Its cheap-looking interface is a far-cry from the vibrant comic book look of Ultimate Marvel vs.
While Infinite's gameplay pushes the series forward, the game's presentation feels stuck in the past. My matches have been mostly smooth so far with just a few moments of lag, though I'll report back if that changes significantly post-launch. Infinite offers an impressive stable of online options, including ranked and casual matches, a robust lobby system and a "beginner's league" that matches newcomers together. There's also a beefy gallery mode packed with concept art, character models and a surprising amount of lore to read up on. Arcade mode gives you a traditional ladder of opponents to blow through, while Mission mode does a nice job teaching you basic mechanics and character-specific combos. More importantly, Infinite's roughly 3-hour campaign serves as an excellent tutorial, steadily introducing new mechanics and Infinity Stones while letting you sample the majority of the game's roster.Ĭonsidering the woefully anemic state that last year's Street Fighter V launched in, it's refreshing just how much there is to do in Infinite. Despite some cheesy writing and cutscenes that look like they belong in 2011, Infinite's story has a certain goofy charm to it, and packs in plenty of fun team-up moments that had the Marvel and Capcom nerd in me geeking out.
The game's plot sees Marvel and Capcom heroes banding together to stop Ultron Sigma: a fusion of two villains that are hell-bent on turning all of humanity into a bunch of evil cyborgs. Capcom, and while it's not the gorgeous hollywood blockbuster you'll find in Injustice 2, it's still a pretty enjoyable b-movie. Infinite features the first story mode in the history of Marvel vs. And when I finally started landing crazy tag combos and making smart use of the Infinity Stones in online matches, I felt a rush that I haven't gotten from any other fighting game this year.
The Time stone, for example, can turn The Hulk into a teleporting speedster, while the Power stone allows little guys like Mega Man X to send their enemies bouncing off the walls.īecause of these new mechanics, I've spent most of my time with Infinite gleefully mashing away in training mode, thinking "oh my god, that works?" as I discovered new ways to interlace Gamora's sword slashes with Hawkeye's myriad of arrows. This opens up endless tactical possibilities, allowing you to rack up dizzying attack chains or create devious tricks and traps that are only limited by your imagination.Ĭomplementing this system are the six Infinity Stones that you can choose from (Space, Time, Reality, Power, Mind and Soul), which alter your character's playstyles in significant ways. Infinite's new Switch system lets you tag your partner in at any moment -even in the middle of a combo or during a big super move. In fact, the game's two main mechanics - the ability to switch characters on the fly, and the power-enhancing Infinity Stones - add a level of strategy and open-endedness to Infinite that somehow makes older Marvel vs. Capcom 3 - fights are 2 on 2 instead of 3 on 3, there are no assist attacks, and special moves and combos are generally easier to pull off.īut Infinite hasn't sacrificed the series' signature level of insanity in the name of accessibility. On paper, the gameplay has been simplified significantly from 2011's Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom games, Infinite is defined by fast tag-team fighting, flashy combos, and a roster of icons that includes Captain America, Spider-Man, Ryu and Chun-Li. Capcom: Infinite is a strong package for casual players and combo scientists alike - even if it lacks the polish of some of its peers. Infinite is simply a delight to play, thanks to a brilliantly open-ended combat system that's accessible, chaotic, and endlessly strategic all at once.įactor in a solid story mode and a decent amount of extras, and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite match.Ĭapcom's latest crossover brawler has its share of flaws - namely an uninspired roster and less-than-stellar visuals - but none of that matters once you have it in your hands. It's midnight and I'm bleary-eyed, but I simply can't resist the colorful, chaotic glow of another Marvel vs.