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"[GAME] SoulCalibur (iOS)"

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This thread has been linked to the game 'SoulCalibur'.
Mon 13/02/12 at 09:45
Moderator
"possibly impossible"
Posts: 24,985
Fisticuffs are fine for late night pub brawls, but when you want to really get down and fight there's no better tool than a whacking great sword to sort out the men (and scantily-clad women) from the boys.

Historical Calibur

SoulCalibur does just that and does it in style. A follow up to the arcade and PS1 game Soul Blade, Namco Bandai's game has spawned many sequels, including the latest release SoulCalibur V.

While the Dreamcast game was a delight to watch in action, SoulCalibur on iOS is the prettiest fighter yet, fact. The movement is surprisingly fluid, despite a lot of action going on behind the fighters and those high quality visuals in front. On iPad it further impresses and will have people peering over your shoulder as you play.

The latest update brings the game up to the 60fps that the original was noted for and makes a huge difference to the action. Now Eve's assets move perfectly smoothly, and if that doesn't excite you I don't know what will.

Soul Clobberer

Because of the visuals, it seems that the game is restricted to 4th Generation devices and higher (iPhone 4, iPad 2, iPhone 4S and iPod Touch 4th Gen). It's a shame that older devices aren't supported, but somewhat understandable given the amount of processing that seems to be going on.

Unlike Street Fighter IV and King of Fighters, the game has distinguished itself with use of weaponry instead of fisticuffs. This makes a big difference in the style of fighting and puts a lot more emphasis on blocking moves. Blocking high, low, or in the middle is important to prevent damage from the enemy and learning to read your opponent is key to surviving the higher skill levels.

Spacial Calibur

Another difference with Namco's fighter is the use of 3D space. As well as the usual backward and forward movements, your character can move into and out of the screen, around the other character. This can take a bit of getting used to, but once you do it's an essential skill for getting the upper hand in a fight.

Characters range from light and fast with smaller weapons and therefore less damage to the huge mad-as-a-hatter types who wield swords so big they probably use them as full length mirrors to dress in the morning. Each character has a back-story, but this is really only addressed in the closing credits once you've beaten the fiery end of game boss.

Several difficulty levels range from 'I can do this with my eyes closed' to 'What the $%£%£' and cater for all types of player. The lowest level really is pretty easy to complete the game with, so it's a pretty good all rounder for both novice and expert players.

Soul Controller

Control-wise, SoulCalibur hits most of the right buttons. Although it can't compensate for a real arcade stick or physical pad, the virtual stick anf buttons are certainly responsive and the buttons can be moved around the screen, with more or less being added to suit comfort and skill levels. I'd go as far as saying that the controls here are the best fighting controls seen on the iPhone so far, though the iPad fairs better with more space for button layout.

Soul Player

Despite all these positives, there's a big hole in SoulCalibur's repetoire; it has no multiplayer. No, not even local WIFI or Bluetooth is available. It's a big knock for a genre that screams multiplayer and hampers the long term enjoyment of the game. Namco Bandai's App Store brief for the game does mention further modes being available at a later date, but we can't guarantee it'll be the multiplayer one.

Aside from this, the story mode is absent. This is less of an issue for me as I found the original a bit heavy going, but it would have still been a nice inclusion. What we do have on offer is the standard Arcade mode, a Survival mode that gets progressively harder, Extra Survival mode, Time Attack and Practice to keep you busy. It's still a hefty chunk of gaming for fighting fans, but then they're asking a hefty price for this on the App Store compared to many other games, so those items that aren't included do smart a little.

Soul Completer

Even without multiplayer, the 19 fighters, excellent graphics and fluid gameplay still add up to one impressive iOS game and the score reflects, in part, my pleasure of being able to take SoulCalibur around with me wherever I go.

If you're a fan of the series or of fighting games in general and can live with the lack of Multiplayer for now, then SoulCalibur is still worth the asking price. If Namco Bandai add Multiplayer, expect the score to shoot up to 10. Let's hope the later games in the series make their way to the platform.

8/10
Mon 13/02/12 at 11:59
Moderator
"possibly impossible"
Posts: 24,985
Thanks,

I've played every game from Soul Blade onwards and love them all (even the much maligned SoulCalibur IV). Having one on my phone is just fantastic.
Mon 13/02/12 at 11:29
Staff Moderator
"Meh..."
Posts: 1,474
A rather fine review...

Always loved the Soul Calibur games just for the sheer "Over the Top"-ness of them all.
Mon 13/02/12 at 09:45
Moderator
"possibly impossible"
Posts: 24,985
Fisticuffs are fine for late night pub brawls, but when you want to really get down and fight there's no better tool than a whacking great sword to sort out the men (and scantily-clad women) from the boys.

Historical Calibur

SoulCalibur does just that and does it in style. A follow up to the arcade and PS1 game Soul Blade, Namco Bandai's game has spawned many sequels, including the latest release SoulCalibur V.

While the Dreamcast game was a delight to watch in action, SoulCalibur on iOS is the prettiest fighter yet, fact. The movement is surprisingly fluid, despite a lot of action going on behind the fighters and those high quality visuals in front. On iPad it further impresses and will have people peering over your shoulder as you play.

The latest update brings the game up to the 60fps that the original was noted for and makes a huge difference to the action. Now Eve's assets move perfectly smoothly, and if that doesn't excite you I don't know what will.

Soul Clobberer

Because of the visuals, it seems that the game is restricted to 4th Generation devices and higher (iPhone 4, iPad 2, iPhone 4S and iPod Touch 4th Gen). It's a shame that older devices aren't supported, but somewhat understandable given the amount of processing that seems to be going on.

Unlike Street Fighter IV and King of Fighters, the game has distinguished itself with use of weaponry instead of fisticuffs. This makes a big difference in the style of fighting and puts a lot more emphasis on blocking moves. Blocking high, low, or in the middle is important to prevent damage from the enemy and learning to read your opponent is key to surviving the higher skill levels.

Spacial Calibur

Another difference with Namco's fighter is the use of 3D space. As well as the usual backward and forward movements, your character can move into and out of the screen, around the other character. This can take a bit of getting used to, but once you do it's an essential skill for getting the upper hand in a fight.

Characters range from light and fast with smaller weapons and therefore less damage to the huge mad-as-a-hatter types who wield swords so big they probably use them as full length mirrors to dress in the morning. Each character has a back-story, but this is really only addressed in the closing credits once you've beaten the fiery end of game boss.

Several difficulty levels range from 'I can do this with my eyes closed' to 'What the $%£%£' and cater for all types of player. The lowest level really is pretty easy to complete the game with, so it's a pretty good all rounder for both novice and expert players.

Soul Controller

Control-wise, SoulCalibur hits most of the right buttons. Although it can't compensate for a real arcade stick or physical pad, the virtual stick anf buttons are certainly responsive and the buttons can be moved around the screen, with more or less being added to suit comfort and skill levels. I'd go as far as saying that the controls here are the best fighting controls seen on the iPhone so far, though the iPad fairs better with more space for button layout.

Soul Player

Despite all these positives, there's a big hole in SoulCalibur's repetoire; it has no multiplayer. No, not even local WIFI or Bluetooth is available. It's a big knock for a genre that screams multiplayer and hampers the long term enjoyment of the game. Namco Bandai's App Store brief for the game does mention further modes being available at a later date, but we can't guarantee it'll be the multiplayer one.

Aside from this, the story mode is absent. This is less of an issue for me as I found the original a bit heavy going, but it would have still been a nice inclusion. What we do have on offer is the standard Arcade mode, a Survival mode that gets progressively harder, Extra Survival mode, Time Attack and Practice to keep you busy. It's still a hefty chunk of gaming for fighting fans, but then they're asking a hefty price for this on the App Store compared to many other games, so those items that aren't included do smart a little.

Soul Completer

Even without multiplayer, the 19 fighters, excellent graphics and fluid gameplay still add up to one impressive iOS game and the score reflects, in part, my pleasure of being able to take SoulCalibur around with me wherever I go.

If you're a fan of the series or of fighting games in general and can live with the lack of Multiplayer for now, then SoulCalibur is still worth the asking price. If Namco Bandai add Multiplayer, expect the score to shoot up to 10. Let's hope the later games in the series make their way to the platform.

8/10

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