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Soulcalibur IV official website launches
"What's within your soul?" indeed, SoulCalibur IV. The official Namco Bandai website for the game has launched and with it, tons of fun little things for you to read, ogle, download, or desire. Depending on how you answer the aforementioned question, the website will be displayed differently. It's pretty cool, really. The game itself is due out by the end of next month, so your wait is almost over, fighting game fanatics. Until then, keep your sights on their site, as it will surely update fairly regularly.
Soul Calibur IV gameplay video dump
In addition to yesterday's cinematic trailer, which gave us a fantastic look at the game's three combatants from a galaxy far, far away, a plethora of gameplay videos for Soul Calibur IV also recently made their way into GameTrailer's expansive archives. Other than the addition of a few new characters and a graphical overhaul, it's tough to pick out any changes that Namco Bandai has incorporated into their armament-rich fighting franchise -- we suppose the Soul Calibur series has adopted the official mantra of the fighting genre: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The above preview and those embedded after the jump certainly don't look broken, and have imbued in us an insatiable hunger for well-timed counters, guard impacts, and incredibly overdramatic dialogue.
See Vader's apprentice in Soulcalibur IV form
Click for high-resolution image. So, last night we revealed that Darth Vader's secret apprentice from the upcoming LucasArts title, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, was heading to Soulcalibur IV. Today, we've got some screenshots of the dark lord in training. He looks quite accurate to his Force Unleashed avatar. You can also see him in action in the clip after the break. Now, all we're hoping for is Ivy to appear in The Force Unleashed. You know, to make full use of that Euphoria engine. Soulcalibur IV is out July 29.%Gallery-24534%
'Dark Apprentice' shows some moves in Soul Calibur IV vid
We knew Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed would join the fight in Soul Calibur IV, and here he is in all his Dark Side-ian glory. Unlike the console exclusive Star Wars characters in SC IV -- Darth Vader for PS3 and Yoda on Xbox 360 -- the Secret Apprentice will be a playable on both consoles.Oh, and if you care, the video also shows a tiny bit more of the actual non tie-in Soul Calibur cast.%Gallery-6043%
Another Star Wars character in Soul Calibur IV
Yay! More cross-property marketing maneuvers! Truthfully, we could stand Yoda and Vader in Soul Calibur IV. They are well known, iconic figures of their brand, and something could be said of their inclusion for the purpose of bringing fanboys from one thing to the other. Not this time. This time it's an entirely self-serving move that has roots in promoting the relatively unknown (to the the mainstream) The Force Unleashed.The newest announcement is that the main character from TFU, Vader's "Secret Apprentice", will be a playable character in both the 360 & PS3 versions of Soul Calibur IV. Y'know, we just might've actually bought the inevitable DLC that will be made available for this game, but this move just really leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Just so long as The Force Unleashed doesn't end up using Ivy to showcase its physics systems we'll remain sane. Given the way things are going, we fear for our sanity.
Third Star Wars character joins Soul Calibur IV cast
The Force is strong with the next installment in Namco's weapons-based fighting series. GameSpot reports that both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Soul Calibur IV will feature Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" from LucasArt's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed as a playable character.Each console version of Soul Calibur IV will feature one exclusive Star Wars icon: Darth Vader in the PS3 release and Yoda on 360. We'll have first screens of Vader's apprentice in action Soul Calibur-style tomorrow.
Soul Calibur IV: Yoda video and new screens
When it was announced that Soul Calibur IV would play host to guest characters from the Star Wars universe, the collective fanboy meltdown concerning everything from the storyline to the balance was absolute music to the ears. Unfortunately, they may have been right on one point: Yoda's size does seem to give him an advantage. Watch the clip and decide for yourself. Also, thanks Ubisoft being the publisher for the game in the PAL territories, Ubidays brings us a ton of new screens for the game, including shots of a new character who is actually, get this, male. The new shots show everything from special attacks to moments from cutscenes and everything in between, so get clicking.%Gallery-23933%
Here's a look at three new Soulcalibur IV femme fatales
Perhaps you've seen Shura already, but have you met Ashlotte? You probably haven't witnessed Setsuka's new look for Soulcalibur IV either. If you haven't seen any of these three lovely ladies from the upcoming Soulcalibur IV then make sure you watch this slide show gallery to check them out.Setsuka is a returning character who first made an appearance in Soulcalibur III. Ashlotte, on the other hand, is another one of those characters manifested from SC IV's anime collaborations. Ashlotte wields a giant halberd-like weapon and dresses like a gothic doll. While all these new anime-inspired characters are pretty interesting, we did notice one odd thing. Have you noticed that they're all female? No new male designs in the works here guys? Anyway, that's nothing to complain about ... especially after seeing Voldo's bouncy crotch physics in today's earlier vid. Female characters are just fine thanks.
Soulcalibur IV gets another big-breasted, scantily clad character
A new female character wearing a horned-skull and a thong has been revealed for Soulcalibur IV. The new character named Shura, seen in blurry magazine photos, is yet another collaborative design by non-Namco anime artists. The creator of the manga series Gantz, Hiroya Oku, sculpted this new vixen's noticeable curves. The only other thing we know about this new character is that it appears she'll be wielding two katana blades for her Soulcalibur debut.With Soulcalibur IV aiming for a July 29 release in North America, we're wondering if there will be anymore new character reveals to come. And if so, then which anime artist will be called upon for the design? Can we please have Osamu Tezuka for an Astro Boy-esque character?[Via N4G]
Here's a better look at Soulcalibur IV's latest cast entries
Click for high-resolution image. It was only a few days ago that we posted about the latest trio returning to Soulcalibur IV: Talim, Rock, and Yoshimitsu. Today, we have all new high-resolution images of these characters and friends. So, check out both the new screenshots and concept art in the galleries below. %Gallery-4984%%Gallery-7829%
Returning Soul Calibur IV fighters: Rock, Talim, Yoshimitsu
"Hello, you've reached the Namco Bandai slash Bandai Namco offices. How can I help you?""Hi, we'd like to speak to the Soul Calibur IV designer, please.""Is this Joystiq? Again?""No. Yes. Sorry.""I told you to stop phoning. We are never, never, ever going to put Snuffleupagus into the game.""Not even as DLC?""Sir, do you have a legitimate request for him? He's quite busy with intensive mammary modeling.""Just one: Tell him it would rock if he would introduce Yoshi to Sue in the game.""Alright, by 'legitimate,' I meant something that would actually make sense.""TALIM it would ROCK if he could have YOSHI MEET SUE. In Soul Calibur IV.""Who are Yoshi and Sue?""No no, Yoshimitsu. It's sort of a pun, you see. There's also --""Let me stop you there, sir. Was there something, perhaps an unexplained supernatural force or the imminent threat of death, that prevented you from asking the question like a normal human being?""Oh, come on! Humor is Taki that opens the door to a healthy relationship. Yoda last one I should have to explain this to and ... what was that clicking sound? Hello? Are you still there?"[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Soulcalibur IV 'tournament kit' revealed -- most disappointing
Were you hoping for a totally awesome Soulcalibur IV package when you heard they had a "tournament kit" ready for your consumption with the limited edition release? Sorry to burst your bubble, but it seems the secret tourney item has been revealed. It's a bracket card. Yep. A card and nothing more.What is interesting is the varied t-shirt content with the game. PS3 owners will get a black shirt featuring Darth Vader and Mitsurugi, whereas the 360 owners get a white shirt with Yoda and Siegfried. Both shirts only come in size XL, because come on, what's the stereotype for video gamers? That's right -- we all love Star Wars, too. Don't be rude.
Soul Calibur IV's Premium 'tournament kit' explained
Remember when we told you about all the goodies available in Soul Calibur IV's $79.99 "Premium Edition?" Surely you recall the self-explanatory collector's tin, the comic slash artbook and the "extra customization content." But what of the "tournament kit," that nebulous bonus which we, after several heartfelt attempts, simply could not explain to ourselves? Clearly sensing the many sleepless nights prompted by this enigma, Siliconera has revealed just how the tournament kit will, according to Namco Bandai, "give fans the opportunity to document the battle amongst friends." It's ... it's ... (highlight to read) a tournament bracket card!Oh.
Soul Calibur IV special edition includes Yoda threads
Another game release, another special edition. The Soul Calibur IV special edition has recently been detailed by Namco Bandai and includes your standard special edition trinkets.Over-sized tin? Check. Art book? Check. T-Shirt? Check. Also included is a "Tournament Kit," a rather grandiose way of saying a reusable blank tournament bracket card. Interesting note to Star Wars fans, the Xbox 360 special edition includes a white t-shirt with Yoda/Siegfried art while the PS3 version includes a black Darth Vader/Mitsurugi tee (all versions are XL). We'll leave it up to you to decide whether or not the collection warrants the $80 price-tag.[via Silconera]
Vader and Yoda battling in new Soul Calibur IV trailer
After watching the above, almost uncomfortably rad trailer for Soul Calibur IV, we're ready to make a proclamation. If you can watch Darth Vader and Yoda killing dudes and you don't melt, even just a little, then your heart is made of iron and we're revoking your geek badge. Please, just go. Leave your Cheeto-dust-stained Battlestar Galactica T-shirt with Beverly on your way out.For those of your still with us, isn't it a little unnerving to see someone hit with a lightsaber and not be turned into person fractions? We hope the game includes a "Real World" mode where the fight begins, Yoda casually mentions that he's a Jedi and Mitsurugi puts his own sword in his belly just to save time. ...And yes, we just referred to a world including Yoda and Mitsurugi as the "real world." Please keep the snickers to a minimum.
Rumor: Soulcalibur IV may feature 'equipment destruction'
It's just a phrase, but "equipment destruction" can mean a lot of things. For Soulcalibur IV, it doesn't just refer to disarming your opponent, but cracking through their armor Valkyrie Profile 2 style to get to their weakpoints. So to speak. Apparently, the idea exists that you'll be able to chip away at Hilde's armor and break down Siegfried's mail. But, as Siliconera pointed out, not all characters in Soulcalibur really wear all that much. A lot of characters wear fabric outfits, while others seem to wear an outfit made completely of dental floss. So it's anyone's guess if this concept comes to fruition, but it's absolutely on the table.
New Soul Calibur IV trailer. Now with gameplay!
Namco Bandai sure has been keeping the Soul Calibur info coming strong lately, and the newest piece of media we've got is the latest trailer for the game. Amazingly, this is the first hint we've seen of anything other than blank stares on the characters faces, and it's good to know that Namco actually has some facial animators on its payroll. Much of the trailer consists of just emotional character shots with big ol' words splashed across the screen. But mercifully, towards the middle, some actual snippets of gameplay get spliced in, including some of Vader and Yoda. (Nerd moment: Look everyone, a Star Wars docking bay stage!)
Soulcalibur IV media blowout: screens, video
Click for high-resolution image. You may know that Darth Vader is one of the new characters in the upcoming Soulcalibur IV, but Namco Bandai showed off even more fighters in yesterday's media event. Angol is an incredibly cute fairy-esque female fighter, that's more than eager to beat you with a giant stick. The hard-to-spell Scheherazade looks like a character that's one part Zelda, and one part Folklore. You can check out both these new characters in our updated gallery, filled with high resolution images.Feel free to check out a new video, after the cut.%Gallery-4984%
Soulcalibur IV dated for July 29
It's nice to know that the eternal telling of souls and swords will continue this Summer -- more accurately on July 29 for North America. While we're ecstatic that we now have a solid date for Soulcalibur IV, it isn't the only new information circulating the interwebs. Namco Bandai also revealed that the game will come in both regular and limited Premium Edition packaging.Included in the Premium Edition is an art book/comic that serves as a prequel leading up to the events in Soulcalibur IV. Also included is an ambiguously described "tournament kit" that "give fans the opportunity to document the battle amongst friends." It's not clear as to what exactly that involves. Premium Edition buyers will also have access to exclusive customization content. Following the pricing standards of other high-end low-end specs, the Premium Ed. and regular version will be priced at US$79.99 and US$59.99 respectively.
Soul Calibur IV releases July 29
While it had been rumored before (slightly incorrectly), the official release date of Soul Calibur IV has been announced. Namco Bandai has confirmed that the game will hit on July 29 and will have a regular edition and a premium edition. The exact content of the premium edition has been named, but is not currently detailed; it will contain a prequel Artbook/Comic, a so-called "Tournament Kit", and "exclusive access to extra customization content." Whether or not the game will end up going the way of Bad Company and have the exclusive content available for download is unknown, and what the Tournament Kit specifically contains is also unknown. Capcom did say that the Kit would: "give fans the opportunity to document the battle amongst friends," but we're sure we'll hear more about this before the game releases this summer.
