Soul Calibur IV Xbox 360

Released on 01/08/2008

• SoulCalibur IV: Review

  The Soul still [just about] burns…

  Your first impression upon playing SoulCalibur IV is that, it's Soul Calibur… again. Gaming's best weapon-based Beat 'em Up has changed little in nine years, and the formula is starting to show its age.

  Not that SoulCalibur IV is a bad game. It's just that the overwhelming familiarity feels indicative of the genre's waning popularity.

  Returning characters in SoulCalibur IV control largely the same as before, eight-way run is still a unique selling point and battles retain a fast-paced fluidity not found in other franchises. Arcade and Story modes are still a hefty portion of the singleplayer experience, and two-player same-screen multiplayer is guaranteed to provide longevity. And that's great… but we've seen it all before.

  SoulCalibur IV's battles differ with one new feature. Eroding your opponent's Soul Gauge by making them block often leads to their armour being shattered, which opens them up for a spectacular one-hit-kill Critical Finisher. But while that sounds revolutionary, it happens on few occasions – you'll win or lose mostly by the usual energy bar depletion or ring outs.

  SoulCalibur IV provides fresh layers of depth in its supporting modes, which add new context for all the familiar-feeling fighting.

  Where SoulCalibur IV excels, however, is in providing fresh layers of depth in its supporting modes, which add new context for all the familiar-feeling fighting.

  Top of them is reworked character creation. You can now edit the existing roster, AND create unique fighters from scratch – using one of the fighting styles of the pre-existing characters as a base, and applying items and skills for different properties.

  This comes in especially handy for SoulCalibur IV's newest mode, the Tower of Lost Souls, which boasts two different gamestyles. Ascend it, and you’ll have to fight consecutive opponents kitted out with all manner of overpowered weapons and unfair abilities. Descend it, and you get a Team Survival type challenge, swapping between two fighters, with damage carrying over between bouts, and the unused character's health slowly regenerating. It's tactical, compelling, and the best way to earn new items for character creation.

  In turn, getting the most from Tower mode means building new fighters in character creation, specialised for specific types of bout. Thus, the interplay between these two modes makes for much of SoulCalibur IV's most compelling gameplay – and indeed, the interplay between items, skills and repeated play across all modes is perhaps SoulCalibur IV's most rewarding aspect.

  The interplay between items, skills and repeated play across all modes is perhaps SoulCalibur IV's most rewarding aspect.

  Using a character a lot in SoulCalibur IV not only provides new weapons, armour and accessories that govern the Skill Points you have to spend on new abilities, but increases that fighter's Style Level, which unlocks a wider selection of those abilities. So the more characters you master, the more character creation options become available, meaning SoulCalibur IV provides a very real sense of progression outside of simply increasing your own personal skill level.

  And SoulCalibur IV's all-new online mode provides very real incentive to create new fighters. SoulCalibur IV's net play is limited to just 1v1 fights, and yet the smoothness of connection, the split between friendly and ranked matches, and of course the choice of playing with original or custom characters all sets this apart from the online fighting pack – even if a post-fight Rematch option is sadly lacking.

  There are however three characters who can't be customised. Yoda (360), Darth Vader (PS3) and the unlockable Secret Apprentice (both versions) are stylistically at odds with SoulCalibur IV's historic setting, and yet feel like fully-fledged fighters, not novelty inclusions. The Apprentice is overpowered, using his Force powers overzealously, while the diminutive Yoda is hard to hit and impossible to throw, yet moves much slower than in the films, and uses the Force rarely. Vader proves the most balanced within the context of the game. The good news is that an empty box on the Character Select screen suggests downloadable content may yet bring Yoda vs Vader battles to both consoles.

  So, SoulCalibur IV may not be the revolution that the seminal Dreamcast release was, but it's still a title fighting aficionados and casual post-pub players will get a ton of enjoyment from. It looks lush, boasts gameplay unparalleled in the genre, and despite the familiar feel does just about enough with online play and character customisation to lure long-term fans back for another stylish swashbuckling soiree.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • Still the finest fighting game engine ever – now with new Soul Gauge system and added Star Wars characters!
    
  • Character creation and Tower of Lost Souls add a whole new sense of singleplayer reward.
    
  • Online play works a treat with ranked and unranked matches, and a choice of original or custom characters.

  

  • The core fighting hasn't changed much in nearly nine years.
    
  • Imbalanced Star Wars characters; The apprentice is overpowered, Yoda's size makes him tricky to fight, while Vader, if anything, doesn’t feel powerful enough.
  • Online play is simple 1v1 fighting, with no other modes available.

  Review by: Mark 'Soul Edge' Scott
  Version Tested: PS3, Xbox 360
  Review Published: 01.07.08

  Published: 01/08/2008

• Soul Calibur V announced for PS3, Xbox 360

  Namco Bandai is holding an expensive press event in Dubai at the moment, and this morning the publisher unveiled Soulcalibur V, a new game in the popular 3D fighting series.

  It set 17 years after the events of the last game, and its main character Patroklos, is the son of Sophitia Alexandra, who has appeared in every game in the series so far.

  Speaking to attendees, the game producer Hisaharu Tago claimed that Soulcalibur V would be a rue sequeland that the roster would feature a blend of returning characters and new challengers. Previous protagonist Siegfried, having sealed away the Soul Calibur sword at the end of the fourth game, will return as a 39-year-old, wielding a new weapon.

  Tago told Eurogamer that the combat would be Patroklos is ighter, sharper and more elegant with a switch from two-handed weapons to short swords.

  The game online modes are said to have been improved, while Tago also confirmed that e will have guest characters as we did with Star Wars [characters in Soulcalibur IV]. Please stay tuned for more information on that./p>

  You can expect to hear more on Soulcalibur V at E3 in June. It set for release in 2012, on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

• Soul Calibur V - Preview

  Soul story

  After a break of almost four years on home consoles, Soul Calibur V brings the popular weapons-based historical fantasy fighting series up to date with a new story, returning and fresh characters, refined battle systems, improved visuals, plus expanded online and character creation modes.

  Kicking off 17 years after Soul Calibur IV, the story continues the tale of the two swords, the legendary blade of evil Soul Edge, and Soul Calibur, the holy blade later designed to create a balance. It follows the journey of Patroklos, the latest character to wield the cursed weapon, in what leads to an epic showdown between good and evil.

  With more emphasis on the single player story mode than in previous series entries, Soul Calibur V's campaign is longer than usual for a fighting game. Featuring plenty of characters and cinematic cutscenes between fights, which take place across 20 gorgeous backdrops, it does a really good job of introducing the game's characters and fighting styles by switching player control between a good chunk of the roster.

  Swordplay

  Soul Calibur V's action is as extravagant and over-the-top as fans would expect, but its fighting system has been reworked to offer quicker and smoother combat, removing the sluggish gaps found between moves in previous instalments, when the gameplay was arguably a bit too heavy, especially online, with players not feeling an instant reaction to their moves.

  There's plenty of care and imagination evident in the game's varied weaponry, which largely dictates the fighting style of each character, with spears used for jabbing from distance, nunchuks for getting in close and giant hammers that are awkward but brutally effective.

  Speed, lateral movement and carefully timed single blows, rather than long combos, are the key to success. The defensive game has evolved to introduce a quick side step move, while the basic guard button operates as it used to, with players needing to block incoming attacks at the correct height, and requiring precise timing to parry or counter moves.

  Masters of battle

  Soul Calibur V features a character levelling system which works across its various game modes, including training and arcade, to rank up your fighter while also unlocking customisation options and items, most of which are used in the character creation mode, which sees players select a basic fighting style or character template and fiddle with the presets to make their own combatant.

  In series tradition, Soul Calibur V also features a guest character from outside the franchise. Following in the footsteps of Star Wars' Yoda and Darth Vader, and most recently God of War's Kratos, is Assassin's Creed star Ezio. A rounded fighter who's powerful from far, mid and close-range, he has a number of tricks up his sleeve, including his trademark hidden blade, a crossbow and a Roman longsword.

  From our limited play time with Soul Calibur V, it's clear the game puts up a great fight. With quicker and smoother combat than ever before, and without losing any of its trademark style, it's also set to be a more immediate and accessible experience than its predecessors.
  

  Published: 17/01/2012

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