Soul-Calibur
Latest
Deal of the Day: Soulcalibur IV Hori Fighting Stick $42
Those of you who were on the fence about the Soulcalibur Limited Edition Fighting Stick 3 by Hori last month might want to reconsider the peripheral again: the price has been reduced $8 to $41.99. Not too bad for a newly released product. We are aware there are some higher-end fighting sticks around, but at this price range, this particular one is unbeatable. With Soulcalibur IV arriving in stores a week from today, order one now and you might just have it ready when you bring the game home.[Via CAG]
Soul Calibur IV demo coming 'down the road'
Fighting fans hoping for a pre-launch lightsaber throw down will wait until Soul Calibur IV cuts into retail shelves later this month, as Namco Bandai informs us that a demo for the game won't be available until after the game is released.According to reps manning the company's E3 room, the devs are currently putting all of their effort towards getting the game ready for its release for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on July 29. As for what and when exactly we can expect from the demo when it's finally released, Namco Bandai wouldn't say, teasing only that it'll be available sometime "down the road."
Algol officially joins the Soulcalibur IV roster
Despite appearing in the Soulcalibur IV UbiDays 2008 Transcendence trailer, Algol didn't become official until today. Heralded as the "strongest character ever in SC series" by character designer Hideo Yoshie, Algol possesses the Soul Calibur on his left hand and the Soul Edge on his right. He can also fly in the air and has ten kinds of weapons built into his body. Algol's armor is of a bird motif and originated in an ancient kingdom lost to the sands of time. While the above picture shows Algol when he was still human, his hair color change signifies his transformation into something more.%Gallery-4984%
PS3 Soulcalibur IV pre-orders trumping competition
According to online retailer amazon.com (data collected by PunchJump), Namco Bandai's upcoming fighter, Soulcalibur IV has been far more popular on PS3 than on the Xbox 360. Pre-orders for the fighter have been impressive on Sony's console. The PS3 versions of the game have amassed 72% of sales (52% premium, 20% regular edition) compared to the 360 versions' combined 28%.Such impressive numbers show that a third-party title can perform just as well, if not better, on PS3 than on Xbox 360. What can account for such an impressive showing by PlayStation fans? Could it be the series regulars from the PS2, the superior D-Pad, or the dark allure of Darth Vader over Yoda?[Via N4G]
Soulcalibur IV HD install size: 2.85GB with 2MB+ saves
Despite earlier reports of a mandatory hard drive install of more gargantuan proportions, a scan of the back cover of the Japanese version of Soulcalibur IV shows much more reasonable requirements. The mandatory install itself will be 2,850MB or 2.85GB while a save file will start at 2048KB or 2MB. Obviously, the more characters you create, the more space it is going to take up on your hard drive. Does this seem more reasonable to you guys? Do you still mind sacrificing some HD space for faster load times? Or still hoping developers eliminate them altogether?[Thanks, Emophia!]
Soulcalibur IV screenshots show modes and extras
There are 38 new screenshots of the PS3 version of Soulcalibur IV over at Dengeki Online, showcasing all the modes in the game. Under the banner of single player we have Story, Soulless Tower, Arcade and Training modes. Under VS Mode, you will have the choice of Standard or Special mode, depending on whether you want customized characters thrown into the mix. Extras are also highlighted, with Character Creation mode and Museum, which appears to give the player access to relationship charts, bios and pictures. There's even some old-fashioned manga funnies at the end. All are only a click away right here.[Via Kotaku]
Kratos will not be in Soulcalibur IV
48:40. That's amount of time into yesterday's 1UP Yours podcast that reveals Kratos will not be in Soulcalibur IV. They have been playing the game on both Xbox 360 and PS3 (though Yoda is mentioned immediately after the Kratos comment, they do speak of Darth Vader later) and they do not see Kratos in it. Unless there is some last minute change, which is unlikely, Kratos will not be in the main game. Sorry kids! Let's all hope for something in the form of DLC then, shall we?[Via N4G]
Soulcalibur IV UK pre-order goodies at Game
Fans of Soulcalibur IV in the United Kingdom are getting a pretty sweet pre-order deal. If you order with Game, you will receive their exclusive package which includes the following: a metal case, booklet with character biographies and a bonus DVD containing 4 trailers in HD, 4 wallpapers and concept art. A look around online retailers shows the same price of £39.99 if you pre-order at Amazon or Play.com, so this seems perfect for any fans of the game.[Via X3F][Note: Apparently you can get £3 off if you enter in coupon code "modgamer" at checkout, which results in a price of £36.99. Thanks jgpliskin!]
X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Soulcalibur
This week's XBLA in Brief examines Soulcalibur, the latest release for Xbox Live Arcade. Truly one of the best 3D fighting games ever made, it still shines on XBLA. There's only one problem: it doesn't support online play. Watch this week's episdoe and find out whether or not it's still worth the scratch. [iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes. [Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon). [RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [M4V] Download the M4V directly.
UK gets spoiled with Soulcalibur IV pre-order goods
Fanboys who have their gaming roots firmly planted in the UK and are interested in Soulcalibur IV, (no not that Soulcalibur) we recommend getting your pre-order on. Ubisoft just announced that customers who pre-order at UK retailer Play.com will receive a free Soulcalibur IV faceplate and those who choose to preorder at GAME stores will be getting an exclusive metal case packed with a bonus DVD and art book. Make your pre-order decision wisely, though no matter what you decide on, pre-order goodies have you will. [Via Eurogamer]
Soulcalibur stabs XBLA through the heart
Looking for an upgraded fighting game with no widescreen support, online or modes to unlock? No? Well, if you change your mind Soulcalibur is now available on the Xbox Live Arcade. The classic fighter dropped as the lone release for the Arcade (as far as an actual game goes) and will hit your digital wallet up for 800 MS space-creds. Preparing gamers for the forthcoming Soul Calibur IV, the HD upgraded classic is a mixed bag. Probably one of the best fighters of its time, the XBLA exclusive feels so stripped down it would be more at home propped up on cinder blocks. Which sucks because it's still a rad game.
Sorry Arcade users, Soul Calibur IV requires an HDD [update]
[Update : So it looks like the good folks over at Microsoft messed up. The page has now been updated to reflect the fact that the game actually doesn't need a hard drive.] So according to the game's xbox.com page, Namco Bandai's fourth installment fighter isn't going to be playable for those arcade pack owners out there. While Microsoft's doctrine that your SKU wouldn't matter when it came to the simple act of playing games has been broken before (FFXI, etc) we really didn't expect to see it in a fighting game. It could be that the HDD requirement refers to the game's Create-A-Soul mode (which would obviously require space to save created players). But has the game really been created in such a way that doesn't simply disable that feature for a user without a hard drive? The xbox.com page could be a mistake of course, because to have to leave a certain section of the potential player base (however small) unable to purchase your game just seems a bit strange. As much as this is worth complaining about, let's hope that the game uses the 360 HDD's reserved 6GB of caching space so as to avoid the mandatory install of the PS3 version (which seems to be the most likely situation, considering the PS3 HDD install is just about the same size as the 360's reserved cache.)
New gameplay vids of SCIV's burning souls
Now that we know a bit more about Soul Calibur IV's Create-A-Soul mode, it's time to see some more of the old familiar faces we know and love. Thankfully, a pair of Soul Calibur IV videos on GameTrailers are just what the doctor ordered. Neither video is especially long, but we do get a look at Voldo's always disgusting form. So, that's ... um ... good, we guess. Less disgusting is some footage of Ivy, Siegfried, and Amy. Overall, it looks pretty much like Soul Calibur. One thing worth pointing out, Amy's voice over sounds about as wooden as a boat. Good thing the gameplay looks to be intact. Enjoy.
This Wednesday: Soulcalibur still burns on XBLA
OK, so not so much a surprise on the XBLA front this week, since we brought you the rumor last week that Soulcalibur would likely be released soon on the service. (It'll be there this Wednesday for 800 points [$10]). But hey, Schizoid wasn't released like we thought it would be, so that's kind of a surprise, right? Not like, a great one, but a surprise all the same. In other surprises that won't necessarily have you vibrating with glee, Wits and Wagers will be getting 280 new questions this week for 320 MS points ($4). In case, you know, you played it so many times that you ran out of questions.
Soulcalibur bloodies up the XBLA this Wednesday
Sometimes rumors turn out to be true, and in the case of Soulcalibur making its way to the Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday ... well, that's true. Just today, Microsoft announced that on the morning of Wednesday, July 2nd, old-school Soulcalibur will be releasing to the XBLA at the 800 Microsoft price point. Included in this XBLA version of Soulcalibur will be all nineteen fighters, leaderboards, versus play and over eight game modes to experience in gorgeous high definition. Enough to make any fanboy shed a tear of happiness. Not only will we be treated to Soulcalibur this week, but XBLA game Wits and Wagers will be receiving a 320 MS point expansion that adds an additional 280 questions to the mix. Make the jump for the official press release. %Gallery-26192%
SCIV Character Creation: Hey it's Ryu!
While those who skipped over the series' PS2-exclusive third installment won't be familiar with Soul Calibur's Create-A-Soul mode, those who used it know that it had tons of depth and allowed for all manner of wacky options and crazy characters. For the Soul Calibur IV Create-A-Soul mode, Namco-Bandai looks to be increasing the amount of customizability available to players, giving us some interesting (Cat-man & Afro-dude) and recognizable (Ryu & Snake) characters before the game is even released. Hopefully Namco has taken into account all the various parodies we've got in mind and allows for as many custom characters as can fit on the storage device ... %Gallery-26335%
Soul Calibur IV will have some sort of tag team
The latest Famitsu, according to translations from intrepid Cheap Ass Gamer forum goers, includes some brand new information on the upcoming Namco Bandai fighter Soul Calibur IV. Of the newly revealed details, the most intriguing is that the game is set to include some kind of "character swapping" which immediately evokes the image of tag team battles seen in many other fighting games of years past. The strange part is that the swapping elements are only mentioned in regards to the single-player game. It's hard to imagine implementing a tag feature without incorporating it into multiplayer, but we'll just have to wait and see.The article also includes details on the game's character creation mode as well as a few more technical aspects of the fighting itself. Hit the Source link to check it out.[Via Joystiq]
Soul Calibur IV getting tag teams of some kind
When Soul Calibur's cadre of fighters cut their way onto the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this July in North America, they will do so in pairs. The latest issue of Famitsu reveals that the game will feature tag team elements in order to "perform combos" based on an on-screen meter that depletes as characters continue to test the bonds of friendship.However, according to crack CAG translators, it remains unknown to what extent "character swapping" will be featured in Soul Calibur IV. The article interestingly only mentions the mechanic in reference to the game's single player mode, and that "teammates may suddenly join and leave at the end of the battle." We can't imagine that Namco Bandai would be so shortsighted as to leave something like this out of the game's versus mode. Still, we imagine that just the idea of Darth Vader conquering the galaxy shoulder to shoulder with top-heavy Taki (or Ivy, or Cassandra, or...) is enough to get fan fiction writers reaching for the keyboard and a change of pants.
Rumor: Soulcalibur to hit XBLA next week
It looks like our crazy Xbox.com page theory might be right after all. According to the Japanese product page for the Xbox Live Arcade release of the original Soulcalibur, Namco Bandai has scheduled the classic fighter for release next week. Of course this date could change like so many delayed XBLA titles before it have but international page leaks usually pan out for release dates. Clocking in at 800MS Points, Soulcalibur (XBLA) includes the standard HD upgrade and LIVE leaderboard support other retro revivals see but Namco Bandai has confirmed the title will not include online multiplayer support. While we still have fond memories of the 1999 Dreamcast release, we scratch our heads at the decision to opt out of the online versus upgrade. With Soul Calibur IV on the horizon we wonder, what's the point? Hopefully Namco Bandai will revisit the release and upgrade it with online support much like they did Tekken: Dark Resurrection for the PSN. But, we're not holding our breath.
Soulcalibur IV's story mode to feature tag-team swapping
The latest issue of everyone's favorite Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu has revealed that the upcoming fighter Soulcalibur IV will feature "character swapping" -- switching characters in the middle of battle a la Marvel vs. Capcom -- in its single-player story mode. A meter on the lower part of the screen will allow you perform combos using this mechanic. Strangely, there is no mention of this feature in vs. mode. A ton of other features are revealed, some of the more note-worthy ones are those of the Create a Soul mode, which will allow you have "50 character slots", with 20 parts of every character editable, "complete freedom for use of parts, color change, and cloth combinations," adjustable "body build and muscle" and ability to modify the character's voice. You can even buy parts and equipment to make your newly created character even more unique. Information is also presented on the fighting mechanics like guard impact, instant impact, an armor bar, and something called soul impact: you attack an opponent until their health meter is red, then force them to block, and "when opponent is soul impacted, enter the heavy finish command to execute," noting that "performing soul impact is a victory, regardless of circumstances." Another feature discussed is the Soulless Tower mode; but to us it sounds suspiciously like the Konquest Mode from Mortal Kombat: Deception. Full details are available at 1UP and the Famitsu scan can be seen at the forums of Cheap Ass Gamer.
