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10 games added to PS3 Greatest Hits lineup, Sony confirms
Looks like the Walmart ad we posted yesterday actually undersold the number of PS3 games that Sony will soon add to the $30 Greatest Hits collection. The following 10 titles will be decked in red and reduced in price in the U.S. and Canada within the next few weeks: inFAMOUS (Sony Computer Entertainment) God of War Collection (Sony Computer Entertainment) Killzone 2 (Sony Computer Entertainment) LittleBigPlanet Game of the Year (Sony Computer Entertainment) Resistance 2 (Sony Computer Entertainment) Dead Space (Electronic Arts) Fight Night Round 4 (EA Sports) Resident Evil 5 (Capcom) Soulcalibur IV (Namco Bandai Games) UFC 2009 Undisputed (THQ) That's a pretty good assortment of quality titles -- assuming, of course, that this isn't some kind of horribly distasteful April Fools' Day joke.
One more thing: Soulcalibur Broken Destiny heading to PSP
Wait, Namco Bandai wasn't done announcing PSP games. Just an hour after their Tekken 6 announcement, the company also revealed a brand new Soulcalibur game for the handheld. Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is a PSP-exclusive version of Soulcalibur IV. Gone are the Star Wars bonus characters, but in their stead will be at least one new character: Dampiere.Broken Destiny will feature all the dressings of a console fighter, with arcade, versus and survival modes. New to the PSP version will be a new single-player mode meant for beginners struggling to learn the intricacies of the battle system. It will function, essentially, as an enhanced tutorial mode.The PSP version will also feature new lighting effects that allow players to fight in stages at different times of day. Other gameplay components, such as the critical finish and armor destruction are also supposedly improved. Finally, Broken Destiny will offer Ad-Hoc wireless play, although according to Gamespot, Infrastructure might be a possibility. Expect Soulcalibur to hit your no-longer-defunct PSP this summer.
Yoda appearing as Soulcalibur IV DLC, will cost $5
SHOCK! Namco Bandai has just announced that Xbox 360's exclusive Soulcalibur IV character, Yoda, will be available as DLC on the PS3. We totally didn't see this coming.The DLC pack will be available next Thursday, October 23rd, and will cost $4.99. Xbox 360 owners will be able to access the PS3-exclusive character, Darth Vader, for 400 Microsoft Points.
Soulcalibur IV demo on Japan PS Store
If you've been meaning to pick up Soulcalibur IV -- which was released about a month ago -- but have yet to, then perhaps you've been waiting for that demo that was promised. If you find yourself in with that crowd, perhaps getting some playtime with the newly released demo off the Japanese PS Store will tickle your fancy.The demo, which is completely in English, weighs-in at about 879MB. It'll allow players to fight a few rounds as either Cassandra (pictured getting whacked in the head) or Nightmare (not pictured). For those of you who want to check out the weapon-clashing blades of SC IV, log into your Japanese accounts and download it. For those of you who don't have a Japanese account and are not in a rush, there's a pretty big chance of seeing the demo on your local PS Store update tomorrow.
Dante, The Bride, Mario Bros. in SCIV's Creation mode
After seeing Snake, Raiden and Kratos in Soul Calibur IV's Character Creation mode, we knew it was inevitable other fan favorites would soon arrive as well. As you can see above, two very famous plumbers were painstakingly recreated for your viewing pleasure. This site managed to collect even more craziness, with everyone ranging from Dante of Devil May Cry, The Bride of Kill Bill, Nappa & General Tao of Dragon Ball, Golbez of Final Fantasy IV, Cammy of Street Fighter and last but certainly not least, Gundam. Admittedly, we are a little scared by that last one. See who else you can recognize here.[Via Kotaku]
Want Kratos in SCIV? Then make him, here's how
A lot of you thought the other day's post for Snake and Raiden in Soulcalibur IV was newsworthy, so we're going to bring you another one of these character creation posts. This time, it's that Greek dude with a temper problem -- Kratos. We know a lot of you got excited over the rumor, and after it got shot down, your excitement died with it. So, we propose that if you really want the gruff voiced warrior battling it out with the guys and (well-endowed) ladies of Namco's Soulcalibur IV, then make him yourself. We've posted instruction on how to make him (and some more pics, too) after the break.
Snake versus Raiden: the SCIV user generated match
The character creation tools of Soulcalibur IV look to be rather robust. Kotaku's CB has created facsimiles of our favorite Metal Gear Solid characters, Snake and Raiden, using the in-game system. While not 100% spot-on, these renders do add a distinct Metal Gear flair to the classic fighter. Seeing these two fighting on the Death Star with Soulcalibur weapons ... well, that's the kind of stuff fanfics are made of.[Thanks, Gambit07!]
Yoda as DLC for Soulcalibur IV, says Korean PlayStation site
Over the weekend, a video of Darth Vader and Yoda fighting each other in Soulcalibur IV was leaked onto the internet (and then it was subsequently pulled). Currently, Darth Vader lives only on the PS3 version, while Yoda lives only on the Xbox 360 version. Could Namco Bandai be planning DLC which unlocks the famed Star Wars characters in both versions? It would make a lot of sense, wouldn't it?According to the Korean PlayStation site, Yoda will be available for download from the PSN. That sounds like DLC to us. While Namco Bandai hasn't confirmed anything yet, we wouldn't be surprised if Yoda (and who knows what other characters) ended up appearing in Soulcalibur IV.[Via Siliconera; Image via GamersReports]
Soulcalibur IV hands-on: The first few hours
So, it's finally here. The definitive weapons-based fighter is back and we've been lucky enough to get an early taste of all the steel-clashing action. We've been practicing our combat skills over the weekend and have sunk a good amount of time into the PS3 version. So, want to know what our first few hours were like? Want to know answers to those questions burning in the back of your mind, like: Is the install worth it? What's up with rumble? If you're planning to pick up Soulcalibur IV tomorrow, you'll want to read on.%Gallery-4984%
No Soulcalibur IV demo before official release
If you were so looking forward to a Soulcalibur IV demo out before the game's release on July 29, then get ready for disappointment. Namco reps at E3 have stated that a demo of the game won't be available until after release. As to when that demo would be available, the only response received was that it would appear some time "down the road." Last time we checked, Soulcalibur IV was a 'first day purchase' kind of game; by then, who needs a demo?In related news, a press release sent out earlier today cordially announced that Soulcalibur IV had gone gold. There's only 12 days left Soulcalibur fans -- only 12 more days.
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]
One more anime-inspired soul for Soulcalibur IV
The anime invasion of Soulcalibur IV is relentless. It never ceases to end; with now having the fifth character revealed, how many more does Namco plan on adding? The latest anime-inspired, original combatant to join the roster is Kamikirimusi. She's some sort of half-demon and is a creation from Hirokazu Hisayuki whose previous works have included The Visions of Escaflowne and Tekken: The Movie.As we've mentioned in previous posts, all the new anime cameo characters are female. None are male. Perhaps, that's a good thing as it balances out the very male-centric Star Wars cameo cast (Vader and his apprentice for the PS3 version). With Soulcalibur IV's release only three weeks away, it's a wonder what other stuff Namco will hit us with next.
Deals: $10 gift cards and Assassins for the cheap
This week at Circuit City, you can grab a few gift cards with your new video game purchases. Purchase either Unreal Tournament III or Beijing Olympics 2008 and get a free $10 gift card. If you're looking for new Xbox 360 Arcade hardware and are willing to purchase LEGO Indiana Jones as well, you'll be treated to a free $20 gift card. Their other deals include a free art poster with Civilization: Revolution and Assassin's Creed for the super low price of $30. Outside of Circuit City the deals are slim, but Best Buy is giving away a free eighteen month calendar with a SoulCalibur IV pre-order and Toys R Us is giving away a free $10 gift card with the purchase of a Guitar Hero: Aerosmith bundle or just the game (in store only). Now go fanboys, go and get your shop on.
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.
Rumor: Kratos may be in Soulcalibur IV
If 1UP's mysterious Quartermann is to be believed, the PS3 version of Soulcalibur IV may be a rather dark, broody, angst-ridden fighter. Not only will the PS3 version exclusively feature Star Wars' Darth Vader, it may also feature God of War's always-angry Kratos. The character would make an excellent and logical addition to the Namco Bandai fighter, thanks to his over-the-top weapons-based moves. If he's not included in the upcoming fighter, we can only blame one thing: his chest is clearly not large enough.Soulcalibur IV is coming out next month, so all will be revealed in due time.[Via Joystiq]
Soulcalibur IV Limited Edition Fighting Stick available for pre-order
We've reported on this before, but those of you who are impatiently waiting for Soulcalibur IV can curb your anticipation slightly by pre-ordering this official Soulcalibur Limited Edition Fighting Stick 3 by Hori. This limited edition peripheral will be released on June 24th and retails for $49.99, which is the same as the regular ol' Fighting Stick, so if you are a fan of Soul Calibur IV or fighting games in general, we'd say this is a must-have. Though you are going to have to play other fighting games with it for now, since Soulcalibur IV itself won't be released till a little over a month later, on July 29th.
Hori bringing Soulcalibur arcade sticks to US
In preparation of Namco Bandai's upcoming fighting game, Hori is set to release an arcade pad in the US. There are a few things of note of this peripheral, as noted by Siliconera. Firstly, the PS3 pad is only $50 (as opposed to the Xbox 360's $60 controller). Secondly, Hori hasn't announced plans to bring this to Japan. Could the tables have finally turned? Strange!Hardcore fighting fans swear by arcade pads, opting not to use standard controllers. We'll see if Soulcalibur IV dominates the competitive fighting scene when it releases at the end of next month.
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.
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%
Soulcalibur IV adds one more lightsaber to roster
No, you're not seeing things, and no we haven't made a gargantuan mistake by having a Star Wars: The Force Unleashed pic on a Soulcalibur IV story. It, basically, is the story. For you see, according to Gamespot, not only is Darth Vader making his way into the PS3 version of Soulcalibur IV, but his dark apprentice will be following close behind. However, the apprentice will be the only guest Star Wars character to go multiplatform as both Vader and Yoda will remain console exclusives.It's quite interesting to see all these cross-genre, cross-developer crossovers. Another prominent one is Assassin's Solid. We wonder which two developers will unite and surprise us next.
