Score
Gameplay:	8
Graphics:	10
Sound:	9
FunFactor:	9
PlasmaFactor:	9
Overall:	9

Soul Calibur 2 Review
January 15, 2004 by Jody

by Jody - January 15, 2004

Since day one on the Dreamcast, the Soul Calibur series has been outstanding. Developed and published by Namco, Soul Calibur II makes no exception to the rule. One of the greatest fighting games of all time now finds itself on all three of the next generation consoles � each of which truly deserves to be played. With Soul Calibur, classic fighting is back again.

Not much different other than graphics and characters.

The gameplay of Soul Calibur II is pretty simple to understand. You pick one of 13 fighters and enter them in a world tournament. After completing it, you unlock goodies and points. The points can be used to purchase items. Other than the standard Arcade mode, we have six other modes of play: Vs, Time Attack, Survival, Team Battle, Practice, and Weapon Master.

Vs, as you probably already know, has to deal with you going one on one with a friend. This is probably the most fun part of the game � it truly defines the fighting genre. What better way to master your favorite character than to learn all of his moves, best defenses, and how to use them in the right places.

Time Attack is sort of like arcade, but without the plot. You fight through a series of characters until you get to the last boss -- then you beat his ass and win the game. The faster you beat this mode though, the better the score for you. The better the score, the more points you get and the more upgrades you can have for your favorite character.

Survival is probably one of my favorite modes in the game. You fight through another long list of players until you lose one round. Unlike Time Attack and Arcade mode, which have rounds, if you lose once, it�s over.

Team Battle is also pretty fun. You and your friend team up to take turns beating the crap out of a bunch of AI. The faster you beat them, the more points you get.

Practice is a great mode for learning all of your character�s moves. I learned every single one of Kilik�s 145 fighting moves by playing this over and over � and I still remember them all.

Weapon master is kind of like a side quest. After you�ve beaten the game, you play into this, doing certain objectives to earn more and more points. Without playing this, it is pretty much impossible to accumulate points to buy everything you want.

AWESOME.

Each version of Soul Calibur II look a lot alike, but that is nowhere near a bad thing. Not everything about the three is completely different though � as the lighting is a lot better on the XBOX compared to the PS2. The game is graphically stunning no matter what console you have it on. The animations for each character give the characters the look of resilience and grace � making this take down Tekken as one of the best looking fighters around.

Was that a kick? It sounded like it!

The audio for all three consoles is some of the best around. When someone kicks and slams someone else, it just makes you want to drool. Another cool feature is the addition of both the English and the Japanese dialog, from which your character speaks. From every fight to just sitting in the menu, every part of this game has it�s own distinctive sound and it really shines.

 

Soul Calibur 2 is a worthy sequel.

The rule of the game is that if it does not play well, it is not a good game at all. Thankfully the rule has been acknowledged and Soul Calibur II is a joy to play. Whether you are a beginner or have played fighting games all your life, the game is easy enough to jump right in and play, and deep enough to learn the multitude of combos and moves to become a master. Most will proclaim this as a button masher, which is some respects it is, but one thing is certain�a masher will NEVER beat a master at this game. Unlike the Tekken series, newbies just can�t jump in and beat a veteran. There is a lot of room for error, and plenty of openings that only kings of the ring will spot. This really gives the game a reason to find a character or two and learn every skill they hone. The game play is pretty basic, two hand attacks, one kick and a guard. A combination of any of these leads to some cool and vicious moves. There is plenty to learn in Soul Calibur II and the time and effort is rewarded greatly.

 

You need this, so go buy it.

With over 200 items to unlock, new characters, a new GUI, and an all new feel to the game, Soul Calibur II is definitely worth the purchase. If you�re not even into fighters, Soul Calibur II is still a worthy purchase. Once you pick this game up, you won�t be able to sit it down for awhile. It�s great to play on dates also!