Soul Calibur IIDeveloper: NamcoSystem: XBOX Publisher: Namco Released: 2003 |
A Review by Mike Bracken
09/24/2003
Until recently, if you asked me what the greatest fighting game of this console generation was, I wouldn't hesitate a second before answering Soul Calibur. Namco's weapon-based fighter was a launch title on the ill-fated Sega Dreamcast, and it still stands as one of the greatest launch games in console history.
However, times have changed a bit—and Soul Calibur hasn't. Sure, Namco's released a sequel (which spans all three consoles), but the game hasn't evolved much. It hasn't needed to, really, since the core gameplay of the first title is still head-and-shoulders above just about everything else on the market. Yet, with the release of Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution, Soul Calibur II finds itself facing some pretty stiff competition for the title of “King of the Console Fighters”.
Choosing one as the best is ultimately a fool's errand—there's just no accounting for individual taste. However, the gap between Soul Calibur and every other fighting game has certainly been narrowed—and to maintain console dominance, the next installment is simply going to have to do more.
This isn't to say that SCII is a bad game—because it's not. In fact, it's an incredible game with lovely graphics, great music, and a deep and enjoyable combat system. The only problem is, it's not all that different from the original game—a title that came out several years ago.
To drive this point home, one need only look at what SCII brings to the table in terms of modes of play. Weapon Master mode is back, as is the standard arcade, practice, survival, etc. None of these modes are all that radically different from the original versions. Why mess with success, though, right?
Weapon Master mode does feature one “innovation”—the inclusion of several “dungeons” for players to explore. Unfortunately, these dungeons are really just generic cave fighting arenas that players move through until they encounter a boss. Like just about everything cosmetic with SCII, it sounds cooler than it is.
What is genuinely cool about the game is the fighting itself. Like the original title, the game is easy to pick up but difficult to master. Flailing wildly on the controller will allow the novice to pull off some impressive maneuvers, but a veteran will make you look like a chump. Like Virtua Fighter: Evolution, this isn't a game where button mashing is the order of the day—unless one really likes losing.
But, that's part of the charm of the game—it's accessible to all different kinds of players. Button mashers will have fun getting lucky (and maybe come to learn the real nuances of their character in time), while a hardcore veteran will take full advantage of things like changing stances and the game's 8-way run feature.
Running can allow players to evade the majority of the game's vertical attacks while getting them into position to counter with their own devastating combos. In this regard, a well-fought match can look a lot like chess—on speed. Players will flit about the screen countering, running, using the guard impacts, reverses, soul charges and more in an attempt to gain the upper hand. It's in these moments that SCII truly shines.
Like any good fighting game, SCII features an impressive roster of brawlers to take into the ring. Most of the faces will be familiar to players who spent time with the Dreamcast incarnation, but several new guys have been added to the mix as well. The US version of the game features no less than three unique characters (Lizardman, Assassin, and Berserker), and each console-specific release has its own extra character as well (Link for the GameCube, Heihachi for the PS2, and Todd McFarlane's Spawn for the Xbox). In many ways, choosing which extra character appeals to you the most will determine which version you buy since all three versions are essentially identical.
Graphically, the game looks great—but again, one can't shake the feeling we've seen all of this before. While there's no denying the game looks better than it did on the Dreamcast, the evolutionary leap in terms of graphics isn't quite as pronounced as it probably should be. Yes, the characters are well-drawn and animate smoothly, but little things like the water effects are just not up to par with the rest of the production. These are minor quibbles, but they're still worth pointing out—if everything had been upgraded as much as it should have been, SCII would still be the king of fighting games.
Ultimately, though, the flaws are all so inconsequential they barely impact the overall product. Soul Calibur II continues the trend set by the Dreamcast version—namely being the best weapons-based fighter on any console out there. While it may not be a huge evolutionary step forward from the previous game, there's really no denying that the complex fighting system, loads of unlockables, and console-unique characters will keep players coming back for more.
© Copyright ToxicUniverse.com 09/24/2003
