SoulCalibur IV PlayStation 3

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.

• The Beat 'Em Up Resurgence

  
  

  

  Round 1 - Storied Reputation

  Fighting games like Tekken and SoulCalibur have enjoyed an unprecedented resurgence over the last two years. But before Mitsurugi's katana skills and Paul Phoenix's extreme hairstyle came into style, old-school gamers were playing The Way of the Exploding Fist and Yie Ar Kung-Fu on their humble ZX Spectrums and Commodore 64s. These early fighters - which were inspired by martial-arts films - then paved the way for the most important fighting game of all time.

  Street Fighter II: The World Warrior kick-started the golden era of fighting games in the early nineties. It achieved this with a cast of eight international fighters and an epic (and allegedly accidental) combo system. Street Fighter then matured into a globally adored series and inspired everything from Mortal Kombat and Killer Instinct to Virtua Fighter and Dead or Alive. But when the genre fell into decline in the years following the turn of the millennium, it seemed like the honeymoon period was finally over.

  

  Round 2 - Re-enter the Dragon Punch

  This all changed when Capcom pulled the pin on a grenade labelled Street Fighter IV in 2008 - because not only did the ensuing explosion revive the genre in spectacular style, it made it the strongest it's ever been. SFIV kept all the iconic characters and special moves from Street Fighter II, and by reworking the classic 2D controls with the new Focus and Ultra systems, it offered accessibility and depth in equal measure. But while Street Fighter IV set the benchmark, its 2010 follow-up, Super Street Fighter IV, smoothed out the kinks and offered unrivalled diversity.

  SSFIV could have been a lazy update. Instead it offered ten new faces and a choice of two Ultra Combos. This allowed each fighter to be played in two distinct styles. But Super isn't the end of the story, as it was ported onto Nintendo 3DS as Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, and on June 7th, Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition will be released. The inclusion of Yun, Yang, Evil Ryu and Oni will bring the roster up to 39, making Arcade Edition the definitive Street Fighter.

  

  Round 3 - The New (and Old) Challengers

  Street Fighter IV was the game that led the charge, and in its wake, other fighting games followed. A particular highlight was BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger in 2009. This beautiful 2D fighter was the spiritual successor to the intense Guilty Gear series, and much like its eccentric forbearer, BlazBlue was brimming with innovation. It featured a rapid tempo and an ingenuous Drive system which made each fighter unique. Then, when BlazBlue: Continuum Shift tightened up the gameplay in 2010, BlazBlue established itself as the hardcore fighter of choice. An accomplished port of Calamity Trigger is also available for the PSP.

  But the award for “most accessible fighting game” goes to the long running Vs. Series. This Capcom-developed series began in 1996 with X-Men vs. Street Fighter. After a long hiatus, it returned to Europe last year with Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars on the Wii. But while Tatsunoko is massively popular in Japan, it only has a niche following in the West. So when Marvel vs. Capcom 3 launched earlier this year with its familiar cast of celestial wolves, bionic commandos, thunder gods and less-than-jolly green giants, it stole the show in style. Its rabid tag-team combat and X-Factor system also allowed for many astonishing combos.

  

  Round 4 - Fatal Fantasy

  Another classic that made a comeback this year is Mortal Kombat. This brutal fighter was on a slippery slope after switching haphazardly to 3D, but with a series reboot having just been released on the 360 and PS3, Mortal Kombat is back in the realm of 2D gameplay where it belongs. We get the classic Raiden torpedo dive and Liu Kang bicycle kick, as well as a new super gauge that allows for gory X-Ray attacks. But Mortal Kombat's crowning achievement is the variety of content it offers, because even after finishing the seven-hour Story Mode, a Tower of 300 challenges awaits.

  If a fully fledged narrative isn't surreal enough, how about a PSP fighting game based on Final Fantasy? Dissidia Final Fantasy is a 3D fighter that brought together the heroes and villains from Final Fantasy I through to Final Fantasy X. This allowed RPG fans to fight battles between Sephiroth and Squall using a unique combat system that centred on HP and Bravery attacks. The recent sequel, Dissidia 012 Duodecim Final Fantasy, included more characters - including Tifa and Yuna from Final Fantasy VII and X - as well as a significantly expanded single-player mode.

  

  Round 5 - Fight for the Future

  When you add all these excellent games to the likes of Tekken 6, The King of Fighters XII, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny, it's clear that fighting game fans are being spoilt for choice. But what's next for the genre?

  In the coming months we'll see the release of Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus on the Wii and PSP (May 6th), the manga-inspired Arcana Heart 3 on the PS3 and 360 (June 24th) and Dead or Alive Dimensions joining Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition on the new Nintendo 3DS (May 20th).

  After that, we have the Capcom-developed Street Fighter X Tekken to look forward to next year, as well as the long awaited Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and the Namco Bandai-developed Tekken X Street Fighter. All in all, there's never been a better time to own an arcade stick!

  Published: 01/04/2012

As a valued customer we now offer you the facility to sign up to email price alerts. Please enter the price you want to be, or below, and if drops to that level we will let you know...