Soul Calibur Opinions, Popular and Unpopular...

[franman]

There was only Version A (Black Disc) and Version B (Blue Disc)

Ya but that was available in some parts of North America as well as some parts in other Americas and European countries.

I remember in my scene before the arcade scene has died I played B in the arcades.

As for C, I heard Japan and maybe a handful of other Asian countries are lucky to obtain the latest version.

Even after the SBO tournament, there was a debate whether outsiders of Japan didn't get enough practice for version C compare to those lucky ones who have C.

 

[PseudoCharge]

I started with SCI, so I'm just going to go from there and I'm only going to cover the main titles as I've never enjoyed the spin offs as much.

-SCI was something that truly stood out at the time and captured my imagination, I loved everything about it except for the use of clone characters. I didn't hate them, but I didn't feel that they were necessary either.

-SCII was a huge leap forward for the series and is tied for favorite of the series as the sidestepping, pacing, and look of the game far exceeded it's predecessor. I felt like a full control over my surroundings and could use it to my advantage. I was a little disappointed with the home release though as this was a time before online fighting games. I felt that it's longevity hinged on what it could offer me in single player, which was a little lacking especially without the quest mode. I know the version of quest mode without online play would be pointless, but I thought we we're going to get a different version of it that would eventually come in SCIII. The idea of having exclusive guest characters for each console felt gimmicky I understand why they did it though. I wish they would've provided an alternative to the other characters on each console similar to how they brought back characters spiritually in the form of berserker and assassin. I wish they would've stuck to their guns and kept Lizardman and Sophitia out for good, rather than bring them back because enough people complained about not having them. Heck I wouldn't have minded if they just brought them back spiritually in the form of new characters. This was the start of trend I was hoping wouldn't continue, where certain characters would be brought back because they are too afraid of fan backlash to remove them. i.e. Heihachi Mishima from Tekken.

-SCIII felt like a large experiment to me as they tried a variety of new styles, modes, looks, pacing, and characters to test fan reception. I still enjoyed the game, but I felt that they should've play tested it a bit more before releasing it to the public, but that's just me. It also feels like that the glitches were the result of their quest to make the game faster, which would lead the pacing becoming a bit slower in the next game. Considering how many new things they tried and how much fun I had with the game, I can't gripe too much about the unbalancing and glitches.

-SCIV felt like the true successor to SCII. Everything I liked about SCII I can say about SCVI; the pacing, the sidestepping, the stun combo system, the improvements on innovations from SCIII, this game had so much going for it that I was sad to see some of the things go for the next game. The customizations and the included stats were fantastic as well as the tag system they introduced, I just wish it was available outside of single player. The game wasn't without it's flaws though as I felt the game was a bit better before the patch, the netcode left something to be desired, the lack of guard meter (a actual guard meter), the shallow critical edge mechanic, and the broken combos with Hilde and Algol (which were discovered after the patch) were quite frustrating. I was hoping they would patch it again, but sadly that was not to be. I can understand why they didn't bother to patch it again, but it depresses me all the same. I don't want to rag on them too much for the bad netcode as this was the first one with online play, at least they were trying something new and used this experience as a foundation for the next one.

-SCV disappointed me a bit. The single player experience felt barebones, particularly the story part. I don't think I would have been as disappointed with the story if they didn't seem to put so much effort into it in the previous games. I'm not going to go into the rest because I feel like it has been talked about to death. At least the netcode works well and the new mechanics using the meter works well. I'm still not sure guard impacting should've used meter though. Also it feels like the quickstep has rendered normal sidestepping a bit moot for dodging, which makes me a bit sad. Last, but not least the inclusion of multiple edgemaster characters with very little distinction in play styles feels lazy and a bit of a rip off. I don't mind a small cast as long as everyone is distinct and the inclusion of this many edgemasters flys in the face of that.

 

[HydroJames]

My top Soul Games:

1. Soul Calibur III
2. Soul Calibur V
3. Soul Calibur II
4. Soul Calibur
5. Soul Calibur IV

Soul Edge/Blade places no where on the list, for I haven't played it.

 

[Project Bokuho]

When it comes to best single player content (and an actual good storyline especially), I'm stuck deciding between SCII and SCIII (Even though I never had the chance to play SCIII). When it comes to the best gameplay mechanics, SCV so far has my vote.

 

[CFW]

When will Lost Swords die?

 

[Project Bokuho]

When will Lost Swords die?

When PS decides to level up their game and announce SC6 (not that I'm rushing them, I'm just anxious) lol

 

[Not a Peacock]

I don't get why people compare this game to Street Fighter. The only similarities I see is JG and meter (meter has been in a LOT of fighting games. Soul Calibur isn't special).

 

[CFW]

People compare anything that has supers/critical edges/rage arts to SF and it's annoying.

 

[Party Wolf]

Did someone just say they liked SC4 for the movement????

 

[PseudoCharge]

Yeah, I probably should've been more specific, I've corrected it. I was referring to the way sidestepping worked in SCIV. I still like the inclusion of quickstepping in SCV, I just wish it didn't render normal sidestepping a bit useless.

 

[PseudoCharge]

I don't get why people compare this game to Street Fighter. The only similarities I see is JG and meter (meter has been in a LOT of fighting games. Soul Calibur isn't special).

I totally agree with you on this, funny how nobody seems to complain about other games like MK9 having meter. Even if the meter system was completely taken from SF, which it's not, why would that be a bad thing? If it's a good idea and can be executed well to make the game better, why not incorporate it?

 

[Skipjack]

I started with IV, so my view isn't very broad, but I enjoy it. I do appreciate the level of detail they put into the game, and I think it has a smooth flow. I like that it has an endless casual mode. It's fun for a beginner, I don't know.

 

[DevilsDisguise]

The meter added depth, it's just the Critical Edges that's shit. Brave Edges is perfectly fine tho.

I dont feel the meters were used to accompany the SC mechanics but rather included to direct SC to conform to the template of SF standardization. Meters could have been added to the relevance of something else like just Guard impacting or Soul Charge boosting rather than it just be the tool to add Super/Ultra moves and all the other Tropes of SF. Most of the other fighting games that are considered moderately deep don't need them. (Tekken, Virtua Fighter). MK added them but only to adjust minor additions to what already existed.
They were obscure. SC5 seemed to just center all around it if not entirely rely on it as what controlled combos and climaxes. I hate that. I prefer fighters that focus more on exploiting guard openings with manipulating straight mix-ups of pure highs, lows, stumbles, full stuns and unblockables as the older games had it.

 

[CFW]

Wow it's almost as if the game that named and popularised the mechanic was Street Fighter or something

Ok, but calling these games a "rip-off" because of these mechanics? Interesting. Thnx for the input. Miss me with the sarcasm.

 

[Aven Kujo-Gin]

The meter was a good addition and I don't understand we people say critical edge is a bad thing, I think is pretty cool.

 

[CaptainHook]

The only thing that really bothers me about the series is that there are way too many elitist jackoffs, pretending as if the game is rocket science and only the exclusive experts can say anything about it.

You get these assholes in every game but for fighters it's the norm.

Big turn off for newcomers.

 

[Aven Kujo-Gin]

The only thing that really bothers me about the series is that there are way too many elitist jackoffs, pretending as if the game is rocket science and only the exclusive experts can say anything about it.

You get these assholes in every game but for fighters it's the norm.

Big turn off for newcomers.

While I agree with that, this is not a problem of the game, but the people instead.

 

[Party Wolf]

The only thing that really bothers me about the series is that there are way too many elitist jackoffs, pretending as if the game is rocket science and only the exclusive experts can say anything about it.

You get these assholes in every game but for fighters it's the norm.

Big turn off for newcomers.

Go to a tournament and you'll learn how real niggas play fighting games.

 

[Marginal]

Go to a tournament and you'll learn how real niggas play fighting games.

Could we please tone down the elitist jacoffism? I mean my god, the guy just wanted to talk about a fighting game without having to think about mechanics, move lists or frames. Is that really wrong?

 

[DevilsDisguise]

Ok, but calling these games a "rip-off" because of these mechanics? Interesting. Thnx for the input. Miss me with the sarcasm.

But games that spontaneously add in these unessential attributes already popularized by SF only do so to piggyback off its familiarity. Its kind of ripping it off if its just a gimmicky trend.