Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (PS2)

Marvel vs Capcom 2 - New Age Of Heroes.

Introduction:

It had been a long few years leading up towards the PS2 release of this game in the U.K, but for those of us who enjoy the over the top, loud, extravagant Marvel vs Capcom games of old it's been well worth the wait.

The original Dreamcast version of this game was fantastic to say the least but with added characters, more over the top finishing combos and ...
...and brightly coloured fighter, then Marvel vs Capcom 2 is your game. Just like the release of the 2000 version, Marvel vs Capcom 2 mixes 2D backgrounds and 3D characters and does it fantastically. The bright lights, the colourful combos and the unusual stages all combine to form one hell of a great looking game. It captures what Marvel and in some cases Capcom are all about and gives you the animated cartoon look you'd expect, similar to the comic ... more

Marvel vs Capcom 2 - New Age Of Heroes.

Introduction:

It had been a long few years leading up towards the PS2 release of this game in the U.K, but for those of us who enjoy the over the top, loud, extravagant Marvel vs Capcom games of old it's been well worth the wait.

The original Dreamcast version of this game was fantastic to say the least but with added characters, more over the top finishing combos and the new cheesy background music, which'll be in your head for weeks and weeks, the PS2 version has stepped up and is laying down the law to beat 'em ups being released any time soon. Without taking anything from the original version, this game is as over the top and as exciting as you remembered, bringing back many memories of time gone by.

Gameplay: 8

Gameplay like MvC2 is second to none, there's only so much I can say to describe the absolute brilliance of this game. 56 possible characters to choose from, each with their own selection on testing moves and finishing combinations which can be used to finish off an opponent in style. With so many characters, you'll be trying to find YOUR winning trio for hours on end. From Ryu to Captain America, Wolverine to Iron Man each character has something about them which you can enjoy and what's better than competing 3 against 3 in an all out brawl to the finish? You'll be button mashing like crazy, attempting to master the movelist of your favourites.

Graphics: 8

If you want an over the top, interesting and brightly coloured fighter, then Marvel vs Capcom 2 is your game. Just like the release of the 2000 version, Marvel vs Capcom 2 mixes 2D backgrounds and 3D characters and does it fantastically. The bright lights, the colourful combos and the unusual stages all combine to form one hell of a great looking game. It captures what Marvel and in some cases Capcom are all about and gives you the animated cartoon look you'd expect, similar to the comic we rea as children.

Sound: 5

One of the first things I noticed and no doubt other owners did was the shoddy music on the character select menu. Not only is it a song with one line of lyrics repeated over and over again it's a song that sticks with you all day and goes to bed with you at night. Not a good thing at all. Other than this particular music selection, Capcom has created a fairly nice sounding game in a term of sword slashing, chain rattling and cries of pain kind of way, the voice-overs are very well done too. The music in the background of each battle is hardly noticeable though due to the speed and impact of the bowt itself. Other than the poor quality music I first mentioned, this game has an ok soundtrack but could have been better.

Lasting Appeal: 8

While Capcom didn't include an online feature to an already awesome game this game is in a way let off due to the fact that everything is so perfectly fixed together. This game is something that you can pick up any time of the year, Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter. There's just no stopping the amount of fun you can have unlocking all the hidden characters, challenging friends to a number 1 spot and learning all the moves of your favourite superstars. For a 2D mixed with 3D fighter, this game certainly has lasting appeal, with an almost unlimited amount of characters to unlock and choose from and a fantastic 2 player mode, you couldn't really ask for much more.

Overall Rating: 8 

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