Soul Calibur III review

The Dreamcast original of Coul Calibur is on e of the finest beat'em ups ever created. Even today it still looks gorgeous and highlights what a good machine the Dreamcaset was and what a tragedy it was that it died early. Last year a sequel was released on PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube and although all the usual ingredients were there it didn't quite work as well as expected. It was a good looking game, that's to be expect from Namco, but the gameplay hadn't really advanced enough since the first game and so we were left feeling somewhat disappointed.

Now Namco has released the third time in the series and unlike the last game it's only appearing on PlayStation 2. That's something of a shame from a graphical point of view, Microsoft's two consoles would have brought more graphical splendour. Yet Namco has created such a beautiful game in this PlayStation 2 version that you'll believe you're playing on next-generation hardware anyway.

Anything New?

You'll find the gameplay remarkably similar to the last couple of games. There are individual buttons for vertical and horizontal attacks, a kick button and one for blocking opponent attacks. There are plenty of basic moves that return from the previous game allowing you to slip into the game like a comfortable shoe. But mastering the characters will take time, even if you learnt all the moves from the rlast game because there have been some major changes to control layouts. There are also three new characters added to the mix, bringing the final total to around 30, though not all of these will be unlocked from the get go.

Innovation isn't really what this game is about, the combat unfolds much as you'd expect in a Namco game. Soul Calibur III feels more finely balanced from the previous game though. It's still great fun to block your opponent's move with a well-timed block - the ringing sound of metal on metal adding to the enjoyment. Even if you're a veteran of the previous games you'll find plenty of new goodies here in this game to keep you busy.

Meet the New Folks

So is the update worthwhile? If we forget the lacklustre Soul Calibur II then this is the game Namco should have made last year. There are enough changes to make this a worthwhile update from the Dreamcast game. Thanks to new moves each character feels different enough to make the game feel fresh. I particularly noticed the focus put on various fighting stances, which lends the game a more authentic and visually interesting air in the battles and of course it adds more depth to the experience.

So what of the new characters? If you like the big, strong and brutish characters then Zasalamel is right up your street. The scythe-carrying muscle-bound man is slower than many of the game's other characters but he has quite an advantage thanks to his long reach. Setsuka is a much more graceful character; an attractive Geisha with a deadly blade concealed the handle of her parasol. If you prefer to play as the speedy Ninja Taki, then Setsuka is right up your street. The final new character is Tira, another female warrior, she is armed with a selection of strange bladed hoops.

Modes a-go-go

Looking at the menu you might be surprised to see the lack of Namco's traditional arcade mode. This is simply because there is no arcade version of Soul Calibur III, it's purely a PlayStation 2 exclusive. The closest you get to an arcade/story section is the Tale of Souls mode. It's the arcade mode in all but name, you'll fight a succession of enemies before tackling the final boss. Each characters story is told via a text narration and along the way there are a few chances to choose the path of progression.

The next mode, Chronicles of the Sword, doesn't work quite as well. Trying to combine strategy with combat isn't easy, and Namco hasn't really nailed it. The idea is fine, it's just not as well executed as we might have expected of Namco. But there's plenty to see and do in the game's other modes including the Soul Arena and Practice Mode, traditional Namco fare. As you progress in Soul Calibur III's various modes you'll unlock more characters, weapons and other features which you can take a look at in the museum.

Gorgeous

For all the various human versus AI modes in the game, like many Namco beat'em ups, the game is at its best when playing against friends. Multiplayer always lends an air of unpredictability AI fighters are hard-pressed to reproduce. If you want some variety from the regular characters you can create your own from several templates. The choices aren't particular detailed, this is no EA Game Face, but with a little effort you can create some warriors that almost look as good as the Namco created fights. It's an interesting feature and I'd love to see it expanded a sequel.

As I said earlier, Soul Calibur III is a very attractive game, perhaps the best looking game to ever grace the PlayStation 2. There's an extraordinary amount of detail in each character and the fighting arenas. Many of the backgrounds are breathtaking pieces of art, and while not quite as good as Dead or Alive's more complex and dynamic fighting locations, this really will amaze you that it's running on a PlayStation 2. The animation isn't quite as good, especially when characters are knocked down, it would be interesting to see Namco take a more physics-based approach in future rather than simply relying on canned animation for some moves.

Kaliber or Special Brew?

Ultimately Soul Calibur III is a very attractive game that adds some new features and characters and polishes the seemingly unfinished work from the previous game. It is a worthy update and fans of the series will find themselves occupied for quite some time. However it's not likely to win over any new converts and it's very much a safe sequel from Namco without too much innovation. Soul Calibur III certainly shows there's plenty of life left in the PlayStation 2 hardware. What we have here is a very pretty game, gorgeous in fact, with plenty to do and see. But ultimately it just doesn't quite seem new enough. It's an example in safe game development and taking the easy path, but while it lasts, it's a fun path.