Soulcalibur Review

By Dan Whitehead Published 4 July, 2008

The soul still earns.

Version tested: Xbox 360

When I saw that Soulcalibur was due to appear on Live Arcade, I thought a terrible thing. It was one of those instinctive ejaculations from the id, a thought of unvarnished honesty that had already bubbled up and gone by the time my waking, professional games-writing brain had noticed how wrong it was.

"Finally, another proper game on Live Arcade!"

Isn't that awful? Deep down, where the gnarled prehistoric chromosomes still snap and rage at each other, I apparently still harboured an assumption that while these downloadable games are sometimes fun or clever, they're not the same as proper games. The weird and frankly terrifying thing is, I fundamentally disagree with myself on this issue (that's because you're an arse) (shut up you). I honestly believe great gameplay is where you find it, and the cost, file-size and method of delivery are marginal concerns when judging how well a game works as a piece of entertainment. Or at least I think I do. Or did. Or...bloody hell.

Admittedly, Live Arcade doesn't do much to defend its corner in this imaginary and increasingly painful argument, with the truly great stuff generally being ported from elsewhere and the best of the rest being mostly pleasant but nothing to inspire true passion. Of course, in a grim twist, Soulcalibur actually arrives as half of a proper game, thus managing to prove both sides of my warring consciousness correct and wrong at the same time. My brain just gone broken.

Soulcalibur, then. It's a fighting game. A really fantastic fighting game, originally an arcade machine then ported to the Dreamcast with phenomenal success because the two machines shared much the same wiry guts. You get a generous nineteen fighters, who battle each other with swords, axes, daggers and poles with stabby bits. Some are predictable martial arts clichés. Others are giant lizard-men. Or minotaurs. Or Voldo, the Marilyn Manson of the SEGA scene. Even acknowledging that the 360 pad is not a good fit for fighting games, control is simple and elegant while the resulting moves are impressive and weighty. That's always a good balance - do something simple, make something awesome happen. That way lies accessibility and gratification.

'Soulcalibur' Screenshot 1

The bumper buttons are used to charge up your attacks, though this leaves you open to a whuppin'.

And Soulcalibur is a very accessible game. The fighting genre has pretty much vanished up its own overly-technical arse these days, but I'm pleased to report that a little button-mashing can grant you decent headway into Soulcalibur's arcade mode. Wait, what? Button-mashing? Good? Well, yes, because that's how newcomers instinctively play games like this. By rewarding your amateur experimentations (or at least not penalising them too harshly) the game gently leads you down the path of self-improvement. The first time you win a bout, it'll probably be an accident. The second time, you've started to realise which buttons do which attacks, and which are most effective. The third, fourth, fifth times, you've discovered a few combos. Before you know it, you're actually getting good at the game. It leads with the carrot rather than the stick, and is all the more fun because of it. You'll lose as many matches as you win, if not more, but there's none of that hateful n00b punishment that the more elitist fighters use to close ranks against all but the hardcore.

Graphically, it's okay. Kind of funny to think we were once stunned by these rather puppet-like 3D figures, but they do their job and they do it well. Given the subsequent decision to race Dead or Alive down to the bottom of the "Ooh Boobies!" gaming barrel of despair it's certainly worth noting that the ladybumps here are surprisingly conservative in dimension, reassuringly rigid and often fully-clothed. The HD makeover is hardly revolutionary, however, and the 4:3 presentation does leave those big old bars down the side of the screen. Personally, I'm happy to play the game in its original aspect ratio, but with no option to expand the game to fill your lovely telly, it's certainly something that could annoy potential purchasers. Real Soulcalibur purists will be pleased to learn that Voldo's horned codpiece is still in the game, though, so at least we're not being palmed off with the censored US version.

There are omissions though, and fairly glaring ones at that. There's no online play, for instance. There are 60 specialised leaderboards, by way of small compensation. I didn't find this too much of a problem, especially given that I've never really liked - or entirely trusted - the idea of online fighting games. I like my opponent next to me, the old-fashioned way. I suspect it'd also be something of a nightmare to implement, but that's a poor excuse for anyone who was looking forward to retro slash-slash-clang internet excitement. So, a small frown for that.

At least online was never a feature of the original game. Mission Battle was, however, and now it's gone, sacrificed to squeeze into Microsoft's old file-size limit. I'm torn as to how much this negatively impacts the game. On the one hand, this series of conditional globe-trotting challenges was an integral way of unlocking new outfits and weapons. Those are now all available from the start, which leaves this version feeling a little like it's had the training wheels left on.

'Soulcalibur' Screenshot 2

Hits literally take slices off your health gauge, like a big green liquorice stick of life...

On the other hand, the majority of players will be more interested in normal one-on-one fighting, and may well be thankful that they don't have to slog through a series of quite tricky battles to see all the game offers. I won't pretend to know enough about the ins and outs of Dreamcast code and the Live Arcade process to know what was actually feasible, but I'd gladly have ditched the survival game mode, the museum, the exhibition videos and other nice-but-inessential side dishes in order to have Mission Battle reinstated.

So is this a slimmed down version of a "proper game", suitable for all players and offering instant arcade-perfect enjoyment? Or a crudely chopped-up borked port of an absolute classic, tantamount to cutting the Mona Lisa in half and mounting the tattered remains on a traffic roundabout like one of those rain-smeared "BARBARA IS 40" banners? I'm going to have to go with the first option, simply because Soulcalibur is too much of an awesome game to allow this annoying act of butchery to dull its shine. Could it have been even better, had they waited and used more space to include absolutely everything? Undoubtedly, but a big chunk of Soulcalibur for 800 Microsoft Points is still one hell of a treat.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Dan.

About Dan Whitehead

Dan has been writing for Eurogamer since 2006 and specialises in RPGs, shooters and games for children. His bestest game ever is Julian Gollop's Chaos.

Read more articles from Dan by visiting the Dan Whitehead archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (68) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • LazyDan #1 4 years ago

    Instant purchase - I'm glad XBLA is almost becoming the Virtual Console for DC games in lieu of the Wii not having enough space for them.

    More!

  • Thunderhead #2 4 years ago

    How can they classify this as being redone in HD if it has an aspect ratio of 4:3. I am under the impression that to be HD you need to have a minimum spec of 16:10 and 720p, if you are missing one of those then it's not HD.

    Am I wrong?

  • bad09 #3 4 years ago

    I love this! 8/10 is my score on this version as well (10/10 for DC). I mentioned on the forum the border can vanish with a descent HDTV but everyone else is pretty screwed on that one, shame. Online would have been nice but 4 is along soon so not that bothered.

    Dan I agree completely with what you said about Live I thrive on the "real" games, such a snob!

  • peteb #4 4 years ago

    @Thunderhead

    well, min spec of 16:9 but yea you're right

  • Darren #5 4 years ago

    Brilliant review as always EG. I agree with everything you wrote, particularly about the absence of the Mission Battle mode and the lack of a widescreen option. SoulCalibur is still a great game but with everything unlocked from the start there's nothing to aim for while you're playing so the game has lost a huge chunk of what made it so bloody addictive for me in the first place. It's like I'm playing a game someone else has finished. Thus this game is both awesome, as in it looks, sounds and plays like I remember it, and rubbish, i.e. there's now next no longevity unless you play it with friends.

  • ostrasized #6 4 years ago

    As if retro-fitting online play into an arcade machine was easy.

    If it really is a 'poor excuse' for not including internet play, where there can be 0.2s between a player pushing a button and their opponent even being able to know about it, thanks to the sodding speed of light, then frankly this is a 'poor excuse' for an objective review.

    Internet forum goons are expected to make silly statements like 'no online play? Waaa!'. Reviewers are expected to know something about their industry. As if anyone would retrofit internet play into a product costing £5!

  • Razorus #7 4 years ago

    So, no story mode basically? eg, no character endings etc? That's a shame, I really wanted the story mode cos I have SC 2 and 3 and getting 4. Would have been nice to get the whole story.

  • Zomoniac #8 4 years ago

    How can they classify this as being redone in HD if it has an aspect ratio of 4:3. I am under the impression that to be HD you need to have a minimum spec of 16:10 and 720p, if you are missing one of those then it's not HD.

    But technically it is. It's being output in HD, as the borders are branded and part of the output image, just with a window in it that's showing the game footage.

    Anyway, it's a brilliant game, got 10 of 12 achievements in the first day, t'other two are too hard for little me.

    And the filesize thing is bullshit, which is why it's about 180MB and the 'limit' that mission battle was allegedly cut to fit in was 150MB.

  • Zomoniac #9 4 years ago

    So, no story mode basically? eg, no character endings etc? That's a shame, I really wanted the story mode cos I have SC 2 and 3 and getting 4. Would have been nice to get the whole story.

    The story/character endings are in Arcade mode, which is present and correct. Mission Battle doesn't really have a story as such. It's a series of minigame-type things and scenario challenges (win a fight whilst your health is constantly draining, fight in a stage with rats running around the floor poison you on contact, that sort of thing). It was very long, deep, and great fun, but you're not missing any of the story.

  • McFly55 #10 4 years ago

    Just found a DC copy on ebay for £1.73. Think ill go for that one

  • monkie_king #11 4 years ago

    Can anyone actually do a QCF on the friggin' 360 d-pad? It takes dedicated effort just to find the diagonals on mine.

    Yeah, I know it's a stick game anyway, but it's a bit hard to justify the purchase when I already have a DC, stick and Soul Calibur GD-ROM in the cupboard.

  • HardToast #12 4 years ago

    Shame, no story mode = no buy *cries* :(
    Edited by 1 at 04/07/08 @ 11:41

  • Darren #13 4 years ago

    What the developers should have done with Soulcalibur was to release it sans the Mission Battle mode but still allowed you to unlock characters and third costumes from playing the Arcade mode numerous times. They then could have offered the Mission Battle mode as DLC for the game at a later date with the remaining extras for a small price like how Lumines Live worked. That way we'd have ended up with the full game and had a better reason to actually play it solo.

  • Thunderhead #14 4 years ago

    Yeah, I have the DC version, VGA converter and arcade stick upstairs anyway too :)

  • bad09 #15 4 years ago

    @ Darren

    Nah, I done all that already on DC I'm happy they just got on with the game this time.

  • Darren #16 4 years ago

    @Razorus - There ARE endings for each character in the Arcade mode though, you just don't unlock stuff like you did with the original. Instead EVERYTHING is unlocked from the off making the game a bit pointless as a solo experience. Shame really because it's a beautiful conversion otherwise. The audio sounds a bit rougher than I remember though but then I didn't have a surround sound system back in 1999!

  • Onny #17 4 years ago

    Small pedantic note here; the original SC arcade game was on System 12, which was an upgraded PS1. So the DC and the arcade original really had very little in common hardware-wise, not "the same wirey guts" at all.

    Anyway, small note aside, great review and a great game! :D

  • TheJuriel #18 4 years ago

    Man, I loved the Mission Mode. It had an individual story for each character, unlike the sequels.

  • DrR0b3rts #19 4 years ago

    For a ten year old game, the graphics hold up astonishingly well.

  • WinterSnowblind #20 4 years ago

    Mission mode was basically nothing but text, why couldn't they include it? The game doesn't fit the old 150mb limit anyway, it's over 180. Wouldn't be surprised if they make it downloadable shortly.

  • DanWhitehead #21 4 years ago

    Small pedantic note here; the original SC arcade game was on System 12, which was an upgraded PS1. So the DC and the arcade original really had very little in common hardware-wise, not "the same wirey guts" at all.

    My mistake. For some reason I was sure Soulcalibur used the NAOMI board.

  • Razz #22 4 years ago

    Aw man I thought this was for SC4. I was about to run out and buy it. Stil lexcited about online play for SC4 though. :)

  • bad09 #23 4 years ago

    "My mistake. For some reason I was sure Soulcalibur used the NAOMI board"

    It was wasn't it? That's why the conversion was so good as far as I remember??
    Edited by 1 at 04/07/08 @ 12:25

  • Dizzy #24 4 years ago

    I think I will get this instead of SC4.

  • monkie_king #25 4 years ago

    The Dreamcast version was subsequently ported back into the arcade as a Naomi game. So everyone is right. Yay.

    edit: Is nobody else seeing the borders at the top and bottom of the screen, as well as at the sides? Maybe they don't show up if your TV overscans the image?
    Edited by 1 at 04/07/08 @ 12:28

  • monkie_king #26 4 years ago

    WinterSnowblind: if you remember, progression through Mission Battle was accomplished by winning art cards. You could spend them on unlocking weapons etc., if I remember rightly.

    Anyway, they were pretty high resolution (you could zoom in on them on the DC, so they were bigger than SD TV resolution), and there were hundreds of them. So I guess that would have broken the download limit, and mission battle wouldn't make sense without the cards.

  • Darren #27 4 years ago

    The Art Cards are already in the game if I recall correctly. I'm sure I saw them in the Extras menu along with the Museum, Battle Theatre and all that jazz.

  • monkie_king #28 4 years ago

    O RLY? If that's true then Namco fail.

  • DanWhitehead #29 4 years ago

    It all depends how much memory Mission Battle requires compared to everything else in the game. Like I said in the review, I think its a shame they opted to remove the most interesting bonus feature but left all the others in. I'd happily swap those around.

  • login_name #30 4 years ago

    I wish someone would make a good fighter pad for the 360 (Hori's pad has the d-pad in the wrong place). It's the only thing that stops me from buying this and pre-ordering SC4 and SF4 or any other fighting game for that matter.

    I could care less about online. Even the smallest amount of lag would ruin the whole match, not to mention rage quitters. Also, it's just not the same as playing with a bunch of friends sat around the same TV or huddled around the same arcade cab.

  • monkie_king #31 4 years ago

    Is download size the stated reason, then? If the art cards are in already, Mission Battle should only need a tiny bit of space.

    Conspiracy theory: maybe they thought leaving Mission Battle in would cannibalise SC4 sales?

  • SleepyMagpie #32 4 years ago

    Instant purchase. Damn this game is still fun after all these years. Brought out Taki and found that I still had the moves in, and whipped through storymode in around 4 minutes.

    I got this AND I'm getting SC IV! The Soul still burns!

    Only shame is that everything is unlocked at the get-go. Why is that? Forcing people to unlock stuff isn't casual enough?

    And last thought: Poor, poor, poor PS3 only lot. The 360 is SO the connoisseur gamers' platform of this generation.

    I got a black smurf coffin sat in a corner mind, but it only gets to come out when I've purchased a new Blu-Ray!

  • adamamosa #33 4 years ago

    This was my first ever buy-without-downloading-the-demo purchase.

  • richie9997 #34 4 years ago

    @ monkie_king

    You can get rid of the borders at the top and bottom of the screen, its in the 1st set of options on the 1st screen before you get to the "original" soul calibur start screen, can't remember what its called though and can't check because i'm at work. But it was one of the 1st things I did!

    Hope that helps, will check when I get home and edit my post if its wrong
    Edited by 1 at 04/07/08 @ 13:18

  • smoothpete #35 4 years ago

    "censored US version"

    Who in the what now? They censored a codpiece? Or is that a joke?

  • rhubarbandcustard #36 4 years ago

    Tekken 5 on the PS3 only cost £6 too I think when it was released on PSN. That was the first dlc I got for my PS3 and I still play it regularly many, many months later. I fully expect Soulcalibur will have the same effect on me. £6 - absolute bargain.

    DLC is the shining jewel in this generation of hardware. Never again would I consider spending £40 on a game.

  • monkie_king #37 4 years ago

    richie: ah thanks, I've only played the demo for a couple of quick sessions so far, must have skipped past that. What's the tradeoff though? Uglier upscaling? I'm guessing the bordered res was chosen because it's a nice multiple of the original res, so the 2D stuff upscales nicely, or something.

  • bad09 #38 4 years ago

    @ rhubarbandcustard

    Tekken on PSN is 14.99, but still worth it, great game.

  • DanWhitehead #39 4 years ago

    Who in the what now? They censored a codpiece? Or is that a joke?

    One of Voldo's costumes features a very suggestive bull motif on the groin, with the horns jutting out like a gentleman's hello. Such innuendo was too strong for the US, though I'm not sure if the costume was removed completely or just redesigned slightly.

  • silver-jon #40 4 years ago

    Dan Whitehead. Are you actually Stevas Mk II ?
    Is this the big "Usual Suspects" style reveal ?

  • bad09 #41 4 years ago

    Speaking of censored who remembers Li Longs nunchuk being redesigned for Soul Blade. Apparently in Europe back then we would all make them ourselves and bash each other if we saw them in a game or movie.
    Edited by 1 at 04/07/08 @ 13:53

  • muscleblade #42 4 years ago

    "Nah, I done all that already on DC I'm happy they just got on with the game this time."

    Agreed - the achievements is enough for me too keep playing it. A couple of hard ones too. Beating the game on ultra hard without losing a round was easier than expected though.

    edit: The achievements where rediculously easy 200/200 in about an hour and a half.
    Edited by 1 at 08/07/08 @ 10:33

  • silver-jon #43 4 years ago

    btw: playing this with damage switched off, and time set to 'eternal' is one of the best gaming laughs I've had.
    Just the combination of brutal onslaughts and subtle movements trying to entice/bludgeon your opponent to the edge of the arena so you can deliver (or dodge) the blow that leaves them spiralling into the abyss in a fight that can last for 10 minutes.
    The longer it lasts, the more tense you become. It's absolutely the stuff of gaming legend. Particularly when you've had a few.

    I am definitely downloading this.

  • CrunchinJelly #44 4 years ago

    Best fighting game ever.

  • J.C #45 4 years ago

    Soulcalibur 2 on xbox for £4.00 in CEX.

  • Remy #46 4 years ago

    Re: "Online play not worth it" "Wouldn't work"... etc
    Strange, it appears every other fighting game on my 360 has online play, works great, and I play at least one of them almost every time I am gaming. (SF HD Remix beta test mainly right now :D )

    I'm not a huge SC fan at all, but Mission Mode or online play would've been the reason to get this... but released like this it's totally pointless for me. What a waste of an okay game! I ran it back-to-back with the Dreamcast version anyway.. so it was at least cool to see just HOW good those DC graphics were again. :) Oh and the DC opponent AI seemed to be a LOT better, but that may have just been the demo version AI.

  • Skywise #47 4 years ago

    I'm really in doubt now whether to get this game or not, Soul Calibur IV is close as well :S
    Edited by 3 at 04/07/08 @ 16:58

  • Miths #48 4 years ago

    "... it's certainly worth noting that the ladybumps here are surprisingly conservative in dimension, reassuringly rigid and often fully-clothed."

    Good thing they've fixed that in Soulcalibur IV then :p.

  • richie9997 #49 4 years ago

    @ monkie_king

    not sure, but i'm running my 360 at 1080p and it looks fine and dandy to me! maybe not as good as I remember the dreamcast version to be (the stage backgrounds mainly), but that could just be my rose tinted specs. I'm gonna get my DC out tonight and have a bit of a compare lol.

  • monkie_king #50 4 years ago

    Aye, I just figured there must be some reason they defaulted to the bordered resolution.

    Skywise: yeah, we've been round this a few times now. SC was System12 originally (slightly souped-up PS), converted to Dreamcast with a massive graphical upgrade, and then ported back to the arcade on a Naomi board. I don't think the Naomi version was as widespread.

    I remember playing the System12 version, it was graphically on a par with something like Tekken Tag Tournament.

  • Skywise #51 4 years ago

    @MonkieKing:
    you've found the arcade machine it was based on sooner, thanks :)

    What are the loading times for this game? If it's blazingly fast I might even play it a lot after SC IV has been released.
    Edited by 1 at 04/07/08 @ 16:58

  • AOFanboi #52 4 years ago

    <em>Tekken on PSN is 14.99</em>

    That's the online-play release, the initial non-online release was cheaper. Since SC on XBLA does not have online that version's price is most relevant, though I cannot remember. Just that that the price + price of online upgrade < price of combined release that replaced it.

  • Triggerhappytel #53 4 years ago

    "Graphically, it's okay. Kind of funny to think we were once stunned by these rather puppet-like 3D figures"

    What an odd thing to say. You do realise that these were literally the best graphics in existance in its day?

  • hahayou #54 4 years ago

    Complaining that stuff is unlocked? Mad. Haven't you already unlocked it all once already?

    If it really bothers you just hire a bouncer to watch over your shoulder and lamp you if you try and look at the extras before beating arcade mode three times with every character.

  • BBIAJ #55 4 years ago

    One thing I really miss is the awesome intro of the Dreamcast version! Would it really be asking too much to have kept that in?

    Any ideas as to why it was dropped?

  • canIdoyabombsforya #56 4 years ago

    "Instant purchase - I'm glad XBLA is almost becoming the Virtual Console for DC games in lieu of the Wii not having enough space for them. "

    Nintendo keep your games on their severs, redownload whenever you want

  • canIdoyabombsforya #57 4 years ago

    >"Graphically, it's okay. Kind of funny to think we were once stunned by these rather puppet-like 3D figures"

    "What an odd thing to say. You do realise that these were literally the best graphics in existance in its day? "

    I'll keep the puppets thank you, ultra realistic characters in fighters don't do it for me at all.

  • DanWhitehead #58 4 years ago

    What an odd thing to say. You do realise that these were literally the best graphics in existance in its day?

    That was kind of my point. I remember being amazed at how lifelike they were - and the same for the early PS2 games. Just a comment on how quickly character rendering and animation have moved forwards.

  • smelly #59 4 years ago

    >For a ten year old game, the graphics hold up astonishingly well.

    yeah.. the dcast had great graphics capabilities compared to the ps2.

  • smelly #60 4 years ago

    "One thing I really miss is the awesome intro of the Dreamcast version! Would it really be asking too much to have kept that in?
    Any ideas as to why it was dropped?"


    Download size perhaps?



  • smelly #61 4 years ago

    As for the lack of widescreen people are moaning about..

    Its a port of the original.. widescreen didnt exist.

    No doubt they are hiding stuff just off camera or something in game..

    and widescreen wouldve meant re-doing all the game menus too.

    This is fine.

  • BBIAJ #62 4 years ago

    Fair point, but given that it had already exceeded the 150 Mb limit on it at the time, would it really have added all that much to the overall file size?

    I dunno, I'm only guessing...

  • WinterSnowblind #63 4 years ago

    @Smelly

    Like I've already said, Mission mode is only text, surely it couldn't be taken up all that much space, especially as the game already exceeds the old 150mb limit. That clearly wasn't the reason for removing it.

  • smelly #64 4 years ago

    @WinterSnowBlind:

    I wasnt aware i mentioned mission mode? Just the intro movie and the widescreen. The exclusion of that is obvious to me too... They dont want you spending all your time on this and not buying SC4! :-)


    Damn shame the dcast died so early.. The last game i worked on in the industry was a dreamcast game.. it was a damn nice piece of kit..
    ♦

  • BBIAJ #65 4 years ago

    What was that game smelly, if you don't mind my asking?

  • EmiliasHorse #66 4 years ago

    Oh such fond memories. Tears of joy.

    8/10?....well I suppose but my heart still yearns to slap a 10/10 on it and spend the next week drooling over the stunning graphics. Sadly those graphics have aged somewhat and my rose tinted glasses are slipping. But the gameplay is still as good as ever.

    Dreamcast lives on with XBLA.

  • smelly #67 4 years ago

    LOL @ 360 GFX!

    It looks like a ps2 game! LOL!

  • Bander #68 4 years ago

    "Given the subsequent decision to race Dead or Alive down to the bottom of the "Ooh Boobies!" gaming barrel of despair it's certainly worth noting that the ladybumps here are surprisingly conservative in dimension, reassuringly rigid and often fully-clothed."

    Rigid? Not only do boobs jiggle in SC1, but female arses do as well. DoA has never featured arse jiggle.

    This also was the game which introduced Ivy with her dominatrix outfit and whip-like weapon, nipple bumps on Taki, and codes for changing Sophitia's panties. The previous game, Soul Edge, had a naked Sophitia bathing scene in the intro.

    Team Ninja clearly liked boobs, but Namco really shouldn't be thought of as more conservative.