Soul calibur

Review by : The Ragin Cajun

Format : Dreamcast

Type : Beat em up

Players : 1 - 2

This is a beautiful game, but like beautiful people, beautiful games tend to be a bit shallow, so is soul calibur beauty with brains, or another blonde bimbo. Well I’ll get to that in a while, but first lets address those graphics.

When the game first appeared it showed one of the main characters performing a dazzling martial arts display with a Bo-staff. Most people assumed that this was FMV. Then Namco said, “ that’s the game engine in motion” cue the sound of a thousand jaws hitting the ground at once. Every character in soul calibur has been modelled realistically and to watch them move is akin to watching poetry in motion. The characters move with a level of realism that before now was thought of as impossible. The weapons that the characters use have their own motion blurs effect and particularly damaging blows or combos result in a techni-coloured explosion that cast coloured lighting on your sorry foe and yourself. Words alone can’t convey how good this game looks, so at least trying the game once for the visual experience alone is recommended. As silky smooth as the visuals are they are matched, if not exceeded by the sound and controls.

The sounds of combat are wonderful, with each landed blow getting a meaty WHUMP. Also the characters themselves shout at each other (albeit in Japanese) and have a number of victory taunts that are so well voiced over and synced with the character lips that it looks almost too real.

The control system is simple and effective. Two buttons for horizontal and vertical weapon slashes, a kick button and a guard button. The major innovation here comes from the 8-way-run system meaning that the analogue stick is used not only to advance and retreat, but also to circle opponents, avoid weapon strikes and perform side and back throws. Although this feature can be a bit puzzling at first (especially to those breed on a diet of Tekken or virtua fighter) it soon becomes second nature. And nothing is more satisfying that side-stepping your opponents attack and then performing a devastating throw.

Like I said earlier this game is beautiful but it has some ugly flaws, and the difficulty setting is one of them. The game can be cleared on the highest difficulty with relative ease, and it doesn’t offer much challenge after that. Infact the same apples to the 2-player mode when a skilful player can succumb to a rank amateur that just mashes the pad in a vain attempt to pull off an move. But to counteract this is the mission battle mode, which is basically a set of tasks to be completed in order to earn coins to finance the purchases of wonderful pieces of CG and production art, which in turn can open up new missions and stages. It’s this mode, and NOT the single player mode that extends the very short lifespan of soul calibur. That and the fact that with all beat –em –ups there is the potential to become very, very good at it. Overall there is a lot to recommend for soul calibur. Great graphics, sound and gameplay the only downer is a lifespan that is just way too short. But if you own a dreamcast you just have to own this game. The sheer effort that has been put into the game is worth the admission alone.

Sound         : Mortal kombat never sounded this good

  9/10

Gameplay    : Easy to get into

  9/10

Difficulty     : The worst thing about the whole game

7/10

Graphics      : So good its unbelivebel

  9/10

  9/10

Overall         : If you got a dreamcast buy this

Review by : The Ragin Cajun