Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite

https://youtu.be/V8opH_qxA_0

An Infinity Gem wrapped in a paper bag

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite may have some flaws with its visuals and roster, but its gameplay is so strong that its not too hard to overlook them.

I have to admit, my first impressions of Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite weren’t good. As I continued to play and got my head around its new systems though, it well and truly won me over. It may not be the prettiest fighting game on the market today, but it’s undoubtedly the most fun. And that’s what video games are supposed to be, right, fun? You can get hung up on the notion that some of the faces look a bit scary, or that the story mode is stupid or that the image quality is poor, but they are all pretty superficial problems. Look under the skin, and you’ll find a fighting game that’s not only b...

It plays as well as the series ever has, and is far more accessible than previous entries, but there’s infinite room for improvement in terms of the roster and presentation.

While Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’s tag-team fights are like a bolt of lightning from Mjolnir, its story is dreadful and its characters look like they were deliberately designed to spawn a million derpy memes. It manages to be easily one of the worst and also one of the best fighting games in recent memory all at once. Like its heroes and villains, it’s stuck between two worlds.

Capcom's fighting game brings big changes to the series.

Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite has a lot of issues, many of which are hard to ignore, but it still ends up being an enjoyable experience thanks to its solid yet simplistic blend of mechanics.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is, like football, a game of two halves. The actual fighting half, which is arguably the more critical 50% anyway, is fun and exciting. The other half is a bit confusing.

Capcom's latest fails to impress when compared to the past. The improvements in accessibility and reliable gameplay don't redeem its bargain bin presentation, lacking roster, and forgettable campaign.

[Update: Previously in the review, we had mentioned that Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite features the series' smallest roster of characters to date. Factually, this was incorrect as the series' earlier iterations featured between 17-20 characters, where more recent installments featured larger rosters. We have updated the review to reflect this information and regret the mistake.]

For a publisher seemingly in need of a success story, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite should be the very definition of an easy win. Indeed, since Marvel vs. Capcom 3 launched, the comic book brand has become an unstoppable force in theatres, with multiple movies becoming record breaking blockbuster hits. And that’s ignoring the fact that NetherRealm Studios’ uber-popular Injustice series has legitimised the whole superhero fighting game scene. Success is all but guaranteed, then, eh?