Soul Calibur II (Xbox)
It Tastes Like… Burning!
by Libe Goad

PLATFORM: Xbox (also PS2, GC)

PUBLISHER: Namco

DEVELOPER: Namco

GENRE: Fighting

ESRB: Teen

My soul still burns. And it has nothing to do with the time I sold it to the devil in exchange for a modded PlayStation and superhuman hand-eye coordination. It has, in fact, everything to do with Namco’s Soul Calibur II, the sequel to one of the most reputable fighting games of all time.

The second time around, Namco has stuck by the ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it mentality. Anyone who played the original will feel at home with repeat characters, fighting moves and the extra levels designed to create maximum replayability. Throw in marginally advanced graphics, new levels and characters--you have a new classic that probably won’t induce the same slack-jawed drooling that swept the nation the first time around.

The gameplay still stands out as the shining star of this series. Like the Dreamcast version, the Soul Calibur II is easy to play and challenging to master. If you managed to master Soul Calibur, then you’ll be pleased to learn that many moves from the old game have migrated to this version. So if you spent all your time learning to control Ivy’s whiptastic blade, then playing her in this game will feel like second nature. All of the special moves are still intact as well, paired with a few new ones, so you’ll still be able to create a spectacle while snapping your opponent’s bones like balsa wood.

The most noticeable differences in the gameplay stand with the more obvious—additional weapons, costumes, characters and levels. Comic god Todd McFarlane created Necrid exclusively for the series and depending on which platform of the game you purchase, you’ll be able to melee as Link from Nintendo’s Zelda game series (GC), Todd McFarlane’s Spawn (XBX) or Heihachi from the Tekken fighting series (PS2). It’s nice to see that the game wasn’t a direct port from one console to the other—a little customization can go a long way on the various consoles. Sure, if you own a PS2 and really want to play as Link, you’re outta luck. If you love Link that much, though, you probably already own a GameCube and Cosplay-worthy green spandex and pointy ears.

Soul Caliber II comes loaded with new levels, including a series of Extra levels—so if you perform well in another part of the game, you will unlock an Extra Arcade mode, Extra Practice mode, Extra Team Battle and so forth. So far, it’s difficult to see how these levels differ from the regular modes—other than allowing you to unlock more value-added goodies for your character. For some, that may be fine, but the “reward” factor with these levels is, at times, on par with getting a crisp dollar bill from grandpa on your birthday. more >

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