Soul Calibur II HD Online Review

Soul Calibur II is arguably the best fighting game in the world. The only point of contention is whether it's better than the original Soul Calibur. We take a look at the new, HD Online version of the game.

All fanboy bias aside, there is nothing quite like Soul Calibur - a fluid, balanced, intuitive and thrilling, 3D, weapons-based fighter. I think Namco surprised themselves with Soul Calibur. They managed to capture lightning in a bottle and have been unable to better themselves since.

Soul Calibur II does have some improvements over the original; more characters, refined moves, better graphics and sound and it reached a larger audience thanks to it releasing on all consoles of its generation.

At its core, Soul Calibur II is a 3D, weapons-based fighting game. A diverse cast of characters all use weapons to defeat their opponents using a combination of horizontal, vertical and kick attacks. There is a wonderful guard system which allows most attacks to be parried or repelled if timed correctly. The game makes full use of the 3D environment - sidestepping does not simply change the 3D plane, it's an important technique to evade rushing opponents and build up attacks of your own. 

The game looks great, especially when in motion.

The fighting system is unique in that it has a great degree of accessibility while not compromising

strategy and depth. Many fighting games force a certain style of play by enforcing the same, limiting, system on a diverse roster. They have loads of moves and abilities which can only be activated under certain circumstances and multiple gauges to represent loads of different stats. Soul Calibur II has just one gauge - the health gauge. There aren't obvious inhibitions that dictate a "best" style of play. There is a genuine sense of dynamism which goes against the trend of flowchart like play styles and string input memorisation.

Combos and aerial juggles which form the backbone of offensive play in most fighting games exist but are less important in Soul Calibur II. Variation, stances, mind games and reading your opponent is more important than creating attack opportunities and maximising them. You'll have to adapt quickly as the fight progresses because it's possible to use the same character in a variety of different ways and your opponent is going to be able to learn your play style if you don't mix things up. Some characters make extensive use of stances and special movements. Learning how to effectively transition into and out of these stances is another way to add variety and trickery and provides unique attacking and defensive possibilities.

This is what a Guard Impact looks like!

The big news about Soul Calibur II HD Online is in the name, it's online enabled. If you have a good connection, you can duke it out with players around the world. There's also the usual arcade, versus and survival modes. Unlike the digital releases of the original Soul Calibur, the single player Weapon Master mode is intact. Here you will complete a variety of battles with additional challenges to spice things up. Credits are earned and can be used to purchase different weapons and other unlockables. It's simple, uncomplicated fun. Evidently something that Namco forgot how to do.

The HD Online version is based on the PS2 version of the game so the special character Heihachi is playable. More exciting news is that Spawn is playable as well! He fits in with the universe rather well and is a delight to play as. Of course there is no Link. One ommission is the lack of Japanese voices. This is not a big deal because the English voices are done well and much of the fighting roster isn't Japanese anyways.

Replaying Soul Calibur II brought back many fond memories. I recall fantastic sessions with

friends after school and sometimes not going to school at all to play it. It's a great social

game where everyone can have fun, do something cool and feel good.

If you're a long time Soul Calibur fan, this is a no-brainer. Buy it. It's well worth it.

If you're new to Soul Calibur, this is arguably the high point of the series. Buy it. It's well worth it.

Pros:

Superb fighting system

Looks and sounds fantastic

Weapon Master mode is included

Cons:

(none)

Rating: 92%