Well kids, the wait is finally just about over. SOULCALIBUR V officially hits stores tomorrow, so it’s time to go out, grab a copy, and start practicing. Well, almost. For those of you not living near incompetent Wal-Marts or shady mom & pop establishments willing to break street date, you still have an absolutely grueling few hours remaining before SC5 is in your hot little hands.
Believe me, I sympathize. Whether you’re purely hyped or filled with questions and doubts, the last little bit before you can have the game and make your own judgments on it are absolute torture. Of course, there’s an upside here. What’s that, you ask? It’s simple: those of you out there who don’t have the game—the vast majority of you—are my captive audience. Given both that fact and the equally pertinent one that I’ve now had a chance to go through the game in semi-detail, this week I’ll be playing reporter.
SOULCALIBUR V—A Review by William Woo, Journalist (and Hates)
First, a disclaimer:
I remain wholly biased, so allow me to skip the disingenuous “objectivity” tap dance and just lay my cards on the table. First, I’m really liking SC5 so far—it seems good. Second, I want it to be not just a good game, but a successful and popular one. Third, you should all go buy it, play it, and achieve greatness.
What We Already Know
Welcome back to the Stage of History, where there’s nothing new under the sun—or at least nothing that hasn’t been thoroughly spoiled already. It is, in a sense, difficult to offer meaningful impressions of a game about which so much is already known before its release, because I can’t surprise you. What I can do, however, is flesh out a thing or two.
Many people who don’t yet have the game, and some who do, say that it feels like a rushed job. There are few modes, no character endings, and a pared down roster, which could all point toward laziness or hurriedness on the part of the developers, but that isn’t necessarily the only answer that makes sense. There’s a real leanness to the game, but whether that leanness is a mark of laziness or of shifting and, frankly, better priorities is something we won’t necessarily be able to determine for a while. It’s entirely possible to complete story mode and dip one’s toe into almost everything else in the space of an afternoon, provided you don’t get just plain slaughtered by the Legendary Souls AI, and in fact that last caveat perfectly captures the game’s operative mode. While limited in some superficial aspects, SC5 becomes deep and engaging through its gameplay and the elements which bolster that gameplay. We’ll unpack that idea in a moment, but first, a word on the story, since it’s sure to be a locus of critique.
1607 Was a Silly Year
The presentation’s decent, with a mix of hand-drawn stills and some fully animated scenes for the more pivotal moments, and all with spoken dialogue, even if that dialogue makes no sense. We never really find out what the hell is going on with anybody, and while we can somewhat deduce what, say, “the malfested” are, it’s never explicitly stated. Confusion notwithstanding, the plot is taut and fast-paced with very few filler matches, and the baffling dialogue is mostly forgivable. All in all, it’s a decent mode for those players who are into that sort of thing.
So why isn’t there more of it? Why don’t we have endings?
We all live in a post-Mortal Kombat 9 world. For all of the complaints one might legitimately level at that particular game, its story mode is damned impressive. In fact, it’s probably better than the two MK feature films, though the extent to which that’s a notable achievement is debatable. In any case, MK9 raised the bar for the role of fighting game narrative in the sense that it presented a cohesive, self-contained story rather than a truckload of mutually exclusive narratives, one for each character. That said, much of the battling in MK9’s story mode was preposterous and contrived, which it needed to be in order to ensure that every cast member got his or her due of screen time.
So Where’s the Beef?
Apart from the beefs held by Zasalamel and Talim players, the meat of SC5 is in its gameplay. There are a handful of glaring, painful omissions, such as no ability to adjust button layouts on the character select screen (which is, frankly, unforgivable), but by and large it’s the gameplay and those elements which enhance it that have been fleshed out most thoroughly. For example, as I’ve touched on elsewhere, most characters really feel as though they can compete. Balance is by no means perfect, but it was clearly a priority.
Equally impressive, if not more so, is the AI. Generally speaking, fighting game AI is either insultingly easy or jaw-droppingly unfair. SC5 has some brutally tough AI, but it seldom feels as though it’s outright cheating. What’s more, the high level AI employs actual clever setups and real combos, making it a valid way to begin learning about the strengths and weaknesses of various characters.
My limited experience with online play has also been quite positive. First and foremost, the netcode is a massive improvement over SC4. Geographically close opponents have a real match-feel, and even long-distance isn’t unplayably bad. This good netcode is supplemented by a surprisingly robust series of features. The Global Collosseo isn’t really open for business yet, but it’s an intriguing idea, and the ranked/player matches with which we’re contending in the meantime have a great deal of extra functionality from stat tracking to replay saving.
Overall, the focus on versus play through the online mode, gestures toward offline balance, and even an AI-battling Quick Fight mode that attempts to model playing versus actual human opponents, all tells me that SC5 is designed primarily as a social experience rather than a single-player narrative experience. Luckily, it appears to come with plenty of tools to adequately facilitate that.
While I think that I make a somewhat compelling case for saying that SC5 isn’t rushed, but instead socially-driven, we can’t know for certain just yet. The actual proof will be in whether and how Namco continues to support this social/competitive vehicle they’ve given us. If they cut and run, as it were, we’ll all know we’ve been had, but if they continue to engage, improve, and so on, I’d say we owe them the benefit of the doubt on things like story mode. Time, as they say, will tell.
Until then, I give SOULCALIBUR V my highest rating: 1 star.
Homework:
What’s your take on narrative in fighting games? How important is it? Do you really want to see endings for every character, or do you care more about a tight storyline?
If you’ve got SC5, what are your impressions thus far? Share.
Finally, if you don’t have SC5, mentally prepare yourself for day one. Do some research on the forums now and figure out what you’d like to test once you’ve handled the unlocking business. Double check the matchfinders, etcetera, and find out the nearest, soonest gathering where you can get hype and test your skills in person. Get out there and get involved.
@Original_Hater
Believe me, I sympathize. Whether you’re purely hyped or filled with questions and doubts, the last little bit before you can have the game and make your own judgments on it are absolute torture. Of course, there’s an upside here. What’s that, you ask? It’s simple: those of you out there who don’t have the game—the vast majority of you—are my captive audience. Given both that fact and the equally pertinent one that I’ve now had a chance to go through the game in semi-detail, this week I’ll be playing reporter.
SOULCALIBUR V—A Review by William Woo, Journalist (and Hates)
First, a disclaimer:
I remain wholly biased, so allow me to skip the disingenuous “objectivity” tap dance and just lay my cards on the table. First, I’m really liking SC5 so far—it seems good. Second, I want it to be not just a good game, but a successful and popular one. Third, you should all go buy it, play it, and achieve greatness.
Still fair, still balanced--we'll do it live.
Prejudice duly mentioned, let’s hit this.What We Already Know
Welcome back to the Stage of History, where there’s nothing new under the sun—or at least nothing that hasn’t been thoroughly spoiled already. It is, in a sense, difficult to offer meaningful impressions of a game about which so much is already known before its release, because I can’t surprise you. What I can do, however, is flesh out a thing or two.
Many people who don’t yet have the game, and some who do, say that it feels like a rushed job. There are few modes, no character endings, and a pared down roster, which could all point toward laziness or hurriedness on the part of the developers, but that isn’t necessarily the only answer that makes sense. There’s a real leanness to the game, but whether that leanness is a mark of laziness or of shifting and, frankly, better priorities is something we won’t necessarily be able to determine for a while. It’s entirely possible to complete story mode and dip one’s toe into almost everything else in the space of an afternoon, provided you don’t get just plain slaughtered by the Legendary Souls AI, and in fact that last caveat perfectly captures the game’s operative mode. While limited in some superficial aspects, SC5 becomes deep and engaging through its gameplay and the elements which bolster that gameplay. We’ll unpack that idea in a moment, but first, a word on the story, since it’s sure to be a locus of critique.
1607 Was a Silly Year
We seek the Soul Calibur!
Judging a fighting game based on its plot is no different than judging a Hooters for its hot wings. That said, while SC games have always had the kind of psychotic, nonsensical plotlines that typify the genre, they’ve also always conveyed those plotlines in a relatively slick, engaging fashion. SC5’s Story Mode attempts to do just that once again, with intriguing results. As we’ve heard so many times already, SC5 picks up seventeen years after the conclusion of SC4, and focuses primarily on the vaguely inappropriate vibe between siblings Pyrrha and Patroklos Alexandra. The mode itself places players mostly in the roles of Pyrrha and Patroklos as they wander the battlefields of war-torn Eurasia, searching desperately for a Hot Topic that’s still open.The presentation’s decent, with a mix of hand-drawn stills and some fully animated scenes for the more pivotal moments, and all with spoken dialogue, even if that dialogue makes no sense. We never really find out what the hell is going on with anybody, and while we can somewhat deduce what, say, “the malfested” are, it’s never explicitly stated. Confusion notwithstanding, the plot is taut and fast-paced with very few filler matches, and the baffling dialogue is mostly forgivable. All in all, it’s a decent mode for those players who are into that sort of thing.
So why isn’t there more of it? Why don’t we have endings?
We all live in a post-Mortal Kombat 9 world. For all of the complaints one might legitimately level at that particular game, its story mode is damned impressive. In fact, it’s probably better than the two MK feature films, though the extent to which that’s a notable achievement is debatable. In any case, MK9 raised the bar for the role of fighting game narrative in the sense that it presented a cohesive, self-contained story rather than a truckload of mutually exclusive narratives, one for each character. That said, much of the battling in MK9’s story mode was preposterous and contrived, which it needed to be in order to ensure that every cast member got his or her due of screen time.
In fairness, however, this actor's name is Brian Thompson, which is kind of awesome in its way.
For better or worse, SC5 bucks that particular part of the trend, refusing to shoehorn every single character into its overall narrative arc. Actually, the supposed laziness undergirding the absence of characters/endings in Story Mode may in fact speak to a prioritizing of the story itself. Strange as it may sound, it really seems as though the developers are acutely concerned with telling a particular story this time around, particularly since this game marks something of a franchise reboot. Prioritization of telling that particular, peculiar story means that other elements are left unexplained. Why is Cervantes back in a clearly not-dead body? What’s up with Viola and Z.W.E.I.? Project Soul seems far less interested in answering these questions than they are in setting up a new dynamic between the magic swords which will likely drive plot arcs for at least another game or two. Yes, that’s probably going to disappoint a lot of casual fans out there, but it’s entirely possible to read that as a deliberate design choice—one with which we may or may not agree—as opposed to a mere oversight.So Where’s the Beef?
Apart from the beefs held by Zasalamel and Talim players, the meat of SC5 is in its gameplay. There are a handful of glaring, painful omissions, such as no ability to adjust button layouts on the character select screen (which is, frankly, unforgivable), but by and large it’s the gameplay and those elements which enhance it that have been fleshed out most thoroughly. For example, as I’ve touched on elsewhere, most characters really feel as though they can compete. Balance is by no means perfect, but it was clearly a priority.
Equally impressive, if not more so, is the AI. Generally speaking, fighting game AI is either insultingly easy or jaw-droppingly unfair. SC5 has some brutally tough AI, but it seldom feels as though it’s outright cheating. What’s more, the high level AI employs actual clever setups and real combos, making it a valid way to begin learning about the strengths and weaknesses of various characters.
My limited experience with online play has also been quite positive. First and foremost, the netcode is a massive improvement over SC4. Geographically close opponents have a real match-feel, and even long-distance isn’t unplayably bad. This good netcode is supplemented by a surprisingly robust series of features. The Global Collosseo isn’t really open for business yet, but it’s an intriguing idea, and the ranked/player matches with which we’re contending in the meantime have a great deal of extra functionality from stat tracking to replay saving.
Overall, the focus on versus play through the online mode, gestures toward offline balance, and even an AI-battling Quick Fight mode that attempts to model playing versus actual human opponents, all tells me that SC5 is designed primarily as a social experience rather than a single-player narrative experience. Luckily, it appears to come with plenty of tools to adequately facilitate that.
Picture this, but with swords. Actually, don't.
But Am I Wrong?While I think that I make a somewhat compelling case for saying that SC5 isn’t rushed, but instead socially-driven, we can’t know for certain just yet. The actual proof will be in whether and how Namco continues to support this social/competitive vehicle they’ve given us. If they cut and run, as it were, we’ll all know we’ve been had, but if they continue to engage, improve, and so on, I’d say we owe them the benefit of the doubt on things like story mode. Time, as they say, will tell.
Until then, I give SOULCALIBUR V my highest rating: 1 star.
Homework:
What’s your take on narrative in fighting games? How important is it? Do you really want to see endings for every character, or do you care more about a tight storyline?
If you’ve got SC5, what are your impressions thus far? Share.
Finally, if you don’t have SC5, mentally prepare yourself for day one. Do some research on the forums now and figure out what you’d like to test once you’ve handled the unlocking business. Double check the matchfinders, etcetera, and find out the nearest, soonest gathering where you can get hype and test your skills in person. Get out there and get involved.
@Original_Hater
