Marvel vs. Capcom has long been regarded as one of the most iconic franchises in the fighting game genre. Over the years, it has delivered unforgettable tournament moments while setting the standard for tag-team fighting games. Although Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite failed to meet fan expectations, players never gave up hope for a new Marvel fighting title. As a result, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls arrived with enormous expectations, as comparisons to its legendary predecessor were inevitable.
The game features popular Marvel heroes such as Spider-Man, Storm, and Doctor Doom, but Marvel Tokon doesn’t attempt to be a direct successor or copy of Marvel vs. Capcom. Instead, developer Arc System Works has tried to create a unique identity of its own. However, after spending time with the game, it becomes clear that despite its fresh direction, several gameplay and technical shortcomings hold the overall experience back.
Visuals and Presentation Are the Biggest Highlights
If there’s one area where Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls truly shines, it’s its outstanding presentation. Arc System Works once again proves why it is considered one of the industry’s finest studios when it comes to stylish animation and fighting games. Following the success of titles like Guilty Gear, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and BlazBlue, the developer continues to showcase its artistic excellence.
The roster retains the classic comic-book look of Marvel characters while giving them a modern anime-inspired style. Every fighter is brought to life with fluid animations, eye-catching special moves, and stunning visual effects that make each battle feel like a scene from an animated movie. Comic-inspired effects during high-speed movement and spectacular super attacks further enhance the visual experience.
Among the entire cast, Deadpool easily steals the spotlight. His humorous attacks and fourth-wall-breaking references pay tribute to legendary fighting games such as Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros., highlighting the creativity and attention to detail of the developers.
Story Mode Offers an Enjoyable Experience
The game’s single-player campaign also makes a strong first impression.
The story revolves around a massive cosmic tournament organized by the powerful Champion of the Universe. Earth’s greatest superheroes must emerge victorious to save humanity, as defeat would mean the destruction of the entire planet.
Players can experience five separate story campaigns, each centered around a unique team of four heroes. Animated comic sequences combined with cinematic cutscenes give the campaign a polished and engaging feel. While the overall storyline follows a familiar tournament formula, the interactions between characters keep the narrative entertaining throughout.
Poor PC Optimization Is a Major Drawback
At the moment, the biggest weakness of Marvel Tokon is its PC version.
Although the game has improved since its beta, the Windows release still struggles to deliver consistently smooth performance. Even systems equipped with high-end graphics cards like the RTX 3080 experience frequent frame drops and micro-stutters, making it difficult to maintain a stable 60 FPS.
The issue becomes even more frustrating during online multiplayer. If one player’s system struggles to maintain performance, it can negatively affect the overall match for everyone involved. This is one of the key reasons behind the game’s disappointing early user ratings on Steam.
Some players believe Sony’s anti-cheat system and mandatory PlayStation Network integration may be contributing to these performance problems, although there has been no official confirmation from the developers.
Combat Feels Slower Than Expected
Technical performance may be better on consoles, but the combat system itself is unlikely to satisfy every fighting game fan.
Compared to Arc System Works’ previous fast-paced fighting games, Marvel Tokon feels noticeably slower. Character movement, air dashes, sprinting, and many attacks feature lengthy startup and recovery animations, making the overall pace feel deliberately reduced to make the game more approachable for newcomers.
However, the game is also built around four-versus-four tag battles, allowing players to fill the screen with assists, projectiles, and massive hitboxes. Experienced players can take advantage of these mechanics to maintain relentless offensive pressure.
Because of this, the game seems caught between two different audiences. It lacks the speed and freedom longtime tag-fighter fans expect, while its layered mechanics may still prove challenging for complete beginners.
Defensive Mechanics Need More Refinement
The defensive system also feels somewhat unbalanced.
The Crossover mechanic allows defenders to spend meter to escape pressure, but skilled opponents can often counter that response immediately and continue their offense. Unless players discover more effective ways to use mechanics like Assemble Counter, many matches could end up revolving around extended periods of blocking rather than active engagement.
For competitive players, this may result in a slower and less interactive experience than what modern tag fighting games typically offer.
Final Verdict
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls makes an excellent first impression with its gorgeous visuals, stylish character animations, and entertaining story mode. Arc System Works has once again delivered exceptional artistic quality. However, poor PC optimization, slower-than-expected combat, and several gameplay balance concerns currently prevent it from becoming a truly standout Marvel fighting game.
If future updates address the game’s technical shortcomings and improve gameplay balance, Marvel Tokon has the potential to become a much stronger title. For now, it remains a game with plenty of promise but one that still needs significant refinement before it can fully realize its potential. Casual Marvel fans will likely find plenty to enjoy, while competitive fighting game enthusiasts may be left hoping for a faster, smoother, and more balanced experience.