‘Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls’ Review: You might need a new controller!

If you loved the high-octane flash of Dragon Ball FighterZ, developer Arc System Works is back with a spiritual successor that seems to dial the adrenaline up to eleven. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls hits home consoles with a gorgeous cell-shaded art style, a decent character roster of twenty base fighters, and unmistakable studio DNA.

I will admit, I was hesitant when I first saw the gameplay for this… I rarely enjoy 2D fighters because they are usually catered to a specific audience, but this game has pleasantly surprised me.

Story and Presentation

Starting with the campaign, let's just say it won't win any literary awards. Without spoiling too much, the setup immediately reminded me of the Tournament of Power arc in Dragon Ball Super—enough said.

Meanwhile, the comic book-style panel art used during cutscenes felt like an acquired taste, especially when placed right next to the game's gorgeous, dedicated anime-style cinematics. It’s nothing to write home about, but it offers a nice, low-stress break from online losses against players who have mastered frame-perfect execution on day one.

The roster is fairly varied; you have most of the mainline Avengers, some X-Men, Ghost Rider, Spider-Man and a couple of new/rarely seen faces. The character design is truly innovative and novel, and you can see the anime/manga influence there too, especially when looking at Iron Man’s (almost) Gundam-looking armour.

A Mountain to Climb

Learning this game is a serious task. Expect multiple solo sessions just wrapping your head around the fundamentals: figuring out how to block, moving fluidly, managing active tags, and mastering the shared Vital Gauge team health pool. You also have to track tactical resources like the Assemble Gauge for team-ups and the orange Skill Gauge at the bottom of the screen required for heavy EX moves and cinematic Ultimate Skills.

Where the Magic Happens

After three hours of sweating over block strings and mid-match management on my own, I desperately needed to stop playing. But the moment I had friends over and I fired the game up in Co-op Versus mode, we played for seven hours straight, and this is not hyperbole.

It is where the true brilliance of Fighting Souls lies: you can play it however you want. Sure, pro gamers can memorise intricate combo routes, frame data, and optimal routing to dominate e-sports tournaments, but for average players, the game is madcap fun when you just button mash. You don't need a pristine combo textbook when you're laughing and screaming on the couch, pressing all possible buttons on your controller.

You learn to leave things to pure chance and chaos, coupled with some concern for your controller’s safety.

The Verdict

For hardcore competitors, Tokon is a deep new playground to master and take online. But for casual and non-competitive gamers, this is your ultimate weekend hangout companion. If you're tired of firing up FC26 every time you have company, this is a grand ol' time that brings back a heavy nostalgia hit of what couch co-op 2D fighters used to feel like.

Price: Rs 3,999 - Available on Digital and Disc. (PS Plus required for online play)