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Soul Caliber 2
Note: This title is multi-platform but I only played the PS2 and Gamecube versions. If anything I might bring up doesn?t ring true for the Xbox version, that?s why.
The first thing you?ll notice in this game is the fact that it is beautiful. Characters, stages, weapons, everything just oozes beauty. Now, if that?s all the game had going for it, it wouldn?t be much of a game (just look at The Bouncer [PS2]) Thankfully, there is a lot more than that.
Arcade mode: Pick one of 26 or so fighters and battle your way to the end. Each character has their own rival who they?ll face before the end, usually preceded by a bit of story. After defeating Inferno (the final boss), you?ll see the epilogue to the character?s story explaining why they were after the Soul Edge and what they did after they attained/destroyed it.
Fairly standard for a fighting game, eh? Again, that?s not all Soul Caliber II has to offer.
Weapon Master Mode: My favorite aspect of the game, for various reasons. You play through the story of someone looking for the Soul Edge, using whichever character you wish. As you progress through the Weapon Master mode, you?ll receive gold and experience. The gold is used to purchase new weapons for each of the characters, something I like a great deal. Each of the weapons is unique, offering different effects for their user. Some weapons will increase your health but comparatively weak, others are powerful but will sap your life. Some weapons are adept at breaking your opponent?s guard, while others are easily broken through but offer different effects to balance them out. Which weapon you choose is entirely up to your playing style. Myself, I prefer the overly powerful weapons, regardless of their poisonous nature. Now, much later into the Weapon Master mode, you?ll be able to use?shall we say, unique weapons. Link (Gamecube version only), for example, can use his butterfly catching net; other characters can use things like brooms, and other odd weapons. These weapons, like the others all have their strengths and weaknesses, but you?ll have to be good in order to attain them.
Vs. Mode: Arguably, without a steady partner for these kinds of match-ups, I?m not entirely qualified for a review of this mode, but I?ll do my best.
The Vs. mode pits two players against one another. (Go figure) The difference in Soul Caliber II is that the game is not a simple button masher. If you just randomly attack, punching buttons in any order, you?ll fall to the player that attacks with precision and technique every time. This turns the game into a sort of chess match, with players trying their best to maneuver the other into a strikable position, all the while trying to attack and defend against the other.
Graphics: 10 (Easily)
Sound: 8 (The voices are actually enjoyable to hear, and the background music sets the scene quite nicely)
Story: 7
Characters: 9 (Whether it?s the samurai Mitsurugi, the giant Astaroth, or the nimble Taki, all the characters are splendid)
Settings: 7
Battles: 10 (The biggest qualifier for a fighting game, obviously, and Soul Caliber II delivers.)
DarthSupero's Overall Score (out of 100) for Soul Caliber II for multiple platforms: 8.8
[If the story was a little more fleshed out, the score would have been a lot closer to perfect]
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