God bless the Sega Dreamcast and may it rest in peace. From the moment I first turned on my original Dreamcast, I knew I was holding onto something special. Sure, it was ahead of its time by a year or so, but the quality of games produced by Sega were just too good to pass up especially their flagship release from Namco titled: Soul Calibur. This beautiful 3D fighter was amazing to look at, and had all of the qualities that make up a good fighter. In fact, the only other fighting game since the original Soul Calibur to keep my interest has been Guilty Gear X.
With four years of “development” under Namco’s belt, expectations for the sequel were high to say the least. To be fair to the series, we had a good idea how Soul Calibur 2 was going to pan out on the various consoles, simply because of the coin-op release earlier this year. To me, the follow-up is exactly what it should have been. Namco changed very little as far as gameplay is concerned, and for the untrained eye, the original and successor look and play identically. With that said, how can a four year old game with a face lift be successful by today’s standards with today’s hardware? Simple. The original Soul Calibur was that good. To add fuel to the fire, SC was only released on the Dreamcast, limiting its exposure. It was kind of like Halo for the XBOX. Even if you didn’t have an XBOX, you knew Halo was a damn good game. The same goes for Soul Calibur.
If you are reading this review, I’m guessing either one of two things. Either you love the game and want visual confirmation that it kicks butt or you are deciding which version of the game to get. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fanboy of any of the current consoles and wouldn’t be offended if you picked up the PS2 version (well ok maybe a bit) over the XBOX or GC version. However, I do think that each console has certain criteria that make it enjoyable. I choose the XBOX version because I’m a long time Spawn fan. I collected the comic book from issue 1 to 150 and have them all nicely framed and matted and hanging in my foyer (to my wife’s chagrin). It was a toss up though, because I’m a Nintendo freak and seeing Link kick some Ivy tail would be worth its weight in gold. Regardless, the XBOX version is a fine tuned machine and runs the game flawlessly.
If you are already familiar with the series, transitioning to the new version should take little effort. The XBOX’s analog controller is well designed and makes most of the moves (which usually consist of circular movements) come very naturally. The same goes with the button set-up on the XBOX controller and the functionality of the controller depends on which one you choose. I actually preferred the smaller “S” controller, which placed the buttons much closer together. I also realized that I rarely used the white and black buttons, so the “S” fit the bill perfectly. You can customize the pad to your liking, and I highly recommend you do so. I use the “X,Y and B” buttons as my attacks (horizontal, vertical and kick) and the left trigger for blocking. You can also assign a button to a “combo”; which is very clever. For moves that require oddly pressed buttons (like kick and horizontal), assigning them to a “free” button really works well.
One thing that Soul Calibur does right where many fighting games have failed is a wonderful “practice” session that can be done at any time. Here you can pull up a command window and see all of the available moves for that character. Most first-timers will be overwhelmed by the amount of moves… Not only will you see how to pull off the move, but also you will see the move in action. Now don’t think that this is “cheap”, for pulling off the moves in combination with others takes skill, timing and lots of practice.
As mentioned before, I chose the XBOX version because of the specialty character that was XB exclusive; Spawn. Being the McFarlane and Spawn fan, I was more than disappointed in the anti-hero’s starring role in the game. While I thought the design was superb, the weapon of choice was enigmatic. What’s the deal with a battle axe anyway? I expected his moves to follow the comic book role a bit more closely. I anticipated that Spawn would use his cool chains as well as using his costume in general. If you have ever read anything with Spawn, you know he uses his cape, his symbiotic costume as well as his chains as not only a weapon, but also for defense. So, when they threw an axe in his hand I was disappointed. On the other hand, McFarlane’s other creation (Necrid) was awesome and quickly became one of my favorite characters.
If you are the die-hard Spawn fan and are getting the XB version simply for him, you will definitely be a bit let down. Don’t let it get to ya though…
Aside from your standard arcade type mode, Namco really came through as far as options and modes of play go. I was very impressed with the quantity of modes and even more so with the amount of unlockables. At first glance the game seems quite two dimensional, but once knee deep in the “Weapon Master” mode; you’ll soon start unlocking things. This can be anything from costumes to characters and from levels to weapons. As you progress you unlock a variety of levels and tasks as well. Aside from your classic battle, you’ll have different challenges. These types of challenges range from high winds to depleting health. Most are quite challenging, and sometimes frustrating. Overall, the weapon master venue is one of the most robust systems I’ve encountered in any fighting game.
Once you complete the weapon master mode the first time, a whole host of new territory will be opened up for you. Needless to say, it is imperative to finish the weapon master mode at least once to fully appreciate the game.
Visually, Soul Calibur 2 has met and exceeded most critic’s expectations. The animations are fluid and realistic, and the physics are dead on. Environments are even more impressive, featuring some brilliant color combinations as well as a nice sense of depth perception. Without hesitation this is easily the best looking fighter ever to hit a console. The character models are some of the best rendered ever on the scene and they should easily impress even non-fighter types. And if you are looking for a code to unlock a nude Ivy or one of the other busty Soul Calibur II girls; all you really need is a good sense of imagination… truthfully the bustiness of some of the gals is quite remarkable and has taken realism to a whole new level.
The audio and soundtrack is remarkable. If you are blessed with a surround system hooked up to your box, you'll be pleasently surprised how fantastic the game sounds. Ambient effects fill the game, which truly adds another dimension to the gameplay. The soundtrack is equally as impressive. The music is filled with poetic beauty with a gorgeous classical background.
Sound effects are nearly identical to the original, and keep the game running smooth. You will also find deeply hidden within the contructs of the options, the ability to change from English to Japanese. This was recently brought to my attention by a visitor to the site... This little option is mandatory to keep the authenticity of the game going strong.
Well, once the dust has settled and the critics critiqued and the players played; what’s the bottom line? This is one of the few no-brainers in gaming. It’s a must have no matter what platform you choose. What makes Soul Calibur so brilliant isn’t just the amazing graphics and great combos, it’s the continuity and fluidity of the progression of the game. Moves seem to flawlessly transition from one combo to the next, making the game seem believable one moment and then outrageous the next.
When comparing versions, I think whatever console you prefer would be the best choice for you. I don’t regret getting the XBOX version, but might have enjoyed the Gamecube version a tad more simply because of Link. However, I still prefer the XBOX controller over the GC version for any fighting game.
Namco continues to build on the strong foundation of Soul Calibur, making it the current trendsetter for future fighting games. At this very moment, it’s going to be an uphill battle for any developer trying to capture the overall essence that Soul Calibur brings to the various consoles.
And if you are one of the many looking for xbox nudity or nude codes for the Soul Calibur girls; you may want to keep dreaming. Oh, and to dispel another rumor... There is no way to unlock Link as a playable character for XBOX. The end.
