I really would like this mode to be awesome, you know that it was gonna make normal people play UMVC3 and not just fanatic users like me.
But they failed this one hard. I was actually annoyed at this mode as soon as I got it, but I didn't play it so much and didn't "discover" all the horrors. Today I been playing it maxing every zone, getting almost each cards etc. And,, the verdict is not good.
The mode is not functional!
Users can only play versus mode online!
No support for 2 player offline mode.This is something many others have already complained on. A very obvious fault. I don't understand why my friend cant play against me with the cards I have unlocked, using one of the card slots and I can use one of the other slots. Extremely strange mistake, especially when a fighting game probably is the biggest offline game communities so to speak. What I mean is that while there is Internet game options many users tend to prefer offline gaming(almost everyone according my own research its around 90+%)
I sincerity hope this will be fixed in an update this feels like no spectator mode for lobby games all over again, a strange lack of a function which do not make sense at all. In software term, offline support for 2 player mode is a core functional requirement(something that the product needs to work). Spectator mode definitely was such a lack luster that it completely removed the custom Internet game and the lack of offline support for the Heroes and Heralds right away makes its kinda "useless".
Because the overall idea of the mode is that a user can be really creative, big usages of customizability and then compete against each other with it. But as mentioned fighting gamers, primarily wants to play against each others. This don't mean that online support is pointless, of course many people don't have the chance/possibilities to play with people in real life, both an offline and an online support is a most for this mode to even pass as working. I am disappointed again in this game, I truly was 100% expecting that I would unlock all cards(playing the game in my alone time) and then when friends are over at my place, or when I bring my console + games to game events etc, people could build different decks and have some very interesting gameplay out from the normal game but no.... Huge blunder again.
Review of game mode( ignoring it don't actually work correctly)
OK, so first the user picks Evil or Good side. And then right away gets to pick zones. I would like some narrative, but its not to be expected in this genre so lets say most users probably don't notice the lack of that.
After this is really frustrating that the user cant pick the level of the arena enemies. While they do get stronger. There is no reason why I as a user cant be allowed to face the games AI on max right away, the rewards can still be in the lower scale. But the first games, and later when maxing out a zone(don't do it) its just tedious, purely boring. I just started picking the character I am worse with or a character I want to train a specific combo with.
User unlocks new hidden zones by killing characters creating a line.
Bingo- don't matter if user lands a 2-3 on the same time. This really annoys me, I was expecting to get something if I am able to score more then 1 line on the same time. This could so easily been done better, an easy solution would be to have the user gain an extra card reward for doing something cool as getting a double or even a triple bingo of. Or maybe unlock more then 1 zone at once. But nothing.
Then the mode is to easy abuse from the harder zones, when a user have maxed a zone to 100% they can simply keep playing that zone getting a better card, and getting the free card for each win resulting in a 2 card for each game, and both cards are on higher levels(the card the user wants).
Nothing happens when you get all zones!!!!
Not even a last zone is unlocked with only Galactus. That could give the user some closer. When the user have maxed all zones, and unlocked and maxed all hidden zones nothing happens! Nothing, no messages that says you have saved the world/conquered it no last boss, not even a bonus card(but I guess that would result in a 3 card drop each game after it then).
I mean, really Capcom not even a message that tells me game over/complete, maybe they want people to play it and try to get a kill screen.
Achievements.
There is no achievements playing the mode. Which feels so old, a game don't need achievements to be good, but its surprising to find a game mode having zero achievements. And much of what I have touched open could be fixed with it, I still don't think for example getting an achievement for getting all zones would be better then actually having a last stand of against the evil/good leader(both should happen). But at least it would have some worth doing all zones. But other things like getting 3 lines in bingo, that I would say is a typical good achievement reward. Its pointless, unnecessary hard, and is depending on luck( user can be unlucky getting a bingo before 3 lines). This would be a great achievement, as it makes the user do something that other wise they wouldn't do.
Lastly card collection value.
While the card creates a lot more game hours collecting them all( it does actually goes really fast getting at least all the best cards, just keep beating a hidden zone). A last thing I feel its missing is the text etc, in the cards. I would like to see something closer to super smash bros, Batman AA etc. That their is some explanation some background of the character etc. Now the game only give the characters first appearance, which I find is strange too, this could be used to commercialize Capcom's games and commercialize Marvel's characters. Some text explaining why their abilities work like they do, could very well motivate a user of the game to read that characters comic, watch the movie etc.
