Soul Calibur II
Now in its third incarnation, Namco’s Soul series of fighting games continues to set new standards for the genre. Soul Calibur II, while not making as dramatic a leap in visuals and technology as seen between the first two games, is still holding its place as the definitive 3D fighter. Sega’s Virtua Fighter 4 offers some solid competition, but Calibur’s implementation of weapons combat and plethora of gameplay modes gives it the edge.
Each of the Soul games has originated in the arcades, and every time they’re ported to home consoles, Namco includes enough new features to justify a purchase even by someone who has already spent $50 in quarters. In Soul Calibur II, we see the return of the sorely missed Weapon Master Mode. For those newly introduced to the series, the weapon master mode sends the player through a lengthy series of challenges, testing not only their ability to best their opponent in combat, but to do so while overcoming adverse conditions. For example, the enemy may be given a boost in speed, or you may be able to win the fight only by knocking them out of the ring. While this may seem frivolous, it truly gauges the player’s mastery of The Individualy different aspects of gameplay.
Another key addition to the home versions of SC2 is multiple bonus characters. Returning from the first two games are Sophitia, Seung Mina, Lizardman, and end boss Inferno, joined by Necrid, Berserker, and Assassin. Also, exclusive to each version of the game is a cameo character from another franchise. Tekken’s Heihachi joins the PS2 cast, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn appears in on Xbox, and the legendary Link of Zelda fame completes the Gamecube roster. In this respect, the Gamecube received the better deal, as Link is easily one of the best (and cheapest) characters in the game. Meanwhile, PS2 wins in the controls department, beating both the awkward Gamecube and oversized Xbox pads. Lastly, Xbox has a slight advantage in terms of graphics. Whatever version you choose, however, you’re in for a spectacular experience, as Namco again proves to be the master of 3D fighter design.