SOUL CALIBUR V is the fighting game fans have been crying out for. It’s been almost four years since the previous console game, and followers of the weapon-based brawler series have been begging Namco Bandai to do another. IVwas going to be the last game in the series, but Soul’s passionate fanbase sent an online petition to Tekken producer and internal Namco developer Katsuhiro Harada, and the team responded with Soul Calibur V.
This game is the continuation of a successful 15-year-old franchise which has racked up around 12m worldwide sales to date.
The new game boasts more fluid gameplay, ‘Critical Edge’ special moves, several new fighters and a reworked character creation mode. “Soul Calibur Vis a very popular franchise with a huge fanbase that has a lot of love for its weapon wielding gameplay,” Namco Bandai’s UK marketing director Lee Kirton tells MCV. “Its visual style and characters also separate it from the rest of the genre.”
SOULS AND SWORDS
Previous games in the series have featured guest characters such as Link from The Legend of Zeldaand Star Warsicons Darth Vader and Yoda. In keeping with this formula, Namco Bandai has got Ezio Auditore from Assassin’s Creedon board as a playable fighter in Soul Calibur V. This is something the publisher says will open up the fighting genre to a much wider audience (see ‘Assassin Appeal’). Set 17 years after Soul Calibur IV,
Vtells the story of Patroklos and Pyrrha, the son and daughter of series mainstay Sophitia Alexandra. Other new characters include Taki’s apprentice Natsu and staff-wielding Xiba, who replaces series icon Kilik. There are returning fighters, of course, such as Ivy, Mitsurugi and Siegfried who have all aged considerably. Even Namco’s popular Tekkendeveloper Harada himself is in the game, in the form of a bonus challenge character. Soul Calibur V kicks off an exciting year for games, and leads a wave of big February titles that will help boost the increasingly challenging retail market. It’s a must buy for fighting game fans.
32 January 27th 2012
Soul Calibur V
The weapon-based fighter returns with revised modes, moves and fresh characters, including Ezio from Assassin’s Creed. Dominic Sacco takes a closer look
COLLECTOR’S EDITION A special Soul Calibur V retail SKU will include an art book, CD soundtrack, making-of videos, a letter from development team Project Soul and a code to download the in-game Black Knight and White Knight armour sets.
FIGHT STICK
Hori is launching an officially branded arcade-style fight stick controller to accompany the release of Soul Calibur V. It features adjustable turbo speeds and USB ports for headset and keyboard connectivity.
BEATING THE COMPETITION Soul Caliburhas a reputation for excellence, from 1996’s Soul Bladeto IV. Soul Calibur on Dreamcast was released in 1998 and is the console’s highest rated game on Metacritic with a score of 98.