Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls arrives nearly a decade after the disappointing Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, a release that seemed to signal an end to Marvel's reign in the fighting game arena. However, Arc System Works, the developer behind the acclaimed Dragon Ball FighterZ, has crafted a fighter that not only pays homage to the Marvel vs. Capcom era but also represents a significant advancement for the genre.
At its core, Marvel Tōkon is a 4v4 tag-team fighter, but it introduces a unique twist by having all characters on a team share a single health bar. This design allows players to approach the game as a 1v1 experience, utilizing teammates primarily for assists. This approach streamlines the combat, reducing the need to master four distinct character move sets while still retaining the fast-paced action fans expect. The implementation of simplified inputs for super and special moves, alongside traditional fighting game commands, makes the game accessible to newcomers.
Matches in Marvel Tōkon possess a distinct rhythm. Players begin with their main character and one assist, gradually unlocking additional teammates as the match progresses. This mechanic allows for dramatic shifts in momentum and actively encourages offensive play, as gaining control of the full roster is key to dominating the fight. This design choice contributes to exhilarating and dynamic encounters.
The combo system offers considerable depth, as evidenced in the online matches, yet remains approachable. Marvel Tōkon features a character-agnostic control scheme, ensuring that combat is accessible to a broader audience. Individual characters are distinguished by their unique traits and dedicated special moves, such as Doctor Doom's defensive barriers or Green Goblin's glider attacks.
Arc System Works is renowned for its spectacular fighting games and breathtaking visuals, and Marvel Tōkon stands as one of the best-looking titles in the genre to date. The developer’s signature 3D models that emulate 2D artwork, first showcased in Guilty Gear Xrd, are as impressive as ever. Following the advancements seen in Dragon Ball FighterZ, Tōkon appears to represent another leap forward visually.
The character designs are particularly noteworthy, each one being unique, striking, and tastefully rendered in an anime-inspired style. Iron Man sports armor reminiscent of mecha anime, while Hulk's exaggerated proportions and armor emphasize his immense power and intimidating presence.
The story mode is presented as a series of Episodes, each focusing on different teams participating in a global tournament against a cosmic entity known as The Champion. These narratives unfold through visual novel-style cutscenes interspersed with fights. Each episode lasts about an hour and offers predictable, albeit serviceable, storylines, with minor variations depending on the team. While these episodes offer very basic introductions to characters, they do not function as comprehensive tutorials. The game does include robust training and tutorial modes, but character-specific tutorials are limited to combo trials, which are helpful but do not fully convey each character's unique mentality or game plan.
Online play features standard Arc System Works offerings, including lobbies, ranked and casual matches, and a party mode called Arcadia Rumble. The netcode is highly stable, with minimal noticeable latency even when playing over Wi-Fi.
Assessing a fighting game's long-term impact at launch is challenging due to ongoing balance updates and community meta development. Nevertheless, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls presents a comprehensive package that stands as a worthy successor to Marvel vs. Capcom and Dragon Ball FighterZ. It possesses the potential to become a lasting staple in the fighting game community for years to come. The game received a score of 8.5 out of 10.