Soulcalibur stabs XBLA through the heart
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-02-2008 @ 9:51AM
Jcarpio said...
i'm just going to use this game to reacquaint me to the soul calibur universe and controls before the retail game comes out. I'm a bit out of practice since i haven't had a dreamcast or a ps2 in a while.
Reply
7-02-2008 @ 11:41AM
Roto13 said...
If you need a refresher for the Soul Calibur universe itself, there's always this:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/file/533008/26537
7-02-2008 @ 11:57AM
Jcarpio said...
Actually i need an on-hands refresh of the game..
but thanks for the link.
7-02-2008 @ 10:04AM
maltinej said...
rad?
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7-02-2008 @ 10:12AM
Boff said...
Extremely, dude.
7-02-2008 @ 11:27AM
Xav de Matos said...
Effin' Rad actually.
7-02-2008 @ 11:35AM
itsburnsie said...
I'd say not rad, actually.
No mission mode killed this purchase for me. I'll be hanging on to my Dreamcast version instead.
7-02-2008 @ 10:23AM
Shogan said...
I played the demo and was excited to relive some nostalgia without hooking up the Dreamcast. This seems different from the original game, though. It's been a while, so maybe it's just me.. I don't think so though.
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7-02-2008 @ 10:43AM
Maverick Saturn said...
Sounds a bit of a waste of time to be honest, I guess none hdd owners have nothing much to worry about now.
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7-02-2008 @ 11:04AM
PerfectStrategy said...
How the hell is this game stripped-down? The original never had online play or 16x9 graphics. The updated HD graphics look superb too.
Everything else is here. The museum where you can hear all the characters' lines, survival, team attack, etc.
According to Metacritic/Gamerankings this is THE best fighting game of all time. For $10 it is clearly worth it. This game is about 10 times better than SFII, online play or not.
The only thing missing is the Mission Mode. But I played through the entire thing on the Dreamcast and honestly it was just to unlock everything. Not having to go through that slog all over again is actually a positive. You have all the characters and modes unlocked from the start, and I think that is exactly what XBLA players are looking for.
I don't know what else to say. I assume the writer has never played Soul Calibur or is just a bit of a dim-wit. I would put Soul Calibur right up there with Rez HD, Castlevania SOTN, Ikaruga, and Vigilante 8 (probably) as must-have XBLA titles.
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7-02-2008 @ 11:23AM
Xav de Matos said...
Not having a missions mode and having it all open is why it's stripped down.
What is the incentive to play? Nothing to unlock, no online...
Fact is I love SOCAL and it should have gotten better treatment than this.
I agree that the original was one of the best fighting games of all time, in fact I say as much in the post... but this version isn't.
7-02-2008 @ 11:44AM
SABCA said...
Yeah, even with the omissions, it's pretty funny that this is one of the most feature-packed games on XBLA.
I do have to agree with the fact that as much as I loved it, I'm happy not to have to play through mission mode again.
I mean, I LOVE unlocking things in games. But to do it AGAIN in a game I already did it in multiple times... it starts to lose it's luster.
Minus the online, think about how much more content-packed this game is with extras, then any of the other fighters on XBLA... it makes it feel silly to complain about anything missing.
7-02-2008 @ 11:30AM
SABCA said...
If they cut out the content from mission mode, I'd hate it. But with all the content there... the only real problem is the lack of an online VS mode.
If a brand new XBLA game came out with quality comparable to SC's graphics, extras, and presentation, it'd be epic.
I feel no problems with the games timing and reactivity. The game loads very fast and seems very solidly ported.
I just hope we get Online play as free DLC sometime in the future, like PS3 got with Tekken DR.
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7-02-2008 @ 11:32AM
SABCA said...
Oh yeah, and no one ever mentions the lack of the opening edit mode. I really wish that was there. Heck, I'd love to see THAT brought back in SCIV, because it was just such an awesome extra.
7-02-2008 @ 11:53AM
Big Filth said...
its fighting game, not a mission game. that was just a bonus feature.
the core gameplay is still there, and I dont remember fighting online on the dreamcast.
it would be one thing if you could not fight, but you can. stop crying.
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7-02-2008 @ 1:52PM
Mighty Healthy said...
I'm kinda in the middle.
I agree that just having a version of SC on XBLA is a win, and that the meat of the game is undoubtedly there.
However, it's almost criminal to take away missions: a mode that broadened the replay value and accessibility and was a feature in and of itself.
Couple that with the lack of online play (a key feature for retro games/retreads on XBLA), and the majorly missed opportunities make SC XBLA instantly forgettable for some.
I will always have the temptation in the back of my mind to purchase the game, as an achievement whore and occasional retro gamer...but I can easily see why it's not on someone's radar, despite being Soul Calibur.
7-02-2008 @ 12:16PM
ccc said...
I have to disagree on this one.
Soul Caliber is EASLY the best game available in the marketplace. The only thing missing from the dreamcast version is the intro and edgemaster mode.
At 10 dollars this game is a total steel. SC2 nor 3 managed to produce the magic this game has.
This game looks better than anything in the arcade, the soundtrack is eons ahead of ANYTHING else in the arcade. If you don't have friends that come over and play sorry, it is a bummer it's not online but thats a namco decision probably due to the fact that SC4's online play and sales would most likley suffer as a result. This is my 70th arcade game and I couldn't be more satasfied with this game.
Anything bad anyone has to say about this game either dislikes fighting games or is nit picking.
Anyone that likes either fighters or the Soul Caliber series(whether they still have it on dc or not) would just be stupid not to by this game for multiple reasons.
Amazingly the pile of shit d-pad on the 360 controller works flawless with this game to add to it, unlike SSF2THDR where you will basically need to go and buy yourself something else to play with if you wanna be able to showcase your skills.
Last thing, honestly I'm willing to bet that this version can still hold the "best Soul Caliber game ever" award even after SC4 comes out.
Better graffics don't mean a better game and we learned that leason from SC2 and 3 however small of a graphical enhancement they had over the original DC SC.
This is a HUGE bone Namco has thrown the 360's way and it's amazing to say the least don't bash it for imaginary reasons.
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7-02-2008 @ 1:50PM
AoE said...
Agreed!
Mission mode I could care less about, fighting games in my world are a social thing (as in, social in real life, a group of friends around the livingroom style) not a single-player (or for that matter online) experience. Now widescreen? That would have been nice, but I'll take it either way.
7-02-2008 @ 12:39PM
animeman_59 said...
No online mode means no sale.
I'll just stick to my DC version and save $10.
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7-02-2008 @ 12:41PM
Xav de Matos said...
That's kinda my point too. I still have my Dreamcast hooked up so I think I'll stick with the original if they aren't doing anything to make it better for XBLA.