SoulCalibur 2 (Console)
3 years have past since quite possibly the best 3D fighting game of all time was released to the ill-fated Sega Dreamcast. Even by today’s standards, Soul Calibur, a sequel to an earlier arcade fighter, Soul Edge, shines well above the likes of so many other fighters on the market. Disappointed by a slew of less than on par fighters like the latest Mortal Kombat klunker or Tao-Feng, fans of the genre have waited patiently for Soul Calibur 2 since the rumors started before the fall of Sega’s spunky system.
Fruition came to the thousands in attendance at this year’s E3 conference in Los Angeles. Scores of fighters flocked each of the three console’s booths to play the demo offered at the time. I was off to Nintendo’s display. Microsoft’s area was swarmed due to competitions of said game and fans wanting a glimpse or chance at playing as Todd McFarlane’s Spawn character, exclusive to the XBox version. Nintendo players received Link from the Legend of Zelda series and PS2ers were treated with Heihachi of Tekken fame. In my opinion, PS2 buyers are getting jipped. Although well known, Heihachi does not have the recognizability, nor the stand-out fighting style that the other two exclusives have. Link in particular makes use of not one, but 3 projectile attacks familiar to fans of the Zelda franchise: bombs, a boomerang, and a bow and arrow. Although it seems as if Link is the oddman out, he fits well into the storyline (with a little twisting and merging) and is exceptionally well suited to do battle with the familiars.
Gameplay differs little from it’s predecessor. Each stance, special move and throw is accomplished by a combination of the directional pad and up to three of four buttons: horizontal attack, vertical attack, kick and guard. The controls were a strong part of why Soul Calibur 1 suceeded so well, despite the awkwardness of the Dreamcast’s control pads. The same rule applies here to the XBox. I have large hands to begin with, but since the beginning, I have despised the designer of what I’ve dubbed “30 pound controllers”. The transition between each system always seemed more difficult when hitting the XBox. The GC and PS2 controls on the other hand fit well in my grip and although the PS2’s button layout is a bit more comfortable in its diamond layout, especially for simultaneous button presses, the GC control adds better functionality by utilizing the C-stick for the most common of those combos.
Graphics and sound are, as expected, excellent. Sporting more polygons then previously acheived, but not so much as to cause slow down on a console (Mortal Kombat anyone?), facial animations are now possible along with smooth fight stances and transitions without sloppy breaks in the environment. Effects are stunning. Fire and flames are bright and fluid and even trail wisps of smoke as the fighters flourish around the arenas. Electricity and plasma effects for characters like newcomers Necrid and Charade are equally impressive, branching around their bodies and the bodies of their foes as they are plastered against the ground. The usual grunts, screams, oofs and battle-cry’s are present and although lacking any sort of depth (not really necessary, this is a fighting game after all) they are clear and only slightly repetetive. The tunes are well orchestrated and consistant, just as its predecessor’s was, however with games like this, I usually kill the music and rely on my own heavy metal playlist to accompany the brawling.
In addition to the new characters, new play modes are added to keep single players interested and multiplayers from ignoring the single player. The new Weapon Master mode pits you on a quest that matches you up to the other competitors, multiple times, allowing you to earn experience points (which open new areas) and money. Also along the way, additional play features are added, extra incentives to make sure you hit each and every match. This primarily unlocks new arenas, the hidden fighters and the beautiful artwork used to create the game. Money is collected to purchase weapons. This ability really seperates the second from the first. Each fighter has a multitude of additional weapons, customized for them, that can be used to help you progress through the mode and eventually against human opponents in a special unlockable Vs. mode. For example, Link can equip himself with a power hammer. Using the hammer slows his movements down a bit and has a relatively short range, but is a very heavy damage dealer. Or you can choose the Mirror Sword and Shield that deflects attacks more efficiently than standard parrys, but can unbalance the player. Each weapon that can be purchased is a derivation of the character’s base weapon with a modifier, both plus and minus. It should be noted that one simple romp through the Weapon Master game will NOT earn you enough money to purchase everything.
Finally, I should mention that neither of the three systems offer an online gameplay option. So if your butt’s parked in sunny California and your chicken friend decides to bolt to New York, you won’t be wiping the floor with his face without the price of a plane ticket. That flaw aside (meaningless really for GC owners) BUY THIS GAME. It’s visuals are stunning, sound is immersive and gameplay is white-knuckling. That’s not the controller you feel vibrating, it’s my hands. I’m so torn now between SW Galaxies and Soul Calibur 2… Queen Geek is right. I need help.
