Soul Calibur VI: General discussion

Well, there's certainly been a fair few, no doubt. But the lean has never been so dramatic as it is in this game, honestly. Both new characters are, each in their own way, the epitome of anime-magic design. The initial guest character is a magic user (which, fair enough--I don't know much about Witcher, but it seems to me that they did a pretty good job of faithfully translating his abilities, and the moveset is viable, if not exactly top tier). All well and good, I guess. I would have preferred a new down-to-earth(ish) character with legitimate historical weapon set (even if used in a predictably insane fashion), for the first time since Hilde, rather than the Emo Avenger and the Great Zantaro, but you know, you win some you lose some in the new character lottery, as regards your personal preferences.

But what I do think would be a mistake though is to take a classic character that was cut last game and then hand her back to fans as a fundamentally altered experience. Now of course, I don't know that's the case here; information has been scarce and you can only parse so much out of new mechanics described in a sparse couple of sentences. All I know is that I've seen just enough footage and heard just enough description of her new moveset to be a little concerned--if she goes super magic-gimmicky at the cost of a significant number of her legacy moves or her general flow, it's going to be a bit of a misfire for me and a tough pill to swallow, after waiting for her style to return for so long. I don't think I'd be alone in that. But we'll just have to wait and see--we've essentially been in a media blackout on her, minutes two info dumps, so it's easy to imagine a worst-case scenario. And at the end of the day, I feel they were pretty faithful to most characters so far, so, as I said, fingers crossed!
Okay, first off, there was never a dramatic lean when it comes to no magic turning into magic. Magic in movesets was already in SC3, and this is me ignoring Spawn in SC2. And it started growing all the way in all games until SC6, its not like suddenly we have a lot of magic, we had lots of magic in SC5 and slightly less in SC4 too. Also, if you want a "down-to-earth(ish character with legitimate historical weapon set", you don't want Soul Calibur games, because as soon as Ivy entered this thing, we knew for sure this was not meant to have only "historical weapons", and guess what, Ivy is one of, if not THE most iconic character in Soul Calibur and a very iconic character in fighting games as a whole. Also, Amy was not cut from the last game, because she wasn't in SC5 to begin with (Viola was there, but the moveset wasn't the same, since you're talking about the "experience"), unless you count the garbage that was SCLS, which most people don't, so she was in SC4 last time.

And, honestly, complaining about "different experiences" because a character got different mechanics is a very dumb thing: fighting game characters change almost completely in many cases, I don't see people complaining about how Sub-Zero plays differently in MK9 and MKX, because they know characters ALWAYS CHANGE FROM GAME TO GAME. I understand complaining about Tira, a mainstay of the series, that has been in all games ever since SC3, being turned into pre-order/DLC for no reason in this one, specially because she was already finished before the full roster was even announced, which means that she was just cut so that the assholes from Namco could get extra cash by removing a popular character from the base roster. Amy is not such case, yes, she was popular, but she was also not in the last game, which means she would require significantly more adaptation from her much older appearence.
 
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Seeing this made me think about Taki, does that bother anybody else as much as it does for me?
 
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Okay, first off, there was never a dramatic lean when it comes to no magic turning into magic. Magic in movesets was already in SC3, and this is me ignoring Spawn in SC2. And it started growing all the way in all games until SC6, its not like suddenly we have a lot of magic, we had lots of magic in SC5 and slightly less in SC4 too.
None of which is the least bit inconsistent with what I said, or have said repeatedly in the past. Of course this has been building for years. But this is, without question, the game which has most fully typified that trend. Which was what my point was. I never said this was new or out of the blue. Nor did I particularly gripe about it: in fact, I pointed out that this is simply how things play out with games. Devs are never going to make everybody happy with their choices.

Also, if you want a "down-to-earth(ish) character with legitimate historical weapon set", you don't want Soul Calibur games, because as soon as Ivy entered this thing, we knew for sure this was not meant to have only "historical weapons", and guess what, Ivy is one of, if not THE most iconic character in Soul Calibur and a very iconic character in fighting games as a whole.
Yeah, once again, of course. And I'm not bitching about the existence of out-there character designs. Characters like Ivy are (as you put it) iconic for a reason--the blade whip is a great design. I just think we could stand to go back to having an occasional new character representing an actual historical weapon and culture now and again--instead of all of the new characters looking like they walked out of some friggin' hybrid of Harry Potter and Dragon Ball Z--most of which don't come out with as cool a design as Ivy. It would be nice to get a few of those (marginally) less fantastical characters again, is all I'm saying. Mixed in here and there.

And even then, I'll refer you again to the fact that I clearly notated that I don't expect to be personally pleased with every choice they make on the new characters every game. If I did, and it was a deal breaker for me, I would have stopped playing SC more than a decade ago. But just because I mention in passing that I don't like a trend doesn't mean I'm looking to get into a zero-sum debate about how it's either wonderful or trash, through and through. It is what it is and it's not like it keeps me from playing--but neither is it something I have to be all for. Nor is this exactly a particularly weird place for someone to discuss such details.

Also, Amy was not cut from the last game, because she wasn't in SC5 to begin with (Viola was there, but the moveset wasn't the same, since you're talking about the "experience"), unless you count the garbage that was SCLS, which most people don't, so she was in SC4 last time.
Yeah dude, have you seen my sig? I'm aware. I merely meant amy's moveset has been absent since SCIV. (insofar as mainline entries are concerned).

And, honestly, complaining about "different experiences" because a character got different mechanics is a very dumb thing: fighting game characters change almost completely in many cases, I don't see people complaining about how Sub-Zero plays differently in MK9 and MKX, because they know characters ALWAYS CHANGE FROM GAME TO GAME.
That is textbook representation of logical fallacy known as the "false choice"; of course movesets change from game to game. No f---ing kidding, man. I'm aware. But this can be done in a well-considered or poor fashion, and certainly in a manner which not necessarily well-received by the fanbase. And I already threw in like a thousand caveats into the post you responded to that made it clear that my position is that we know too little now to be making any judgments. But that doesn't mean that the very concept of better or worse (or more or less faithful) variations on the moveset can't divide the fanbase for this or that character in a given game. Surely if you've been playing these games as long as your comments imply you have, you know of the many times where this has happened?

I understand complaining about Tira, a mainstay of the series, that has been in all games ever since SC3, being turned into pre-order/DLC for no reason in this one, specially because she was already finished before the full roster was even announced, which means that she was just cut so that the assholes from Namco could get extra cash by removing a popular character from the base roster.
I actually think that's a case of players mostly being whiny and entitled, and shooting themselves in the foot. The question as a consumer shouldn't be "was this content finished before or after the game's launch date." It should be "Did I get my money's worth from the base game, whenever that content was finished." If so, then Namco provided their end of the bargain and if they want to carve up the rest to help bootstrap a new sequential content model, we ought to be supportive if what we really want is ongoing long-term support.

I actually know a younger gamer who told me the other day that he's irritated that there's going to be a second season pass because he wanted the complete game and thought that he would have it with the version he bought. I just couldn't believe how entitled and self-oriented that was. To begrudge other players the right to have a fuller experience just to satisfy some OCD sense of ownership of the experience, even though it meant he got the exact same amount of content for his dollar in buying the starter edition and first season pass, regardless of whether there's a second pass. This is just the stupidest way of looking at the situation, and a kind of thinking that leads to equally wrong-headed boycotts. People need to do a more empirical and rational assessment of what they get, imo opinion. And "this bit of content was already done" is, I would argue, more of an emotional/entitlement argument than one which determines, as a rational matter and standing alone, whether your purchase price was worth what you got, without that bit of content.

Amy is not such case, yes, she was popular, but she was also not in the last game, which means she would require significantly more adaptation from her much older appearence.
Yup, and once again, I don't assume it can't be done correctly. Just as they did a perfectly reasonable job with numerous of the other characters who were absent for V and returned here. But they didn't re-invent the wheel for most of those characters. They iterated upon the design, and expanded somewhat because the new version of Soul Charge let them feed more options in. All I'm saying is that I hope they do the same with Amy as well, and that the new mechanics don't completely re-write the book for her, as a unique character with a particular flow. Is that ok with you, that I personally hope that she stays more on the familiar side than not? I think it's perfectly reasonable myself..
 
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“YOU FILTHY MAGGOT!!”
Final Round was amazing thank you to whoever posted the link.

I really love how most of the cast is lethal in their own way instead of having meta characters that always makes a game’s grand final.

I choked on my tea when witnessing Astaroth’s combo damage o_O
 

This is true immersion, no matter what the circumstance. No questions asked.

Is that ok with you, that I personally hope that she stays more on the familiar side than not? I think it's perfectly reasonable myself.

I dread the idea of her being changed too much, hearing she had some sort of gauge has me concerned already to be honest. Though I'm looking forward to her release regardless, I just hope she's hasn't strayed too far from what she used to be.
Sadly I'm not too sure what her Lost Swords variation was like which I'm assuming is where they'll be sourcing her from mainly.
 
You know, i really feel like they should have covered a lot of these women up a bit more. It does feel a bit weird saying that because i'm not generally of that opinion when it comes to this sort of thing but SC is a bit different for one major reason, that being the equipment break mechanic.

Examples of what i mean is they could have given Taki a small chest plate and armored belt. Or given Ivy that missing SC4 skirt i personally love so much. Obviously they would lose all of that in most matches anyway, eventually getting to their current costumes. Which is just about as revealing as they can possibly get already. As it is, characters like Ivy and Taki cant change a whole lot from the equipment break mechanic because they are already dressed down. If they wore more clothes to begin with, that would make the break mechanic feel more significant.
 
I agree that SC has never been a fighting game with a focus on historical accuracy in their weapon choices let alone the manners of how they are being used or portrayed. It always had, a mild to strong sense of high-fantasy in it (and I personally wouldn't want it any other way). Does the game feel very "anime"? Hell yeah it does! You literally have every generic archtype of an anime character, you could think of, covered by the roster. Is it a bad thing? Not in the slightest, as it simply always has been what soulcalibur stands for. If people seek for a slightly more accurate display of historical weapon choices and their respective fighting styles, I think the most popular option currently would be "For Honor". I agree, that SC is simply not the right game for historical authenticity, it never was and in my honest opinion, it should not even go into that direction at all.
 
Yes, the "historical fantasy" setting has always been one of my favorite things about the series -- and that's been there since the first game. By which I mean "Soul Edge," from which point we already had Hellenistic deities and Yokai demons of medieval Japan.
 
People are getting too worked up over this subject and too extreme on either end of the argument. Yes, there have always been fantasy elements which are not historically accurate in the series but that doesnt mean the game shouldnt continue to introduce characters that appeal to every kind of player. As a general guideline, i think we should be able to assign an identity to the series as at least being loosely described as a medieval weapons fighting game. Fantasy elements are fine as long as it doesnt completely dominate the roster. There should be a mix of historically accurate characters and fantasy/magical types that might typically show up in other games with a similar setting.
 
While I do think Project Soul went overboard with proportions from SC4 I do think titilliation is part of Soul Calibur's identity and removing it or even moderating it to something average would take part of it's soul away. For me one of the big appeal of the series is that everything and everyone is larger than life and I wouldn't want it any other way. Keeping the characters upbeat and heroic looking is extremely important and electrifying bods in revealling clothing are part and parcel of that. :P
 
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