A Truely Marvelous Game!!! (Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds [PS3, also Xbox 360 & PC])

Let me start out by saying this: I am not a fighting god, I just really like to play fighters. I use to be really good, but then years of RPGs and strategy games softened my skills. I can't even play Street Fighter IV, and I use to be the sh!zzn!ts at SF2 (which is sad because I think I'm going to buy SSFVI for the 3DS . . . because I like to torture myself. And it looks amazing. More on that to come.)

Anyway, back to MvC3:FTW. That's right, if you haven't noticed the initials of the subtitle come out to spell "FTW" (or "for the win" for anyone over 35), and that exactly what this game aimed to do. While it puts up a valiant fight, MvC3 falls just short of obtaining a perfect, hyper combo finish victory.

The graphics are stellar, and all of the character animation are lively, smooth, and entertaining to say the least. My favorites thus far have been Zero from Megaman X fame, Trish and Dante from the Devil May Cry series (seeing as I can never abbreviate that again, lest it get mixed up in this garbage.), and Deadpool from the Marvel stable. Hyper are crisp and clean, lighting up the entire screen before proceeding to their individual animations. I was immediately brought back to the days spent at in middle school buddy's garage, blistering our fingers over MvC2 and Tekken Tag Tournament and chugging Surge. Those were good times. . .

Dante is about to learn the hard way why you don't take a shot at Spiddy. Image from 3anime.com.

Anyway, MvC3 comes from Tatsunoko vs Capcom director/producer Ryota Niitsuma, and the influence of that game's system can clearly be seen in the new control scheme. There are two control options (like in TvC): simple and normal. Simple limits your abilities in battle, but allows for easy combo chains and hyper combos for beginners. Normal mode has changed to a three button scheme with no distinction between high and low its; a character's combos and move set determine high, medium and low hits. There is also an "exchange" button used for starting aerial combos, slamming opponents to the ground, or switching allies mid-combo (depending on your character). Ths new layout is very fluid and easy to learn, but it does require you to pay more attention to character animations to see how each button in a combo effects the area hit.

The character list is pretty robust, featuring returning favorites like Spider-Man, Wolverine, Doctor Doom, Morrigan, Felicia, Akuma and more. A good amount didn't make the cut (the most notable IMO would be Venom, Strider, a good amount of the SF crowd and Cable), but the fresh blood, like Amaterasu, Taskmaster, Dante, Viewtiful Joe, Phoenix and X-23. And the list is still not complete: two characters have already be announced as DLC, with more presumably on the way. Which leads us into the next topic . . .

X-23 goes to town on Chung-Li. Bitches be crazy . . . [Image from G4.com]

Online and multiplayer features! Of course since the game is on the PS3 and Xbox 360, online multiplayer was included and expanded from the version seen on the digital re-release or MvC2. Now, each players online and offline stats are tracked via a player card which can be view by other players before and after matches. The card highlights your strengths and weaknesses, as well an your favorite characters and tendencies. As you play, you can unlock titles and images to customize the card to your liking, and all in all it is a great addition to the game given its focus on online play.

Speaking of, the single player mode is . . . OK. Each character has an individual ending, unlike in MvC2, which is sweet, and gives you something to do offline; offline functions pretty much end here however. Yes, there is a mission mode which trains you on how to use different characters and a practice mode where you can perfect your craft, but there is no time trial mode, there are no alternate game modes or mini-games to unlock. While this is a minor issue for me, since I can play online whenever I want (even if I lose a good amount), I can see how this can be an annoyance to someone without reliable online access.

Oh, Galactus, you are such a cheap b@st@rd. Image from IGN.com

Overall the game is pretty sweet, and you don't have to be a hardcore fighting fan to appreciate and play the game. There are a ton of unlockables, when counting the titles and icons, and some potentially amazing DLC characters down the road (not that I'm in love with the idea of having to buy the other characters in the game) if Capcom decides to support that option. I give it a 8.7/10.

(If you have the means and the time, please help the Red Cross provide relief for those whose lives have been devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. They need basic supplies, such a blankets, cloths, food and water.)

The Best Hour-and-a-Half That I Have Spent in a Long Time (Death Game Park Review)

So I was trolling through TV-Nihon the other day, looking for the new Kamen Rider movie amoung other things (which I have a review of KR OOO 14 and Chou Den-O Yellow coming soon, it's just been a rough week) when I noticed a new entry entitled "Death Game Park." Interesting title, so I decided to check it out. After a quick Wiki troll, I came back with the knowledge that Death Game Park was essentially Battle Royale with Tokusatsu actors.

Sold.

So after a brief download, I loaded it up, and I was completely amazed by what I saw.

For those of you who are clueless about Battle Royale, here's a primer: An entire Japanese graduating class in shipped to a island where they fight for the right to live and have their entire lives paid for by the state. Sounds badass right? I know.

So Death Game Park is about the same, except swap students with criminals and sub in Kamen Rider Decade and Shinken Red as two of the main characters. The series was actually a string of mini episodes, but the "movie" version is all of those mini-sodes strung together into an hour-and-a-half masterpiece.

The movie opens with Tokunaga Shoudai (Tori Matsutaka [Shinken Red]) about to get his skull crushed by a crazy bastard with a bad hair cut. Right as the metal bar come crashing down a crippled man named Iwai Daigo intervenes and helps Shoudai to his feet. Daigo is played by Masahiro Inoue, of Kamen Rider Decade fame. Erina Mano also starts a young girl hellbent on revenge. REVENGE!!!!!

The game starts off with 13 competitors, all of which are convicted felons condemned to die. Shoudai seems to have no recollection of what he's done to deserve this fate, and periodically experiences flashbacks to a riot of some sort and a mysterious woman dressed in white. The game part consists of five stages with different . . . tests of skill and will to live. The first is a hide-and-seek game with "Oni" doing the seeking. Things only get more intense from that moment.

Without giving too much away, people start dropping off like flies as the games get more and more difficult and merciless.

Matsutaka and Inoue (wow that seems odd that I'm using that name to refer to a guy . . .) both give powerful performances. I can say much about Inoue, but trust me, he's great. Matsutaka proves that ShinKen Red is a badass at whatever he does, no matter the setting or series. He even knows Morse code!



This movie/series is a must see for anyone who is a fan of a well done drama, good acting and fantastic cinematography. Being a fan of Battle Royale helps, as does being a fan of either Decade or Shinkenger, but the real joy of this series is the fantastic storytelling and brilliant writing. 10/10!!! GO SEE IT NOW!

Chou Den-O Blue: A Return to Grace

I'm sure by now you've either read my review of Chou Den-O Red or you've watched it yourself (hopefully both), so you know that it's probably the worst Kamen Rider movie ever. Seriously, if I want to watch a five minute motorcycle scene with no point, I'll watch Twin Peaks. At least that would be more interesting, and I get to see a woman hold a conversation with wood.

Luckily, Chou Den-O Blue: The Dispatched Imagin is Newtral, marks the redemption of the Chou Den-o name. Honestly, I didn't think that I would like it as much as I did, since I'm not the biggest fan of Kotaro, Teddy or Chou Den-O. Kotaro really proved his worth in this film, and saved this movie trilogy from being a disaster.

The movie centers are the relationship that Teddy and Kotaro have forged since their last appearance in Farewell, Kamen Rider Den-o: Final Countdown, as Teddy has become Kotaro's good luck ward of sorts. Whenever Kotaro is about to be, say, crushed by a giant spherical work of art or splashed with a bucket of water, Teddy predicts the outcome and protects him from the pitfall. Kotaro seems to take this protection fro granted, as he hardly notices when Teddy bursts in the save the day.

After Ryotaro is injured during a fight with a new Imagin, the Owner calls Kotaro in to investigate, but there's a twist: the Owner is reissuing Teddy's contract, reassinging him to his own side and giving him the name Aleksandrovic (more like AleksandroBITCH). Teddy reluctantly goes along with the plan, but is too passive to say anything about it. Kotaro, visibly broken up, is teamed up with Kintaros to chase after the Mantis Imagin.

Kotaro is hopeless without his good luck charm, Teddy. Almost everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Meanwhile, Mantis is helping her contract owner, Miku, replace herself in the past. Kotaro is finally able to track her down, and tries in vain to take care of the Imagin. Of course, since he is not use to using Kintaros, he fails miserably at satisfying her "battlelust."

The new forms for Chou Den-O: "Ax" form and "Rod" form

Back on the DenLiner, Aleksandrovic is . . . polishing spoons? Wow, Owner. You really needed help with that task. After some awkward conversations, Kotaro take Ryotaros off with him to investigate the double Miku problem. When they get there, Miku's grandmother is testing both Mikus to figure out which is real. After a cook-off and a tennis match, Mantis gets frustrated with Other Miku's lack of progress, and decides to intervene. Kotaro decides to kidnap Other Miku while Den-O Gun Form makes a distraction.

Aboard the DenLiner, Kotaro tries to convince Other Miku that the Imagin Mantis is just using her to steal away her time. They have simultaneous revelations, with Kotaro and Miku coming to the conclusion that you don't miss something until it's gone. Elsewhere, Ryutaro is getting is ass kicked by Mantis. Ryotaros is forced out from the Henshin, leaving Ryutaro in Plat Form. Kotaro and Urataros go off to save Ryotaro, New Den-O taking on a Rod Form (literally, his weapon is a fishing rod).

He's still go good enough to take out Mantis, but he does get her . . . motivated. She eventually forces him out of his Henshin. Teddy, realizing that he misses his boo, too, and rushes off to save him from peril. Normally, as the Owner describes earlier in the movie, this action leads to the destruction of the Imagin, since they break their contract. Teddy doesn't care.

Together, they manage to defeat Mantis, and sure enough Teddy begins to disappear after the fight. Right as he completely vanishes, he gives Kotaro an interlocked star charm to act as his new luck charm. Aw, how sweet!

Back on the DenLiner, everyone is sulking over the loss of Tendon. Don't cry gang, 'cause it looks like Owner has a surprise: Aleksandrovic! Turns out that he's just reset the contract and returned to his previous owner because their bond was so strong. He reassumes the name Teddy, and all become right with the world.



All in all, Blue is sooo much better than Red. The action is larger, the story is much more interesting and it actually makes you like the main protagonists more, unlike Red which was 72 minutes that I can never get back. 9/10!!!

OOO 13 is out, I just haven't watched it yet (visitors + finals = no free time for blogging), but I intend to get to that tonight. I do have a review of Yellow coming soon, along with a review of Death Game Park, Star Wars: Force Unleashed 2, Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl, The Scott Pilgram Blu-Ray, and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, if I can finish that in time. Ciao for now though!