Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls: Beta Preview Awaiting Final Version

After months of anticipation and numerous previews, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is back in players' hands with a new Open Beta that clearly highlights how Arc System Works' project has grown since the previous Closed Beta. The new fighting game, developed in collaboration with Marvel Games and PlayStation Studios, not only increases the amount of available content but also introduces a long series of gameplay modifications, new modes, and a significantly expanded roster that contribute to the impression of a product now very close to its final version.

The first major novelty concerns the selectable characters. The previous beta offered a relatively limited selection, while the Open Beta provides a decidedly larger number of fighters and allows players to try out several protagonists who, until a few months ago, had only been shown in official trailers. New additions include Black Panther, Wolverine, Magik, Danger, Peni Parker, Ghost Rider, Blade, Magneto, and Green Goblin, greatly expanding the possibilities for team building and tactical approaches to matches.

The full roster planned for launch will include twenty characters divided into five distinct teams. The Fighting Avengers will be represented by Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, and Black Panther. The Unbreakable X-Men will include Storm, Wolverine, Magik, and Danger. The Amazing Guardians will feature Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, and Peni Parker. The Knights of Doom will field Doctor Doom, Magneto, Green Goblin, and Carnage. The list concludes with the Samurai Outriders group, consisting of Ghost Rider, Blade, Loki, and Deadpool. The selection appears particularly balanced, alternating some of the most famous icons of the Marvel universe with less obvious characters who rarely find space in fighting video games.

Among the most important revelations of recent months are Deadpool, Loki, and Blade, officially announced during EVO 2026. Deadpool brings a chaotic and unpredictable style to the game, perfectly consistent with his comic book personality, while Loki seems specialized in space control and the use of illusions and deceptive attacks. Blade, on the other hand, focuses on speed, offensive pressure, and close-quarters combat, offering a more technical and aggressive experience.

The novelties are not limited to the fighters. The Open Beta also introduces new playable scenarios, including Wakanda, Knowhere, and a nighttime version of New York. The stages are more detailed than the versions shown in the past and utilize an art direction that reinterprets the Marvel universe through Arc System Works' characteristic anime style, already appreciated in productions like Guilty Gear Strive and Dragon Ball FighterZ.

On the gameplay front, some of the most significant improvements emerge. One of the main criticisms leveled at the Closed Beta concerned the management of assists and character changes during the most frantic phases of matches. To solve the problem, the developers have completely separated the commands dedicated to Assists from those intended for Tags, increasing the precision of controls and making the system much more intuitive for both newcomers and competitive fighting game enthusiasts.

The assist system has also been profoundly revised. Each fighter now has different types of support, including offensive, vertical, or ranged attacks. Assists can be used with greater freedom compared to the previous version, both during combos and in neutral phases of combat, opening the door to much more elaborate and spectacular strategies. The ability to call for support even in certain aerial situations further increases the depth of the game system.

Important changes have also affected Link Combos. In the new beta, these automatic sequences are activated only when a hit lands or is blocked by the opponent. This modification reduces the involuntary activations observed in the Closed Beta and makes every action much more predictable and controllable. This is an apparently small intervention, but one that could have a significant impact on the competitive scene.

The characteristic that makes Marvel Tōkon immediately recognizable compared to other genre exponents remains unchanged. The combat system does not use the traditional team battles typical of Marvel vs. Capcom, but proposes an original four-on-four structure. Matches begin with a main fighter supported by assists, while other team members progressively enter the action thanks to Assemble mechanics and strategic changes. This structure creates extremely dynamic matches and allows for the construction of particularly spectacular combinations between the various characters.

There would be much more to talk about, from the graphics to the arenas, from the actual final balancing which, despite being revised, must then be seen to marry in practice with the release of the title, but we will postpone everything to the review, given that it is very close, even if I am fully satisfied with the work done so far, in December it was objectively a bit of a "mess", now the path traced makes more sense and we hope to remain fully satisfied with the final version as well.