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Soul Calibur II
- June 20, 2003 13:43 PM PST
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Not content merely to wage war against his kin, Heihachi now takes on the venerable cast of Soul Calibur II.
Namco?s weapons-based fighter series has always played second fiddle to the company?s other internally developed franchise brawler, Tekken. Escaping the shadow of the Iron Fist tournament is a tall order, but Soul Calibur II looks like it?s up to the challenge.
One Exclusive Character To Rule Them All
Namco plans to increase Soul Calibur II?s reach by publishing versions for all three next-generation platforms. Each console features one exclusive character, which is either a blessing or a curse depending on who your favorite character is and what system you own. The GameCube version includes Link from the Legend of Zelda series, PlayStation 2 owners receive Heihachi from Tekken, and Xbox players get comic book antihero Spawn. You might scratch your head wondering what Spawn has to do with the Xbox, but it turns out creator Todd McFarlane is a big fan of Soul Calibur and wanted to be a part of the next game. He even created a brand-new character, Necrid, who is playable on all three consoles. His toy division is also working on four-inch figures due to hit stores this summer.
A total of 20 characters fill out the roster, which features returning characters like Taki, Mitsurugi, Nightmare, and Ivy. New challengers are also entering the fray, including Talim, Raphael, Cassandra, and Hong Yun Sung.
The New Stage of History
Soul Calibur is known for its straightforward gameplay?easy to pick up and difficult to master. This delicate balance is maintained in all three preview versions of Soul Calibur II. The characters feel sharp and responsive whether you?re using the PS2, GameCube, or Xbox controller.
The popular Weapon Master mode returns with 200 new weapons to collect, along with unlockable secret characters, features, and stages. Arcade, Vs., Time Attack, Survival, Team Battle, and Practice modes are also available.
Will sharpened gameplay and new features finally prove the sword is mightier than the Iron Fist? Gamers can answer that question for themselves this August.
