GENRE
	Fighting
	DEVELOPER
	Namco
	PUBLISHER
	Namco
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-2
	CONNECTIVITY
	no
	BUY NOW AT

In 1999 Namco launched the original Soul Calibur, an infinitely improved sequel to their obscure PSX game Soul Blade, alongside Sega’s ill-fated Dreamcast. The pair formed a seamless amalgam of both stunning scope and highly refined gameplay. Soul Calibur single-wombedly birthed this current generation and set an all new standard for later fighting games. Likewise, fans of the title and gamers abroad have awaited the successor with an unexplainable, unrelenting desire. With a certain degree of empathy dwelling inside me, I could not help but succumb to hype surrounding the pending release of Soul Calibur II, which quite conveniently landed on the very anniversary of my own birth. Being the direct heir to the original title in the series, I am overjoyed to let our readers know of a new champion in town. Soul Calibur II has successfully usurped the thrown and given fighting game fans a new piece of software to venerate.

visuals

While one can generally expect some subtle graphical differences between multi-platform games on each system, there usually isn’t much change from one console to another. Imagine my surprise when this particular game, built primarily off of Sony’s inferior engine, boasted crisp and colorful graphics that matched some of the GameCube’s best. This goes to show what two-plus years of solid development can do for a game. The curvaceous in-game models, explosive particle effects, and broad range of animations are virtually unmatched.

Though the game touts such lip-wetting visual features, I was particularly intrigued by the more artistic aspects of the on-screen eye candy. In addition to some extremely cool and stylish outfits, the actual stages -- every one of them -- are permeated with a moody and atmospheric intensity inextriably linked to their corresponding characters. These battlegrounds range from the bright, epic ruins of a cathedral to the dark and gritty remnants of a ghastly dock. I can’t recall one fighting game where I actually liked all the stages available to me, but Soul Calibur II has managed to break this streak. One need not cower in worry when they tap the ‘A’ button and select the ‘random’ option, for any scenic result will please both you and your company.

audio

Often as vital as the picture itself, the aural stimulants inherent to Soul Calibur II come most notably from the characters themselves, though some of the music -- it depends on your location -- is top notch. It’s rather satisfying to clash swords with Link as a faithful and robust recreation of Zelda’s overworld theme trumpets in the background, as if to punctuate your very next move. Truth be told, the entire soundtrack is completely satisfactory.

However, like I said before, the characters themselves exhibit the finest display of audio seen (or should I say heard) in the game. Each move has a special grunt or war cry of varying magnitudes, complimented by actual taunts and dialogue for most specific throws and special moves. Link on the other hand does not feature the latter, since he refuses to speak at any point in the game. He never had much personality to begin with though (see any Legend of Zelda game), so such an omission can easily be shrugged off. The fighters are particularly fond of running their mouths off prior to and at the conclusion of each match, as if to both mock and intimidate their opponents. It’s rather amusing to see a voluptuous vixen clad in red spandex talk trash to a hulking behemoth wielding a monstrous, double-sided axe. If you prefer to skip these standard cutscenes, Namco mercifully allows you to hit the ‘start’ button, circumventing the narration/taunts and bringing you straight to the arena.

Speaking of which, what would a Soul Calibur game be without its highly likeable narrator, who introduces each match and gives a brief bio of each character with whom you are about to face off? Quite frankly, it wouldn’t be the same experience. Thank goodness he’s back and more enthusiastic than ever!

gameplay

Soul Calibur II has done what other 3D fighters could not, in that it has combined the stunts, speed, and special moves of the two-dimensional fighters with the widened array of options that come automatically with the enhanced physics of the three-dimensional fighters. Where games like Tekken and Dead Or Alive are slow and unresponsive, control and execution is seamless and easy in Soul Calibur. Combos come more naturally, blocking actually works, and though there are tons of moves per character, each can be easily memorized with just a little bit of practice. It’s this variety that makes for a realistic and admirable fighting experience. No match is ever the same; the game will never become lame and monotonous, as is the case with other, less desirable fighters. This is quite a feat, since ‘A’, ‘X’, and ‘Y’ are your only attack buttons – ‘L’, ‘R’, and ‘B’ are all blocks, while Z can be used to give your character a brief boost of energy that’s usually best to disregard unless you have extended periods of free time in each fight. Moving the D-Pad or Analogue stick in any direction, or in a series of directions, renders a completely new set of moves. In certain instances you can even hold a button to charge an attack, as is the case with Link’s world-renowned spin attack.

Soul Calibur II truly does have it all; grappling, hand to hand combat, weaponry, aerial attacks, acrobatics, and projectiles. It’s the definitive vision of the (almost) perfect fighter realized. As it is in real life, you must have skill in order to defeat your enemies. Tact, timing, and know-how are all necessities in a fight, yet the learning curve is set perfectly for newcomers and seasoned fighters alike. As eclectic as it is intuitive, ‘SCII offers a bevy of modes to keep you occupied:

• Arcade Mode: Your traditional ladder-based climb to the top, you can take each character on the path to victory, which will unlock their personal profile for future viewing.
• Time Attack: As the name implies, you blaze through each stage as fast as you can, and your swiftness (or lack thereof) is recorded.
• Survival: With only a limited amount of health you need to fend off as many foes as possible. Each time you win a match a portion of your health is restored.
• Team Battle: A single-player selection of characters that will be called upon in a regimented fashion to face off against another computer team. If you run out of all their characters, obviously, you lose the match.
• VS Team Battle: The same as above, but with a real human as your opponent.
• Practice: A free mode that allows you to practice your moves on a computer player who will fight at a difficulty level of your choice or stand completely pacified.
• Weapon Master Mode: The meat and potatoes of the game, weapon master mode consists of a series of story driven objectives and missions, taking you through a journey on a map through Soul Calibur mythology and lore. You will unlock most of the game’s secrets here.

multiplayer

Face off with your friends, or your enemies, for as long as you’d like. You can adjust the time, rounds, and health of each player to your liking. The loser of each battle has immediate jurisdiction over the next stage from which you’ll combat one another, though I doubt there will be much of a disagreement between players. If you get bored of the standard, you can always enter into team versus battles (mentioned above), which allows you and your opponent to choose a host of fighters as opposed to just one at a time.

overall

Hyper-intuitive gameplay, well-produced audios and visuals, and an extreme sense of style make for the greatest traditional fighting game of all time. What’s more, there is a fairly well developed narrative that will present itself to those who care to look for one. As such, Soul Calibur II ostensibly presents itself to all gamers as a must own title, no matter what your current biases and typical preferences may be. In summation, I urge anyone reading this review that hasn’t done so already to pick it up as soon as they can spare a minute -- us GameCube owners owe it to ourselves. Indulge in this game’s artistic beauty and superior craftsmanship. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some virtual swordplay to attend to.

9.4/10