6.February.2012
Review: Soul Calibur V
written by Uno Ill Nino in News
Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Versions Available: Standard ($59.99), Collector's Edition ($79.99)
Since Soul Calibur V arrived on store shelves last week, I keep hearing various media outlets cry foul as if the series has lost its thunder and entered some kind of auto-pilot ''cash-in'' mode with regular releases. I don't know where that's coming from, honestly. In the last 13 years, we've had five true Soul Calibur games. That's not even a bi-annual schedule. Of those releases, only 2 have been during the current generation of hardware.
I'm not starting this review by suggesting that Soul Calibur V has no problems and that any criticism is unfounded, but I want to help put things into perspective where I think others have failed. I'm of the opinion that Soul Calibur V is the best Soul Calibur ever made, at least mechanically. The fighting engine has been refined and made more accessible with a few major changes for the better.
First, the ''Critical Edge'' moves are a great addition to the engine. These work like ''ultra-combos'' in other fighting games, where each character has a unique automated combination of attacks that deal great damage when landed. The Soul series has never had such an equalizer before, and the inclusion of these moves really helps give players a chance to even the odds.
The high-end game has also grown a bit thanks to the new ''Just Guard'' maneuver that improves upon the ''Guard Impact'' move from previous games. Guard Impact is still here, but it costs meter just like the Critical Edge moves, so Just Guard will be the new thing that elite players strive to master.
Assuming that you're not interested in the nuts and bolts of the fighting engine, you might be wondering what the game has to offer you? Great graphics, music, and character design have always been some of my favorite reasons to jump on board every time a new fighting game comes out, and this one certainly has those bases covered. In fact, I think the arenas are some of the best designs in the history of the series. There seems to be a lot of background animation going on in several of them and the accompanying music feels very appropriate. Personally, I've felt that the music in the Soul series peaked with Soul Calibur II's legendary OST, but Soul Calibur V definitely makes strides toward returning to that level of quality.
Players looking for a great single-player offering might be left feeling a bit underwhelmed since there really isn't that much content this time. Standard Arcade mode pits the player in six fights with no ending cinema, while Story mode attempts to bring up the slack with minimal storyboard art and subtitles. There are no ''challenge'' battles this time where players used to fight under special conditions like ''No blocking'' or ''first hit wins''. There is also no map to travel across and conquer like in previous games. There is a ''Legendary Souls'' mode that offers excruciatingly difficult fights, but most players will tire of this very quickly as there are no adequate words to express just how difficult these fights are.
There is a robust character creation mode, however. If you're like me and you enjoy dressing up your virtual dollies, Soul Calibur V offers a vast assortment of clothing, tattoos, and accessories for your characters. Unfortunately, a lot of the best equipment seems to be locked away at the start so you'll need to put in some time to unlock those items that will allow you to realize your visions to their fullest. Nobody in my circle of friends has seemed to mind though, nor were they in short supply of items on day one to hinder their creativity.
If online multiplayer is your thing, this is one of the best fighting games you can get. The lobbies support 6 players, and anyone not fighting gets to spectate while having the option to browse the player cards and stats of the others in the room. There is even a text chat function available so you can pump out those urgent messages of shit-talking. It really is one of the best online lobby systems I've experienced in a fighting game. Best of all, in several hours of online play I have experienced negligible amounts of lag. Those who favor ranked play need not fear of suffering losses due to connection issues.
Overall, Soul Calibur V is a great continuation of the series and one of the top fighting games available. Its appeal is limited only by the weaker single-player offering this time, while everything else is pretty stellar. If you're a fan of collector's editions, I recommend this one. The large case looks like a book and would look great on any collector's shelf. Its up to you to decide if artbooks and soundtrack CDs are important to you, but if they are, the package they come in is a nice one.
Overall score: 86 out 100
Versions Available: Standard ($59.99), Collector's Edition ($79.99)
Since Soul Calibur V arrived on store shelves last week, I keep hearing various media outlets cry foul as if the series has lost its thunder and entered some kind of auto-pilot ''cash-in'' mode with regular releases. I don't know where that's coming from, honestly. In the last 13 years, we've had five true Soul Calibur games. That's not even a bi-annual schedule. Of those releases, only 2 have been during the current generation of hardware.
I'm not starting this review by suggesting that Soul Calibur V has no problems and that any criticism is unfounded, but I want to help put things into perspective where I think others have failed. I'm of the opinion that Soul Calibur V is the best Soul Calibur ever made, at least mechanically. The fighting engine has been refined and made more accessible with a few major changes for the better.
First, the ''Critical Edge'' moves are a great addition to the engine. These work like ''ultra-combos'' in other fighting games, where each character has a unique automated combination of attacks that deal great damage when landed. The Soul series has never had such an equalizer before, and the inclusion of these moves really helps give players a chance to even the odds.
The high-end game has also grown a bit thanks to the new ''Just Guard'' maneuver that improves upon the ''Guard Impact'' move from previous games. Guard Impact is still here, but it costs meter just like the Critical Edge moves, so Just Guard will be the new thing that elite players strive to master.
Assuming that you're not interested in the nuts and bolts of the fighting engine, you might be wondering what the game has to offer you? Great graphics, music, and character design have always been some of my favorite reasons to jump on board every time a new fighting game comes out, and this one certainly has those bases covered. In fact, I think the arenas are some of the best designs in the history of the series. There seems to be a lot of background animation going on in several of them and the accompanying music feels very appropriate. Personally, I've felt that the music in the Soul series peaked with Soul Calibur II's legendary OST, but Soul Calibur V definitely makes strides toward returning to that level of quality.
Players looking for a great single-player offering might be left feeling a bit underwhelmed since there really isn't that much content this time. Standard Arcade mode pits the player in six fights with no ending cinema, while Story mode attempts to bring up the slack with minimal storyboard art and subtitles. There are no ''challenge'' battles this time where players used to fight under special conditions like ''No blocking'' or ''first hit wins''. There is also no map to travel across and conquer like in previous games. There is a ''Legendary Souls'' mode that offers excruciatingly difficult fights, but most players will tire of this very quickly as there are no adequate words to express just how difficult these fights are.
There is a robust character creation mode, however. If you're like me and you enjoy dressing up your virtual dollies, Soul Calibur V offers a vast assortment of clothing, tattoos, and accessories for your characters. Unfortunately, a lot of the best equipment seems to be locked away at the start so you'll need to put in some time to unlock those items that will allow you to realize your visions to their fullest. Nobody in my circle of friends has seemed to mind though, nor were they in short supply of items on day one to hinder their creativity.
If online multiplayer is your thing, this is one of the best fighting games you can get. The lobbies support 6 players, and anyone not fighting gets to spectate while having the option to browse the player cards and stats of the others in the room. There is even a text chat function available so you can pump out those urgent messages of shit-talking. It really is one of the best online lobby systems I've experienced in a fighting game. Best of all, in several hours of online play I have experienced negligible amounts of lag. Those who favor ranked play need not fear of suffering losses due to connection issues.
Overall, Soul Calibur V is a great continuation of the series and one of the top fighting games available. Its appeal is limited only by the weaker single-player offering this time, while everything else is pretty stellar. If you're a fan of collector's editions, I recommend this one. The large case looks like a book and would look great on any collector's shelf. Its up to you to decide if artbooks and soundtrack CDs are important to you, but if they are, the package they come in is a nice one.
Overall score: 86 out 100
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