The Marvelous Countdown, Day 4: Strider Hiryu

When Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was released, while most fans were overjoyed with the vast majority of new characters, there was also hype for the return of series staples such as Ryu and Wolverine. However, they soon discovered something:

One person was missing.

Yes, it was so obvious! How could Capcom have possibly left HIM out? He was in the first two Marvel vs. Capcom games, what were they thinking, kicking him to the curb like that?! He's like the fan favorite of the series!

...hm? Mega Man? Oh yeah, he's missing too, I suppose. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MEGA MAN

That's right, techno-ninja extraordinaire Strider Hiryu makes his triumphant return to the crossover fighting game scene in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. And he looks freaking awesome, complete with his old bag of tricks: tricky teleports, mechanical animal projectiles, the new-and-improved wall cling, and his infamous Ouroboros. It's a beautiful thing.

However, one major change has been implemented that completely changes the way Strider should be played: Ouroboros is now a level 3 hyper. So that means no more lockdown chip damage with Dr. Doom, at least not as often as before. His health is also one of the lowest of the entire roster, so you're gonna have to be more careful in your approach, or you'll likely die in a single combo. Aside from that he's pretty much the same, just like people wanted. And who says Capcom doesn't care about its fans?

Playing against Strider looks like an uphill battle from the start. It's gonna be hard to tell where he'll come in from, and with a projectile assist he's going to be pretty hard to block. On the bright side if you happen to catch him it's not likely he'll survive.

Strider's theme song is revised from its Marvel 1 version; this time it's a little more subtle, not as much focus on the harmony of the piece. The melody is unchanged but the bass got a major overhaul, it's not really as loud or pronounced as before. Fine with me, since when were ninjas noisy?

Popular though he may be, I have this gut feeling that Strider won't get too much (effective) use. His combos look tough and tricky, his tactics are risky, and the learning curve looks steep and discouraging. People might instead opt for a simpler yet just as effective character. Ho-hum, more ninja action for me.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 3: Ghost Rider

Dear Dormammu,

I've waited patiently these past nine months in the bowels of Hell, observing your abilities in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Suffice it to say, I am sorely disappointed in you. As a fellow member of the Flaming Head Alliance, I find it necessary to step in and show you how it's done myself. There's only room for one hot-headed badass in this game, and if you can't pull it off, step aside. (ps. you owe me 5 bucks)

And so, Ghost Rider donned his leather jacket, hopped on his bike and rode into Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, toting his trusty whip and what looks to be a pretty unique playstyle. While most characters that shine from a safe distance rely on their projectile output, Ghost Rider doesn't have to, as his whip goes pretty much fullscreen. He can even perform full combos from a mile away! Your goal will surely be to keep the opposition away from you, because Ghost Rider's close-range options leave something to be desired.

Not that he's without his useful moves up close; he's got a flaming pillar (and 2 supers) that can OTG, and a command grab level 3 hyper, his trademark Penance Stare. It's just that outside of combos Ghost Rider will be looking to create breathing room, and once the enemy is in close, it might be hard to get them back out. Only time will tell.

If you're facing Ghost Rider, it will probably be on point. I'm sure that any projectile assist (Hidden Missiles comes to mind) will be a large boon to his keepaway game, and maybe a get-off-me assist like Haggar's lariat can help create some space defensively. In the right hands, we could be looking at the next Dhalsim. Dhalsim pisses me off.

When I write these articles, I generally leave the song in question on repeat for the entirety of it. Ghost Rider's theme somehow hasn't grown stale yet; I just love that guitar, and the screams here and there are a good fit for the character.

I don't think Ghost Rider will be an easy character to play, but he's going to be hard to deal with as well.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 2: Nemesis

Threatening to take Albert Wesker's throne as Resident Evil badass, Nemesis enters the fray of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with a vengeance, tying Street Fighter for most Capcom representations in the game (4 [Jill is DLC, she still counts]). This hulking goliath looks to fit in with the tankier characters in the game, such as Haggar, Hulk and Thor. He's got plenty of tools to set him apart from the pack, though, most notably of which is his gigantic freaking bazooka; sure, Hulk's got his Gamma Wave projectile, and Thor has the Mighty Spark beam, but did those really work as ranged options? Nemesis looks perfectly capable of holding his own at a distance, but make no mistake, he's an in-your-face nightmare.

His Tentacle Grab attacks are what scare me the most; unlike the other grapplers' respective command grabs, Nemesis' go nearly fullscreen, making his job of landing the big hit into a full combo that much easier. Combined with his ability to create reset opportunities with his other special moves, he is certainly a character you'll want to stay away from. FAR away.

I'm guessing that the best way to deal with the big lug is to zone him out with projectiles, or assuming you don't have that option, take advantage of his sluggish attacks and strike the first blow. Nemesis' plethora of HP and potential to do good damage without spending any meter lead me to believe that most players will use him on point. This means that he'll likely be backed up by assists that shore up his limited bazooka options, which will even make keeping him at bay difficult. Capcom wasn't kidding when they said they created a monster.

His theme from the game does a good job recreating that HOLY FUCK WHAT IS THAT THING AND WHY IS IT WALKING TOWARD ME feeling that Nemesis gave players back in Resident Evil 3. It's a hard-hitting, mostly bass-oriented piece, with some odds and ends thrown in to make it more creepy. It even has a little dubstep in there for fans of the wubwub. A good track, sure, but when you hear it it means that you're dealing with a Nemesis player.

I have a hunch that we'll be seeing plenty of this thing online. Faaaaantastic.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 1: Dr. Strange

With the (second) release of Capcom's tertiary installment in their action-packed fighting game series, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, looming over us, I thought it would be a nifty idea to celebrate the occasion by highlighting each new character before the game is released, albeit via their theme song and my opinions. And by that, I mean that the idea was thrust upon me by forces unknown and I liked it enough to roll with it. BUT I DIGRESS

12 days till launch. 12 new characters. 13 new themes. Let's do this shit.

To kick things off we'll talk about Dr. Strange. The sorcerer supreme (whom I know almost nothing about, to be honest) looks to be one of the most tricky characters in the game, both learning how to use and fighting against him. He looks capable of keeping the opposition at bay with a variety of sneaky glyphs and projectiles, and when things get too hairy he has teleport options for mounting an offense or flat-out getting out of there. Combine this with an assist and Dr. Strange could be one of the most hard-to-block characters in the game, as well as a great point character for a zoning-based team. His combos appear tough and tricky, complete with crumples, unwieldy OTGs and relaunches. Characters that hope to outgun Strange in a firefight need not apply; he's got a hyper that counter projectiles and fires back with a fullscreen beam of his own, making the only effective tactic to rush him down. He has ways of dealing with this.

While the learning curve looks high for the good doctor, so does the payoff. I don't plan on using the guy myself, but somebody is sure to. I just hope that person stays the hell away from me.

Strange's theme captures that eerie mystique that the character is known for through the subtle use of bells and chants. The guitar riffs provide a sharp contrast to the mix, and are nicely accompanied by the orchestral elements of the piece. Overall it's a perfect fit to both the game and the genre it occupies.

Now if only everybody played Dr. Strange on point so I can hear this a lot in-game.