Soul Calibur IV still burns!

Soul Calibur IV is a strong fighter, but its edge is beginning to dull.

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Soul Calibur IV hits the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with gorgeous new graphics, more detailed create-a-character options, and the same sword-clashing fights featured in the last four games. Speaking as a moderate fan of the series, I was hoping that Soul Calibur IV would reignite my passion for this well-respected fighter. What I got was more of the same, only prettier and more polished. Soul Calibur IV is undeniably the best version of an already great fighter, but outside of the Star Wars guest characters, there's little here that will surprise and delight newcomers or veterans.

Souls and Swords

In this fighting game, two players clash with exotic medieval weapons. You can win by slashing your opponent to ribbons, or by knocking him out of the ring. The chief difference between Soul Calibur IV and fighters like Tekken 5 is the presence of a Guard button, which you must hold in order to fend off enemy attacks. By tapping away or forward while guarding, you can deflect your enemy's weapon and open them up for a rapid counterattack. During these moments, Soul Calibur IV is at its best: the matches are fast, fierce, and very enjoyable.

Outside of the core fighting experience, though, Soul Calibur IV brings little new to the table. Single-player types can play the new Tower of Lost Souls mode, which is a welcome way to extend the life of the single-player game. In this mode, you fight a series of increasingly difficult opponents as you climb the tower, unlocking gold (spent on character customizations) and new items as you progress. Character creation is another high point: you can imbue your fighters with magical garments, or create a completely original character using color selection tools and a huge number of outfit options. Online, I encountered a player who had customized his fighter to look like The Joker from The Dark Knight. And YouTube videos are already demonstrating fan-made Supermen, Solid Snakes, and Links.

Comments [70]

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pixelsword

lol... farst

...The perfect blend of "fart" and "first"... a guys perfect word for smell and thread dominance.

greyscale

I went ahead and highlighted the PS3 version in place of the 360 version, so we didn't have two pics of Algol on the front page :)

gregdnr

Visually, the game is just spectacular. From the fluid fighting styles to the kaleidoscopic arenas, Soul Calibur IV is one of the most lavish-looking games on either the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation 3. Speaking of which, there aren't many differences between the two versions, though the PS3 version looks a bit crisper and benefits from the DualShock 3's superior directional pad.

greensabre

I rented it for 360, but wasn't terribly impressed. Although I'm not a fan of fighting games in the first place.

denveraic

I'm sad with this review. We waited a week after everybody else's review for this? This is by far the best Soul Calibur to date. Why didn't you speak about the new features this game offers? The destructible gear is awesome, if you block to much, you are penalized, the new special systems, and points is awesome. Everything is upgradeable. Every article you put on your body has a consequence. You aren't just customizing a character, you are upping their attributes. This game is much better than 3. As far as graphics, they are awesome, of course though, leave it to Lamepro, and their week late review to insult the 360, this is the fourth review I have read, and everyone said the graphics were equal, except yours, surprise Lamepro at it again. The one advantage the PS3 does have, is the optional install, no load times. Though there will be the update to allow you to do the same on the 360, so consider that a wash in a few month, but for now, no loads only from Sony. Good game either way.

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