With the original SoulCalibur (Dreamcast) considered by many to be the greatest console 3D fighting game ever made, it comes as no surprise that the latest instalment in the series has met both fervent anticipation and impossibly high expectations. Fortunately, SoulCalibur IV is a game that not only holds its own amongst its esteemed predecessors, but also makes a strong case for being perhaps the richest and most satisfying fighting experience we’ve seen this generation.

I should mention that I am no frame-counting hardcore fighting game fanatic. I approached SoulCalibur IV from the perspective of a middle-core gamer craving a fighting game that is accessible and intuitive enough to pick up and play with little resistance and frustration, but also deep and technical enough to offer a rewarding and lasting experience that would push me to constantly improve my skills and rule out luck as a determining factor during matches. From this perspective, the game delivers the goods. In spades.

Noobs welcome

Like its predecessors, SoulCalibur IV is very approachable. The intuitive controls allow casual gamers or newcomers to the fighting game genre to immediately jump in and start kicking some scantily-clad or armour-plated butt. A few hours in, complete newcomers will find themselves learning the basics as well as some simple combos, as control inputs tend to make sense and practice is rewarded with increased skill. It’s hard to play this game for any period of time and not become better at it. More impressive combos and moves require complex inputs and precise timing though, so rookies are not going to be pulling off five-hit combos without some serious time spent in the training mode. Fighting game aficionados will find themselves right at home with the marvellously deep mechanics, with months of play required to fully master the move-sets and styles of each and every character.

As with previous instalments, SoulCalibur IV is built around a unique weapons-based fighting system. Combatants battle it out not with their fists, but with swords, spears, clubs, staffs and all manner of medieval weaponry, some of which you probably won’t see anywhere else. The differences in weaponry used by the various characters result in very differentiated and unique individual move-sets and styles. This allows for multiple playing styles to be accommodated, to an extent not really seen in most other fighting games. Soon after starting the game, players will find themselves gravitating to one or more specific characters or styles, but learning and mastering other styles will provide the avid player with serious long-lasting value.

The fighting mechanics themselves remain mostly true to that of the previous games, but with some welcome tweaks and additions thrown in. New in this instalment is the addition of breakable armour. Getting enough attacks in on a specific part of an opponent’s body will result in that piece of armour being destroyed, with subsequent hits on that area doing more damage.

A critical change

Also new this time around is the Soul gauge. When a character is on the offence, the Soul gauge fills up, but when guarding against attacks, the Soul gauge depletes. When the Soul gauge reaches an empty state, the fighter enters a state where they become vulnerable to a Critical Finisher. Critical Finishers are instant-kill attacks that will immediately end a round, regardless of the target fighter’s health at the time. It’s a welcome addition that succeeds in its stated purpose of eliminating incessant guarding, which can hamper the flow of a battle. Players need not worry about Critical Finishers throwing the game off balance or being abused, though. The preconditions are so specific, and the execution so reliant on precise timing, that most players will go for dozens of hours without ever seeing one pulled off.

The last significant change to the core system is the addition of certain RPG elements. Weapons and items provide characters with various buffs or penalties, and allow for skills to be equipped. Skills are mostly status effects that can enhance your character in various ways, such as increasing damage under certain conditions, granting partial immunity to ring outs, and the like. Playing around with this system adds a tactical element to the game, which is welcome. Skills and item effects are active in most of the single-player modes, with the exception of Arcade mode, and can also be elected to be active during versus modes.

A soul for each occasion

With regard to the choice of characters, players will not be left wanting. There are 26 standard characters to choose from, of which 24 return from previous games. Most of the returning characters have had their move-sets slightly altered, so long-time fans will to a certain extent have to reacquaint themselves with their old favourites. While the most experienced and skilled fans will take issue with some of the changes, most players won’t be put off.

The two new standard characters this time around are Hilde, a female knight wielding a spear and a short-sword, and Algol, the game’s boss. Hilde is a lot of fun to play with. Her spear attacks make her formidable over longer range, while her short-sword means that she isn’t useless in close-quarters combat. Algol is a powerful but less accessible character, with a complex move-set that will require extensive practice to learn. In addition to the standard characters, there are five bonus characters that were designed by prominent Japanese manga artists. These characters use the move-sets of standard characters, but the visual design is joy to behold.

Lastly, there are the much-publicised guest characters from the Star Wars universe. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game feature the Apprentice, the lead character from the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. The 360 version also includes Yoda as a playable character, while the PS3 version has Darth Vader (and current ‘Net speculation has it that both versions will soon have both characters). The Apprentice is mostly a joy to play with, although in the right hands he could be a bit overpowered. Yoda, however, is a cheap little toad. His diminutive size makes him not only immune to throws, but also means that many attacks targeted at him will simply miss.

Single player substance

The content-rich single player component is organised around three modes: Story, Arcade and Tower of Lost Souls. Story mode stays more or less faithful to those of previous games in the series. The player chooses a character and through a series of fighting stages, a narrative explains that particular character’s pursuit of the swords, and provides a conclusion for each tale. The narrative is bare-bones and modest – this is a fighting game after all – but is functional, and executed with a level of competence that probably marks the high point for the genre. Overall, Story Mode is refreshingly short and compact, and can be completed in less than fifteen minutes. It’s also a bit on the easy side. Normal difficulty does not offer much of a challenge at all, and moderately competent fighting game fans will want to tackle Hard mode from the outset.

Arcade mode is similar to that of previous games. The player chooses a character and plays through eight stages. It’s different from Story mode though in that items effects and skills are not active, and overall does make for a bit more challenge than Story Mode.

A towering challenge

Most players will find the bulk of the single player experience to be in the Tower of Lost Souls mode, which is the mission-based mode in this instalment. The Tower consists of a series of floors which need to be ascended in linear fashion, with most stages consisting of multiple floors. Completing floors with certain conditions, usually alluded to by means of cryptic clues given at the start of the battle, will unlock armour and other items that can be equipped on characters. Progress through the Tower is saved at the last stage completed, which is welcome, as some floors provide very tough challenges. Unless you’re a very skilled player, expect to spend weeks or even months climbing the tower. Opponents are buffed with skills and item effects, and many challenges will only be conquered by means of tweaking one’s characters in just the right way.

The Tower can also be descended, in which case it functions as the game’s somewhat unconventional take on Survival Mode. Here progress is not saved, and with a tag-team of two characters, players need to progress from floor 1 to 40. Expect to struggle, as the challenge is very stiff.

Overall, the single player content is beefy and satisfying, although a bit more tradition would not have been unwelcome. As much fun as there is to be had here, many players will find themselves craving traditional Survival and Exhibition modes, both of which are conspicuously absent.

Express your soul

The character creation mode has received quite a bit of attention, and for good reason: it’s simply awesome! The game has taken the Create-a-Soul mode from SoulCalibur III and refined, extended and deepened it considerably. Players do not only have a wealth of options available for customising standard characters, but can create remarkably detailed ones from scratch. Recreating characters from one’s favourite movies, shows or games is tremendously rewarding, and in itself offers dozens of hours of entertainment. The fact that one can play any of the game modes with customised or created characters is an obvious bonus.

The most significant addition to the series this time around is probably the online play. The online mode is lobby-based, with up to four players per lobby. The host can choose between Special Versus mode (item effects and skills active) or Standard. The network performance seems excellent, and on par with other Xbox Live enabled fighters such as Dead or Alive 4 and Virtua Fighter 5. Expect little to no lag with two to three South African players, although a full four-player game or matches with international players can become horribly laggy at times.

Soulful sights and sounds

The game’s presentation is impeccable, and is simply brimming with style. SoulCalibur IV is without a doubt one of the most drop-dead gorgeous games we have ever seen. The visual design is ambitious and inspired, and the technical execution is superb. Animations are beautifully smooth and crisp, and the cut scenes are so well done that it’s at first hard to believe they’re not pre-rendered. The sound design should be applauded as well, with battles taking place over sweeping orchestral scores. The score of the original SoulCalibur can also be purchased, downloaded and used in the game, although this feature will only appeal to the most nostalgic of fans.

There is no doubt that SoulCalibur IV is a remarkable achievement. With its accessibility, depth, gorgeous design and rich features, it is probably the finest fighting game available right now on either the 360 or PS3. Both hardcore and casual fighting enthusiasts are strongly advised to check it out.

Pros: Intuitive and balanced game play that is rewarding to both newcomers and veterans; stunning presentation: long-lasting value.

Cons: Lack of some traditional game modes; occasionally uneven level of challenge.

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