RPGamers Network > Reviews > Game Reviews > Soul Calibur 2
Soul Calibur 2 follows the stories of the characters from the first 2 games and also adds new characters with new stories in. Once again, it adds more originality in characters just like it predecessor did. It has more unlockable things than a mansion of locked doors. Let's go more into detail about how Namco did with the GameCube version.
Firstly, as soon as you play the game, you're greeted with an awesome cut scene with a lot of the characters in it. As you enter the game, even the cursor moving sound effects are cool. There are many different modes to choose from, such as Arcade, Survival and of course, Weapon Master Mode. More on them later. The graphics, sound effects and music are the instantly recognizable good things about the game, the rest requiring you to fight.
The fighting in this game is so smooth. There is absolutely no lag, and the characters are fully 3D rendered with no visible pixels because so many are used. The characters move in such fluent motion that if you weren't playing, you'd swear they were real people battling it out. Granted, the analog stick makes it slightly hard to fight at first, because you have to get used to everything, but after an hour at the most, you easily grasp how to play, especially if you've had a GameCube for a while.
Personally, I think the GameCube version is the best of the 3 released. One reason may be that Link is in it from the beginning and he has several alternate costumes to unlock. But the main reason is that there really hasn't been any great one on one fighters on the GameCube yet (not counting SSBM of course) so the joy of one actually appearing makes it a much better game.
Anywho, into the game's features. Arcade Mode is the general fighting option that's in most fighting games. You play as a character fighting, well, in this case it's 8 battles and then you win
. If you lose, you can select a different character (good for getting endings and profiles for characters you're no good at). Survival Mode is an interesting one. You fight 50 consecutive battles with your health healing up a little after each battle. All you get is money from this. The money system in Soul Calibur is not really original. Basically, you get money from doing Missions in Weapon Master Mode and doing other things too. You use money to buy character weapons, new modes and alternate costumes for characters.
Unlike the original Soul Blade where each character had a different story in Weapon Master Mode, Soul Calibur 2 runs through a single story and allows you to use any character you think would be most useful in each mission. There are loads of missions to complete. The missions very in difficulty depending on your style of fighting, like if you don't guard much, some missions are easier and probably a lot more are hard. If you just go through the normal chapters and finish all the compulsory missions, you get the Extra Missions feature, which are a whole lot of damn harder missions for you to do. Have fun.
There are a total of 88 major unlockable things and they can be viewed as well. They range from character costumes, to new characters, to new arenas and even new modes in the game. Surprisingly, you will get very good at this game very quick and it shouldn't take you more than 30 hours to get all 88 things. With that minority out of the way, you can now focus on buying every weapon in the game and fully completing it.
I suppose I stated the only problem with the game, it loses it's excitement level after a while but that's all the more reason to play it all over again
. Or challenge yourself to actually finishing Survivor mode. But anyway...
The music in the game, well, I'll probably talk in detail elsewhere, but it's awesome. Most of it is worked on orchestrated music, but it's fast paced orchestrated music that makes it seem like medieval fighting is taking place, which it is. Some music really goes well with their characters and levels. It sometimes makes important fights more dramatic and in-depth. Great stuff.
If you don't like fighting games, play it anyway, the style of fighting might turn you around. It's so easy to execute powerful combos and defeat your foes. If you like fighting games and don't have it already, what are you reading this for?? This is the best fighting game I've played in a very long time. Top notch effort by Namco in this game.
| Game Stats | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Fighting |
| Platform | GameCube |
| Format | GD-ROM |
| # of Players | 2 |
| Released Jap | 03.27.2003 |
| Released US | 08.27.2003 |
| Released EU | 09.26.2003 |
| Aprox. Length | 20-30 hrs. |
| Reviewer Rankings | |
| Battle System | 9.0 |
| Gameplay | 9.0 |
| Music | 10.0 |
| Originality | 8.0 |
| Plot | 9.0 |
| Replay Value | 8.0 |
| Sound | 9.0 |
| Visuals | 9.0 |
| Difficulty | Varies |
| Overall | |
| 8.9 | |
Soul Calibur 2
By: NamcoReviewed By: Kie
I remember the original Soul Blade on PS, it was fast for it's time, had great music, a few good characters and lots of things to unlock. Soul Calibur had a better storyline, but lacked a little in the music. The gameplay was also fast for it's time. Now we come to the new age of gaming, and Soul Calibur 2 is with it.Soul Calibur 2 follows the stories of the characters from the first 2 games and also adds new characters with new stories in. Once again, it adds more originality in characters just like it predecessor did. It has more unlockable things than a mansion of locked doors. Let's go more into detail about how Namco did with the GameCube version.
Firstly, as soon as you play the game, you're greeted with an awesome cut scene with a lot of the characters in it. As you enter the game, even the cursor moving sound effects are cool. There are many different modes to choose from, such as Arcade, Survival and of course, Weapon Master Mode. More on them later. The graphics, sound effects and music are the instantly recognizable good things about the game, the rest requiring you to fight.
The fighting in this game is so smooth. There is absolutely no lag, and the characters are fully 3D rendered with no visible pixels because so many are used. The characters move in such fluent motion that if you weren't playing, you'd swear they were real people battling it out. Granted, the analog stick makes it slightly hard to fight at first, because you have to get used to everything, but after an hour at the most, you easily grasp how to play, especially if you've had a GameCube for a while.
Personally, I think the GameCube version is the best of the 3 released. One reason may be that Link is in it from the beginning and he has several alternate costumes to unlock. But the main reason is that there really hasn't been any great one on one fighters on the GameCube yet (not counting SSBM of course) so the joy of one actually appearing makes it a much better game.
Anywho, into the game's features. Arcade Mode is the general fighting option that's in most fighting games. You play as a character fighting, well, in this case it's 8 battles and then you win
. If you lose, you can select a different character (good for getting endings and profiles for characters you're no good at). Survival Mode is an interesting one. You fight 50 consecutive battles with your health healing up a little after each battle. All you get is money from this. The money system in Soul Calibur is not really original. Basically, you get money from doing Missions in Weapon Master Mode and doing other things too. You use money to buy character weapons, new modes and alternate costumes for characters.Unlike the original Soul Blade where each character had a different story in Weapon Master Mode, Soul Calibur 2 runs through a single story and allows you to use any character you think would be most useful in each mission. There are loads of missions to complete. The missions very in difficulty depending on your style of fighting, like if you don't guard much, some missions are easier and probably a lot more are hard. If you just go through the normal chapters and finish all the compulsory missions, you get the Extra Missions feature, which are a whole lot of damn harder missions for you to do. Have fun.
There are a total of 88 major unlockable things and they can be viewed as well. They range from character costumes, to new characters, to new arenas and even new modes in the game. Surprisingly, you will get very good at this game very quick and it shouldn't take you more than 30 hours to get all 88 things. With that minority out of the way, you can now focus on buying every weapon in the game and fully completing it.
I suppose I stated the only problem with the game, it loses it's excitement level after a while but that's all the more reason to play it all over again
. Or challenge yourself to actually finishing Survivor mode. But anyway...The music in the game, well, I'll probably talk in detail elsewhere, but it's awesome. Most of it is worked on orchestrated music, but it's fast paced orchestrated music that makes it seem like medieval fighting is taking place, which it is. Some music really goes well with their characters and levels. It sometimes makes important fights more dramatic and in-depth. Great stuff.
If you don't like fighting games, play it anyway, the style of fighting might turn you around. It's so easy to execute powerful combos and defeat your foes. If you like fighting games and don't have it already, what are you reading this for?? This is the best fighting game I've played in a very long time. Top notch effort by Namco in this game.
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