Ranked number five on Complex.com’s "50 Best Fighting Games of All Time," "SoulCalibur" -- following success in the arcades -- found a new home on the Sega Dreamcast. The first sequel launched in 2003 on all three major consoles of the generation, followed by two additional chapters and a bombed segue ("SoulCalibur: Legends"). According to VG24/7, the latest, "SoulCalibur 5," was initially announced at a conference in Dubai last May.
But like every other sequel after the second installment, "SoulCalibur 5" gives players what's expected -- and that’s about it.
The next chapter in a tale “told for all eternity” (and they’re not kidding) continues in medieval times, 17 years from the last game. The main protagonist, Patroklos, searches for his lost sister Pyrrha while attempting to locate an evil "malfested" girl -- demoncically possessed individuals -- who kidnapped her and killed their mother. Players switch back and forth between character perspectives, revealing experiences from both Patroklos's and Pyrrha's point of view.
Following in the footsteps of its immediate predecessor, "SoulCalibur 5’s" offline story only takes away from other quality aspects of the game. The general plot is painfully predictable, and the overall fighting routine becomes quickly repetitive, presenting you with limited items to be unlocked. In fact, the only real objective is to reach the next cut-scene, so "SoulCalibur" veterans will probably yearn for the early days when there were plenty of missions, collectible items and the ability to choose your character. This is, however, still an excellent time to experiment with character moves.
"SoulCalibur 5" lacks innovation, but the visual appearances and general mechanics remain golden. For starters, everyone's favorite characters look more realistic than ever. With reoccurring appearances from fan favorites like Nightmare (obviously), Sigfried, Ivy, Astaroth and Voldo, there are 29 selections total (not counting custom fighter options).
Like previous entries before it, character movements and animation are almost flawless, and feature some of the smoothest graphics ever witnessed in a "SoulCalibur" title. Move patterns seem nearly identical to their predecessors, placing an emphasis on both classic and modern "SoulCalibur" mechanics. Thankfully, none of the fighters seemed too heavily overpowered, which is a minor flaw (button mashers using characters like Astaroth) prominent in the first games.
The second installment to offer online matches, "SoulCalibur 5" has a sturdy match lobby, allowing for both random pairings and selectable challenges. Spikes in online latency are rare, though unfortunately devastating when present. There's a chance you’ll get pinned up against someone greater than you in the first match, but balancing seems to even out after completing more fights.
Though it might sound strange, the most immediate fun in "SoulCalibur 5" involves the character creator. Whether you’re looking to construct the babe of your dreams or an ideal macho destroyer, you’ll probably spend most time playing with the different equipment types -- additional accessories can be unlocked -- and physical features.
You’ll laugh, cry and maybe even throw up a bit, because there are some pretty gnarly looking characters created by others in the “quick match” offline mode.
Other reviewers agree that "SoulCalibur 5" is an entertaining package, but a little too much like the original. Gaming news giant IGN.com assigned the title 7.5 out of 10, stating "the fighting is still great, but is the fifth installment of this series a worthy upgrade?"
Joystiq.com also took notice of the game's classic qualities, but explained how hard it is for returning players to experience that first spark they encountered in "SoulCalibur" and "SoulCalibur 2."
Overall, exceptional visuals and a sturdy match-up system make "SoulCalibur 5" a reasonable but all too familiar package. Repetition makes the full $60 price tag of the game difficult (if not impossible) to justify, since most features are already available in "SoulCalibur 4. Like every other relaunch of a popular fighting game, the greatest appeal in "SoulCalibur 5" is how it offers a (technically) fresh battleground for both new and returning players to embrace.
Perhaps someday Namco will recreate what everyone felt in 1998 and 2003. Meanwhile, you could simply rent the newest chapter and create a cleaver-wielding Richard Simmons to fight player X's "generic skimpy school girl," and player Y's "outrageous sumo surprise."
At a Glance...
Release Date: Jan. 31, 2012
Developed By: Namco-Bandai (Website)
Price: $59.99
Additional Games: Soul Edge/Blade, SoulCalibur, SoulCalibur 2, SoulCalibur 3, SoulCalibur: Legends, SoulCalibur 4
What Works: Astonishing visuals with amazing animations, returning characters with fluid moves, solid online match system, fun and wacky character creations.
What's Lame: Mediocre story mode, yet another sequel still missing the classic SoulCalibur essence.
Overall: A satisfactory addition to the series for both fans and newbies.
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