will just have to settle for the handful of epic moments scattered in the game. "Killzone 3" will ultimately live on, take its maps and stake its share of the multiplayer online pie. Grade: B
Body and Brain Connection
Xbox 360, Namco, E (Everyone)
The Xbox Kinect sensor is required to play this game. Games that attempt to analyze brain and body functions are nothing new. What this game tries to do is link the two together and get you up off of the couch. As usual when dealing with the Kinect sensor, you have to have enough room and enough even lighting to get the best results. The 20 activities included range from logic to full motion body tests and are designed to track you progress daily. The ultimate meaning of all this is that you are going to have to stick with the game to receive any lasting satisfaction. It's too bad the majority of the games have a been-there-done-that feel. Grade: C+
PC, Kalypso, M (Mature)
It's refreshing to have a chance to be the spider that sets the trap when playing a video game. As a dungeon lord, it is all about making the hero feel welcome enough to explore the dungeon so that you can unleash your ingenious traps -- and not so imaginative minions -- on greedy heroes. The whiny heroes' job is to find what they came looking for and/or to destroy the dungeon. "Dungeons" can be a taxing game of cat-and-mouse with healthy doses of micromanagement. The building and navigation tools are easy to use and understand. The main problems of the dungeon master are providing a challenge for the different classes of heroes and understanding the tools don't work as intended. Since everything in the game has growth potential, it can suck you in pretty quickly. Grade: C