By: The Apocalypse








Game info:
Genre: Fighting
Designed by: Namco
Year Released: 1999
Players: 2
Save Capable
Other: Jump Pack & Arcade Stick Compatible


Story:
Transcending time and space, an eternal tale of souls and swords...
Considered by some as a Hero's Sword or even the Sword of Immortality by others, rumors of the legendary sword Soul Edge spread throughout the world under its many guises.
Whatever its name, Soul Edge was without a doubt, a sword of great evil.
The owner of the cursed sword was the dreaded pirate Cervantes, whose reign of terror ended after his defeat at the hands of Sophitia, the sacred warrior, and Taki, the demon huntress.
However Siegfried, who was searching for a sword of vengeance, stumbled upon Soul Edge which was now without a host and on the verge of tearing itself apart because of its uncontrollable evil energy. When he grasped the sword, the nightmare began once again...
...The Evil Seed, radiating from Soul Edge, appeared as a column of white light that shot up into the sky and scattered seeeds of misfortune across the world.
Several years after that incident, rumors of an azure knight spread across Europe. In his grotesquely misshapen hand was a giant one-eyed sword. This mysterious knight decimated villages and cities as he made his way towards the Black Forest. A fearsome figure to behold, this knight was said to even suprass Cervantes in his evil...
-Taken from the manual

Gameplay: (10/10)
With a total lineup of 18 fighters, tons of secrets and extras, and addictiveness like no other, Soul Calibur is without a doubt, the best fighting game ever made. Selectable modes include: Arcade, Vs, Survival, Time Attack, Team Battle, Practice, and the awesome Mission Battle mode. In Mission Battle mode, you travel the globe earning points to unlock amazing pieces of art, which in turn unlocks more stages and other modes.
The weapon based combat is flawless, and incredibly fun. Why do I use so many adjectives? I'll never know. This is truly the Ultimate Fighting Game.

Sound: (9/10)
The music is beautifully orchestrated, and the sounds are crisp and clean. The japanese actors are superb and truly fit each character. You'll really want to pump up the volume on your speakers. The lack of English voices and a couple annoying songs keep them walking goombas from generating a 10th member of the regiment. But its damn close.

Graphics: (10/10)
I cried tears of joy during the opening sequence. Seriously. Well...ok..I almost did...but anyway, the graphics are simply breathtaking. The characters move totally lifelike, with the exception of Voldo, but he's just plain dumb. The weapons move incredibly fast and accurately, and the special moves are neat-o.
The artwork unlockable in Mission Battle mode is superb, even the fans' work. I wish I could print em out and hang em up on my wall or something.

Control: (10/10)
The control is great, easy to learn and hard to master. 360 degree movement is possible via a hip 8-way run system. Really cool. The combos are easy to pull off and blocks and counters are a breeze. Both digital and analog control is available, but they both suck. Buy an arcade stick. It's not the games fault, it's Sega's.

Overall: (10/10)
Yes, I've played the arcade version, and yes...this game is much better. The best reason to buy a Dreamcast.



"Welcome back...to the stage of history."
-Announcer