E3 2017: Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite Feels Like a Retread of UMvC3

With E3 finally upon us, I got hands on with Marvel vs Capcom Infinite, one of the most anticipated fighting games of the year. After a short play session, I came away with several concerns.

On the surface, the animations for all the fighters appear identical to Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. Punches, kicks, and jumps for returning characters mirror their UMCV3 counterparts. I got to see four super moves, and some of those seemed to be recycled as well. Rocket Racoon, Captain America, and Dante have identical super moves from UMVC3. Even the battle cries that accompany their super moves sounded familiar. Either the voiceovers were pulled directly from UMCV3 or the talent did a phenomenal job of mimicking the same exact tone, pitch and timing.

Next was the art design. At first I liked it, but most of the Marvel Characters look like they were ripped directly from the Marvel Contest Of Champions mobile game. YouTuber Maxamillion has put together a compelling case that Infinite reused animations from UMVC3 in Contest. I would expect this from smaller studios, but for a publisher with Capcom's prestige, it's less justifiable.

Infinite's gameplay fell flat with me as well. The game plays like a simplified MvC3, with lots of juggle combos and assists. While fun, matches felt too simple, almost as if Capcom believed UMVC3 to be too complex and in-need of streamlined mechanics. Admittedly, I only spent a short time with Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite, but my brief hands-on demo with concerns left me worried. Fortunately, the game has a long way to go, and these things may change.

Greg Burke

Head of Video

Greg is the head of Video Production for Shacknews. If you've ever enjoyed a video on Gamerhub.tv, it was most likely edited by him. Follow him on Twitter @GregBurke85.