After four different fighting game collaborations between Marvel and Capcom, it feels like both companies finally trust each other with their brands in Marvel vs. Capcom. Capcom isn't afraid to get a bit weird, putting back from just using Street Fighter characters in these collaborations, and diving a bit deeper into their catalogue. Meanwhile, Marvel is opening themselves up with their roster, giving us a lot of old favorites, but also Venom and the closest thing we've seen to Iron Man in this series so far, War Machine. But even looking at the assist characters in this title, and there's a deep bench of wild inclusions that I can't imagine either of these companies exploring only a game or two prior.

One of the things I really love about these collabs, and especially when this shifts directly into Marvel vs. Capcom, is the overall ease of play. This is a game where you can pick up and play more based on your interest in the individual character, rather than just who you know. Yet most of these characters plays how you'd expect a Capcom fighting game character to play, so it's relatively easy to get into any character's rhythm and style. But also, if you want to master these characters, that's also not too difficult, and finding the right combination to be your primaries is part of the fun.

I've really enjoyed playing my way through the various incarnations of Marvel/Capcom fighting games, but Marvel vs. Capcom is where it all clicks for me, and it's the precursor to maybe the best fighting game ever made? We're getting closer, but Marvel vs. Capcom is a great step in this process.