It's got the soul,but has It got the calibur?
"Finally" this desperate gamer cries!For you see, I've been biding my time by playing the truly awful Mortal Kombat series and the shoddy Clay Fighter on the N64,waiting untill a decent brawler appered once again on a Nintendo console since street fighter 2.But is this game everything you hoped for from the second installment of the famed Soul Caliber series.Plainly,Not really.
But lets start on a postive note.The novelty of having a fine fighter such as Soul Caliber on the gamecube is a joy.The fighting is suberb and flows like a polygonised waterfall.The gamecube controller has never been more suited to a game,as you press a button and your fighter reacts instantly.The graphics are amazing,and one of the best on your Gamecube,just behind the mighty Metroid Prime,But then,this game only has fighting in It, so the developers had enough space to incorporate them in,They can sometimes seem a bit over the top and often,the colours that explode out of your T.V. feel somehow forced.
The game does have a great story mode,or should I say 'weapon master mode'.If you're anything like me,you'll jump straight into this as soon as the option bar appears,and turn from wannabe fighter into a weapon master,(as the name goes).Right,that's the good parts of this game out the way,now onto the bad,and where the biggest problem lies.The replay value.Beat-em-ups are ment to be famed for their ability to draw you back for 'one last go'.This one Isn't.First you'll fall for the charm of a sparkley new fighter appearing on your cube of joy.The graphics and animation will draw you in,but then will push you away again,or rather, you'll throw It down again,as the Weapon Master mode is extremly tough.
Once you complete the mode the first time round (which Is an easy task),a whole new plethera of challenges come fourth,and these happen to be so difficult,you'll end up just playing something else.Or crying.Only kidding.But seriously,this game should come with a warning on the box.WARNING!THIS GAME HAS A STEEP LEARNING CURVE,FOR HARDCORE GAMERS ONLY!
The game comes with challenges like beat 30 fighters in a minute.On hard.You might like It,If you like getting beaten up every match.But this is a fighting game after all,and if you practice,you will probley become a master at It,If you can be bothered to practice that is.I've been rooting for a decent beat-em-up to arrive on the Gamecube since the street fighter series.And they were 2D!This game is good,but lacks the much needed replay factor,as the Idea for a decent fighting game is not getting your ass kicked every fight.Buy It If you want to (or If you just didn't listen to me),but only If you have no friends.Because the multiplayer is poor!
79% By Ben Griffin
The fighting is near perfect.
Good vareity of characters and arenas
Incredibly hard the second time through storymode
Multiplayer holds no thrills
