Yesterday, a full character roster was leaked for the recently announced Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom game. In an Interview with Destructoid, Ryota Niitsuma said the following:
“It’s a shame it got out, but that list, those names — those are the characters we are adding to the game. But this is only a list of characters. You have not been able to see anything substantial on the yet. As we get closer to the release date we’ll be releasing new gameplay footage that will show you how these characters work. I think for the fans of our fighting games that’s where the real fun is, see these characters move and act.”
The new characters are listed below.
Capcom:
- Firebrand
- Frank West
- Nemesis
- Phoenix Wright
- Strider
- Vergil
- Dr. Strange
- Ghost Rider
- Hawkeye
- Iron Fist
- Nova
- Rocket Raccoon
Marvel:
The interview also touched on the reason that the content is being released as a new game instead of DLC. Niitsuma stated the earthquake and tsunami had disrupted their release schedule for their DLC, and they decided that it would be better to compile all the DLC together, along with changes to the gameplay, and new modes.
Of the changes, one of the biggest is a push to balance the game better. Niitsuma said that they tried to listen to player feedback, and while it will not be completely different “it’s vastly improved over the previous version.” In addition to this, X-Factor has been enabled for use in mid-air, and the strength of attacks while using it has been adjusted slightly. Overall, Niitsuma estimates the ration of planned DLC to new changes is about 1:1.
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom is due to arrive November of this year, priced at $39.99.
Analysis: Well, I’m certainly glad I never went ahead and bought Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I was contemplating buying it, but didn’t, with intent to buy it later. One of the things that stuck me when I played the original game, is how blatantly overpowered some of the characters were. Sentinel is a powerhouse, Dante has more hard-hitting super-combos than you can feasibly count, and Phoenix… well, she’s practically invincible once her combo bar fills to 5. I anxiously await more information as to whether or not this has been fixed.
That said, I’m sure a number of gamers will be rather upset that a new game is being released so soon, and that they won’t be getting DLC for their $60 game. The improvements seem to be drastic, but honestly they shouldn’t have been necessary in the first place. Releasing DLC with new characters after the fact is fine, but releasing a fighting game as horribly unbalanced as Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and then releasing a $40 addition that makes changes that should have been patched into the original game, is like trolling your fanbase.
