Comic-Con 2011: Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Hands-On Preview

The 2011 San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing, and as soon as the doors opened we made a beeline for Capcom's booth to sample the new characters coming to Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. While we were there, we bumped into Capcom's special adviser, Seth Killian, and chatted him up on some of the early details of this flashy 2D fighter sequel. While he couldn't divulge too much, we did get a sense for some of the big changes coming to the game's core mechanics. You can watch the entire conversation for yourself in the interview below. Afterward, we got the chance to go hands-on with some of the new characters coming to this game.

The majority of our time was spent playing as Ghost Rider. After going three rounds with this supernatural antihero, we were reminded of the bionic commando himself, Nathan "Rad" Spencer. However, while Spencer was mostly a melee-focused fighter, Ghost Rider had a strong keep-away game thanks to the reach afforded by his flaming chain. This weapon could grapple foes from across the screen, while his launcher attack also boasted some incredible reach. Every so often an opponent would get in close, and we found ourselves at a loss for escape options. Similar to Spencer, Ghost Rider's speed was pretty sluggish.

We also got to sample Hawkeye and Strider (sorry Firebrand). While Taskmaster does invoke the heroic archer in some of his moves, his repertoire pales in comparison to the man himself. Hawkeye's numerous projectile attacks each had some sort of special property to them, whether it was a slow-acting poison or an arrow that left our foe momentarily stunned. We also didn't feel limited when it was time to get in close and mix things up in melee. Hawkeye felt nimble and confident at any range. Strider didn't feel far removed from his previous Marvel vs. Capcom incarnations. His reach with a blade was still deceptively long, and he could lay down a lot of projectile pressure thanks to his mechanical animals and ouroboros special.

Even though we didn't get a chance to take Firebrand out for a test drive personally, Killian wasn't afraid to put us in our place with the gargoyle. The beatdown we received was quick and decisive, with Firebrand's speed and maneuverability giving us flashbacks of Felicia matches gone horribly wrong. But while the feisty catgirl stuck mostly to the ground, Firebrand could take to the skies and swoop down on us from above. His quick speed, flight, and numerous projectiles let him control a lot of screen while keeping us guessing as to where he would strike next. Love it or hate it, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is on the way, and we'll be sure to keep you up to date with all the latest developments.