Are you ready true believes, because Capcom and Marvel have reunited once again in Marvel vs. Capcom 3 slated to land on consoles sometime Spring 2011. After a somewhat disappointing Wii outing for the versus series, my hands on with MvC 3 at E3 has returned my faith in Capcom’s over the top fighting series.

The first thing you’ll notice in MvC 3 is that it’s one gorgeous game. Utilizing the same engine behind Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 and Lost Planet, the visual overhaul really gave me the impression of being thrown in the middle of a brawl straight out of the pages of a comic. The 3 vs. 3 gamplay is back with the speed and screen filling carnage you’re used to. In achieving the madness on screen, Capcom has gone ahead and revamped the controls too. If your using an arcade stick to play you’ll find that all six buttons are in use, but only the top three are designated for your main attacks (light, medium and hard). The bottom three are set apart for a new designated launcher attack button, with the other two set for assists. Having a button set aside for launcher attacks really opens up the doors or gamers coming into the series for the first time. The launcher button also adds a new dynamic to the aerial combos, if pressed a second time you’ll switch out your character adding even more possibilities to the destruction.

In my hands on time with the game I got a chance to delve into the two of three new characters that have been announced -- Dante and Chris Redfield. Dante was definitely my favorite addition so far; if you’re familiar with the series, he feels like a mix of Stryder and Captain Commando from MvC2. Frantic sword based attacks that reach across the screen with the ability to juggle enemies with his guns make him both a long and close range theat. My favorite of his moves was his electric guitar attack, where he slides on his knees and jams out in an electric explosion. Joining the gun parade, Chris feels a lot like Jill from MvC 2 without the zombie infestation. A mix of close combat melees strikes and gun attacks, Chris is slow and had an intentionally clumsy style to his animations, but packs brute strength, suiting him well for advanced players.

Though the complete roster hasn't been announced as of now, Capcom is aiming to cement the final roster somewhere in the 30 plus range. No specific as yet on the online modes, but hopefully Capcom follows the path they’ve set with the excellent Super Street Fighter 4.  Though there showing at E3 was limited (only two player versus available), what was offered gave a great glimpse into what is in store for the final product.

After walking away, I felt an eagerness to get my hands on a more robust roster, but at the same time immensely satisfied knowing that MvC3 is shaping up to be one epic beat down.