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Why Soul Calibur Still (Quietly) Burns After More than a Decade
Soul Calibur has always been the everyman fighter. Of all the major fighting game series on the market, Soul Calibur is the game that you would probably feel most comfortable playing with your non-gaming friends or significant other. And a lot of that has to do with the weapons.The Soul series wasn't the first fighting game to feature weapons, of course. In the early days of the genre, Samurai Shodown distinguished itself with its detailed sprites, gore, and katanas. Battle Arena Toshinden, meanwhile, distinguished itself as the first 3D weapons fighter, close to a year before the original Soul Edge hit the arcades.Soul Edge, for its part, was Namco's way of testing uncharted waters. It was positioned as an alternative to Tekken and Virtua Fighter, which dominated 3D fighting at that time, and its weapons were a big part of its appeal. Apart from feeling smoother than the stiff Tekken, the strategic concept of weapon range was more intuitive than the combo-heavy 3D fighters that had preceded it.The reason it's so easy to understand is that the concept is built into the visual vocabulary of the game. When you look at Siegfried, you see a large knight with a gigantic blade. It's instantly apparent that he has longer reach than, say, the lightweight ninja Taki. And a good player knows how to put that advantage to good use, or to minimize it in its turn.Today, Soul Edge is largely forgotten outside of a small cadre of dedicated fans, but it did its part to lay down the foundation for the series by introducing the story as well as familiar characters like Mitsurugi. Soulcalibur V director Daishi Odashima certainly seems to have some affection for the original game. He even argued in favor of naming the upcoming sequel "Soul Edge 2," but was overruled.
Rumor: Kilik and Elysium added to Soulcalibur 5
SoulCalibur 5's character roster has, historically, been chock-full of leaks. Clandestine screenshots were responsible for revealing Ezio and Raphael, and now it looks as though three new fighters may have been uncovered in an extremely similar fashion. Two images, culled from NeoGAF's depths, show the most hated man in the world fan-favorite Kilik (sporting a shiny new bird hat), as well as newcomer Elysium, an angelic female of some kind who sports very little of anything. Speculation suggests that both characters will be "mimic characters" who are able to emulate the fighting styles of any other character, but at this point that appears to be unfounded. Considering SC5's track record with character selection screenshots, however, we're cautiously optimistic regarding the validity of these photos. Check out the gallery below for high-resolution versions.%Gallery-145027%
Take a look at the gorgeous and gory roster of Soulcalibur V
SoulCalibur V is similar to previous entries in one crucial aspect: There are some very pretty fighters on the roster who are more than happy to slice each other up. Even gory ol' Nightmare seems to have received some tips directly from Tim Gunn. Major wow factor, people!
Relax and watch this Namco X Capcom London Fight Club video
Some of you will enjoy a nice, extra day off on Monday, and we would hate for you to get bored while you sit around in your pajamas, not working. If at any point you feel as if you've moved or thought too much tomorrow, go ahead zone out with the above recap video from the Namco X Capcom Xmas Fight Club, where some lucky Londoners partied with SoulCalibur 5 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2. And don't worry about the site -- we'll be right here, working, all day. Although we'll probably be wearing pajamas too.
The Theater of History: SoulCalibur 5 story mode trailer
Namco Bandai is really ramping up its trailer output ahead of SoulCalibur 5's January 31 arrival in North America. This time, we get a look at the cinematics contained within the game's story mode, and from what we can tell the whole experience can be summed up in three words: Glowing bloom filters.
New Soulcalibur 5 trailer shows online lobby system
Soul Calibur 4's online VS. modes were adequate from a netcode perspective, but like most fighting games they lacked any sort of well-developed lobby or chat system. SoulCalibur 5, on the other hand, will allow spectators to chat about matches as they happen, as seen in this latest trailer.
Mad Catz now shipping Soulcalibur 5 fight sticks
It may not be as curvaceous as the fighters of Soulcalibur V, but at least you need not feel ashamed ogling the game's official Mad Catz stick. As one of two officially licensed fight sticks (the other being a Hori model), Mad Catz's offering will set consumers back $159.99 and is already off to retail as you read this post. Sticks are available in both Xbox 360 and PS3 flavors, but you already knew that because those are the only two platforms on which you can buy Soulcalibur V.
Soulcalibur V advertisement debunked, junked
Following Namco's release of a controversial, crass Soulcalibur V ad focusing on ... non-fighting-related aspects of the game, the above image started going around of a subsequent ad that had reportedly been deemed too controversial and removed. The first post we've seen about it was on Digital Battle, but it's been picked up by a few others. However, we don't believe Namco Bandai even attempted to use Voldo's codpiece as a selling point. Try to contain your surprise: as far as we can tell, the ad is a fake. We don't know who's responsible for its creation, but we do know that the Voldo image used for the ad comes from a screenshot of Soul Calibur IV, released in 2007. Compare the two images above, and try not to think about how much time you've just spent concentrating on Voldo's business.
Here's what you'll be fighting over at Evo 2012
The organizers of the Evo fighting game tournament series have revealed this year's lineup of games, allowing you to start practicing now! Ideally, you'd have been playing a bunch of fighters already, but now you have a better idea of which ones you should be obsessively replaying. The roster includes Street Fighter X Tekken, Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition Ver. 2012, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Soulcalibur 5, King of Fighters 13, and Mortal Kombat. Admittedly, you'll have a harder time getting practice in on a couple of those right now. The locations and dates for this year's events were also announced, with tournaments scheduled for all over the world. Shoryuken has the full list of locations for fightstick-toting pilgrims. This year, there are more tournaments, "which means more chances to earn seeding points." In addition, you can earn those points from any of those games, making it easier to move on if you're not a Street Fighter or MvC3 player.
Edge Master and Algol return to the stage of history in Soulcalibur V
Sometimes you want to fight against a certain Soul Calibur character, but you'd rather their moveset be performed by an old bearded guy. For that, there's Edge Master. Concept art posted by Famitsu shows he'll be returning in Soulcalibur V, as will Soul Calibur IV final boss Algol, who now follows the Street Fighter III boss dress code. Famitsu also revealed the ability to create "Devil" style characters (like Tekken's Devil Jin) in SCV's character creator. Namco Bandai demonstrated this with a "Devil" version of Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada.
Pre-order a deluxe Soulcalibur 5 soundtrack
In order to properly get in the mood for an Italian assassin vs. evil animated sword monster fight -- to set the stage of history, so to speak -- you'll need the right music. You can start your preparations for a more Soulcalibur 5-friendly home by pre-ordering the four-disc (!) Soulcalibur 5 Original Soundtrack Limited Edition from Eminence Music Production. In addition to 56 tracks from composers Junichi Nakatsuru, Hiroki Kikuta, Tomoki Miyoshi, Andrew Aversa, Cris Velasco, and Inon Zur, you get a DVD that goes behind the scenes of the soundtrack's creation, and "character cards" of the new fighters. If you're on the fence about whether to spend ¥4,980 ($64) on Soul Calibur music, you can hear a few samples at Eminence's site. The soundtrack will ship on January 31.
Soulcalibur V trailer peers into the past
We can hardly blame you for being so obsessed with the Soulcalibur series. The drama of big dudes with bigger swords, screaming and fighting, and a power dormant for so many years, thought lost -- man, you just can't get that kind of drama anywhere else.
Soulcalibur 5 getting costumes from Bayonetta designer
Soulcalibur isn't exactly known for down-to-earth costumes, and now 1UP reports that Soulcalibur 5's wardrobe is about to get just a touch stranger. Namco has announced that Mari Shimazaki, character designer for Bayonetta, has designed three costumes for Soulcalibur 5. Specifically, Shimazaki has clothed Ivy, Tira and the series' newest sword dancer, Leixia. As one might expect, the costumes are flamboyant to say the least. Check out some images and design sketches in the gallery below. %Gallery-140105%
Soulcalibur 5 screens carry a big stick
Look, we should be telling you about the screens of Xiba, Soulcalibur 5's new staff-wielding fighter, but we just can't. Why? Yoshimitsu is why. Just look at him! Frankly, our favorite ninja-demon-robot-thing has never looked better. Check out the gallery for more images (including Xiba, we guess).
Hori making Soulcalibur 5 branded fight sticks
Remember how Mad Catz is going to make those gorgeous, dynamically styled Soulcalibur 5 themed fight sticks? Well, if shiny bevelled edges and an LED-ready see-through plastic casing aren't your jam, accessories manufacturer Hori has a rather minimalistic alternative: The Soulcalibur 5 Joystick. The stick's fancy name matches the rest of its aesthetic, and is slated for a January 2012 release, with versions being made for both the 360 and PS3. While Hori has yet to announce pricing or parts information, the size of the stick suggests that it will be similar to their Sanwa-packing $140 Real Arcade Pro. That's wild speculation on our part, of course, so while we're speculating let's go ahead and say that the stick is also filled with molasses. Gross, Hori!
Play dress-up with this new Soulcalibur 5 character creation trailer
After you've acquired that snazzy branded Soulcalibur 5 fight stick and modded it out fresh with LEDs and Sanwa/Seimitsu parts, you'll need a customized character to compliment your rogue individuality. Luckily for you, Soul Calibur's character creation mode is returning for the series' fifth installment, and it looks as, uhm, robust as ever. It really looks like Namco Bandai has tried to include the whole package this time around, allowing players to change fabric patterns, add additional models to pieces of armor, and layer decals to create their own designs. Obviously custom characters will never be allowed at tournaments, but who hasn't always wanted their very own Corrupted Soul Barbie?
Ezio brings a hidden gun to a knife fight in Soulcalibur 5 footage
Namco has posted a very long video discussing the features in Soulcalibur 5, complete with plenty of footage of everyone's favorite assassin, Ezio Auditore da Firenze. There's also a lot of talking to get through, so you may want to skip to 26:55 (as in the twenty-six minute mark) to get to the in-game action. Oh, and yes, Ezio brought his hidden gun. Siliconera notes that the video discusses the game's customization systems. Adjusting a character's physique, for example, could allow for longer reach. Furthermore, Namco does have plans for downloadable content, though the developers weren't ready to discuss whether those plans include more characters. We've still got our fingers crossed for Spawn making a glorious comeback.
Soulcalibur 5 fight stick coming courtesy of Mad Catz
You'll be able to 8-way-run in style next year, as Mad Catz is introducing a Soulcalibur 5-themed version of its Tournament Edition FightStick, shipping for Xbox 360 and PS3 to coincide with the launch of Namco's latest. Fittingly, it's called the "Soul Edition," though it thankfully doesn't claim to take the soul of its user in exchange. Like the Soul Edge, however, SC5's fight stick is composed of mythical, unknown parts (Mad Catz isn't telling just yet). The "Soul Edition" fight stick will launch in January 2012 alongside Soulcalibur 5, though we've yet to receive an official price.%Gallery-137701%
Soulcalibur 5's pre-order character Dampierre is ... interesting
The Soul Calibur series has a long and storied history for inserting extra-IP characters into its weapon-based brand of 3D fighting, but hidden beneath the glitz and glamour of big-name cameos lurks a world of truly bizarre weirdos. Take Lord Geo Dampierre, for example: We're still not entirely sure which major retailer will include the Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny alumni with pre-ordered copies of Soulcalibur 5, but we are entirely sure that his fighting style can be classified as both "goofy" and "incredible," thanks to the above trailer. It'll be interesting to see how this self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Assassin" will fair in combat against the world's actual greatest assassin; they both have wrist-mounted blades, seems pretty even to us!
Soulcalibur V Collector's Edition: the pages of history
You know the biggest news related to Soulcalibur V; and now you can see the game's biggest box. Namco Bandai revealed the book-style collector's edition for the game, which includes the usual soundtrack and art book, along with a making-of video and exclusive downloadable White Knight and Dark Knight (not that Dark Knight!) armor sets for the character creation mode. The CE will be available alongside the standard edition on January 31. No price was given, but it looks classy, which no doubt adds a couple dollars to the total. Speaking of class, Namco also unveiled a pre-order bonus from an as-yet-unspecified retailer: Dampierre, the Waluigi-looking fellow from Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny. You'll find lots of images of him, along with Ezio, new character Leixia, and returning characters Raphael and Nightmare, in our gallery.%Gallery-137249%
