Besides some clear performance and server issues on various platforms, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has shown to be an excellent fighting game in its open beta. Unique characters and stylish presentation lend to a robust 4v4 game unlike other tag team fighters in the genre, but systems are far from perfect. Player feedback has raised some concerns regarding some oddly restrictive gameplay features present in Marvel Tōkon, which may need to be adjusted to refine the game into its best possible version.
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One of the biggest complaints about the game over its beta weekend was related to the title’s inconsistent functionality on PC and PlayStation. PC editions of the game struggled with performance heavily, leading to widespread crashes and consistent delays in online matchmaking. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 version had issues connecting with PlayStation Network accounts, which was already preventing people from some regions from playing at all.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Had A Great Open Beta With Several Gameplay & Performance Issues
The performance problems for Marvel Tōkon weren’t ideal, but there were also some elements of gameplay that have veteran fighting game players scratching their heads. For example, for a tag team fighting game, assists felt very sluggish, sometimes not acting in spite of players inputting the right commands for those character actions. In Marvel Tōkon, characters have different assists based on their position in your four character team, with additional assists that activate when your current fighter is in the air or performing a combo.
In some instances, players wanting to delay their offense while an opponent is blocking would do so in order to call forth a powerful assist from a character unlocked on their team. However, because Marvel Tōkon has certain systems in place, that assist would mistakenly come out as the “during combo” assist associated with that character. This led to many awkward moments where players were suddenly vulnerable, even if their offensive strategy was sound. Compared to games like 2XKO and Skullgirls, where assists are responsive instantly to player actions, Marvel Tōkon‘s assist system feels somewhat limited.
Players are also somewhat mixed on the wall break systems present on stages, making some battlegrounds too reliant on the mechanic while others don’t use it enough. Other small gripes, such as default button layouts and limited training mode options, are likely to be addressed on launch. Along with other optimizations, there is a lot of room for Marvel Tōkon to grow, but some features hold the game back more than those already listed.
4-Hit Combo Gatlings Restrict Players From Combo Expression While Leaving Them Vulnerable
One controversial system in Marvel Tōkon‘s gameplay is the existence of limited “Gatlings,” or strings of buttons players can press before having to cancel into a special move or stop their offense. In most fighting games, these gatlings are not universal, largely being tied to the individual frame data of certain characters when an opponent is blocking or getting hit. Some characters can have longer pressure, while others had higher damage but tighter offense, lending to dynamic match-ups determined by player knowledge.
In contrast, players can only chain together normal attacks four times on the ground in Marvel Tōkon, no matter which character they’re playing. Without using an auto combo, players will either knock down opponents or fall out of range for additional attacks, unless they use a unique skill or special move. This system is likely in place due to the long offense already applied by a four-character team, but some players are calling for the gatling system to be freed up slightly.
During the beginning of matches, this gatling restriction is far more noticeable with fewer characters to continue offense. Creative players have been finding work arounds, even with combo restriction mechanics and wall breaks also stiffing player creativity in some places. Diversifying how gatlings work might create more chaos between characters, so keeping it in place and making sure players don’t accidentally run into it as much could be a good compromise between player concerns and developer balancing visions.
Generous Input Command Systems Often Lead To Player Mistakes That Interrupt Otherwise Good Combat Flow
While gatlings are a topic of back-and-forth conversation, the input reading system in Marvel Tōkon is a subject almost everyone agrees on. Every character in Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has the same inputs for special moves, including traditional quarter circle motions in different directions and the fabled “Dragon Punch” motion, performed by inputting forward, down, forward and an attack button. In most fighting games, the timings on these motion inputs are strict, but Marvel Tōkon‘s are generous to a detrimental degree.
Players have reported accidentally getting one special move input when aiming to perform a different one, leading to the wrong moves coming out at the right times. Once again, this interrupts what would normally be fast-paced, exciting action, causing frustration instead of enjoyment. This is due to inputs overlapping with one another, indicating that the buffer is not working well enough to prevent this from happening. Thankfully, this should be an issue that can be resolved through a few gameplay adjustments.
Compared to the lackluster first two closed betas for this game, the open beta vastly improved the overall experience, introducing amazing new characters and refined gameplay to get players exciting for launch day. Yet, if these two big features aren’t resolved soon, players could quickly turn on this title despite its strengths. For Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls to be the best fighting game possible, some updates may be required at the last minute.
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