SoulCalibur VI isn’t perfect, but its fluid combat and abundance of single-player content more than make up for its fairly minor shortcomings.
SoulCalibur VI
Developer: Bandai Namco
Price: $59.99
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One, and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PS4 code for review
Though I’m more of a 2D fighter myself, I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for SoulCalibur. I have fond memories of playing as Spawn in SoulCalibur II and Darth Vader in SoulCalibur IV, and even fonder memories of living out dream battles between the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts characters I would (maybe poorly) make in character customization mode. It’s been years since I really got into a SoulCalibur title though, so I saw SoulCalibur VI as the perfect game to serve as a fresh start for both myself and the series; an observation that is true in more than a few ways.
SoulCalibur VI made the bold decision to serve as a reboot for the story of SoulCalibur as a whole, replacing the somewhat muddled lore that has been built-up by previous entries in the series. I like this decision quite a lot, as I never felt invested in the story of the previous SoulCalibur games, while I found most of the two story modes in SoulCalibur VI to be rather enjoyable. I think the story is at its strongest when presented in Soul Chronicle mode, which tells specific stories that each focus on one character. Though they occasionally overlap, these self-contained stories are often intriguing little tales that exceed at portraying the basics of their primary characters for anyone who may be new to SoulCalibur, or for fans who may not have cared for the story until now.
The other story mode, Libra of Soul, has some fun ideas but is largely disappointing. Libra of Soul lets you experience a unique SoulCalibur story from the perspective of your own custom character, alongside series favorites like Maxi and Killik. While the prospect of experiencing the story from your own perspective is certainly an appealing one, Libra of Soul is far too full of padding and expository scenes. The levelling system is another weak-point, as you’ll often find your enemies to be, statistically, far stronger than you. The difficulty curve is all over the place, which makes side-mission grinding practically necessary for anyone who wants to beat the main story. Being forced to play through boring and unnecessary missions in an already slow story mode is far more effort than it’s worth, as I could barely get through the mode with my attention span intact.
“Though I remember the inclusion of special attacks in SoulCalibur V was somewhat controversial, I found Critical Edges to be a strong addition to battle […]“
SoulCalibur VI has, in my opinion, the best combat in the series. While it isn’t jarringly different from the combat in any other SoulCalibur, the inclusion of Reversal Edge attacks and simpler Critical Edge attacks greatly changes the pace of SoulCalibur’s battles for the better. As much as I enjoy the series, I’ve always found its combat to feel a bit choppy. Reversal Edges are parry attacks that, upon impact, slows time and initiates a rock-paper-scissors sequence between both fighters. These clashes mesh well with the flow of combat while adding a cinematic flair to battle that doesn’t take away from the fight itself.
Critical Edges are essentially special attacks that are easy to use and fittingly flashy. Though I remember the inclusion of special attacks in SoulCalibur V was somewhat controversial, I found Critical Edges to be a strong addition to battle that looks cool, but doesn’t do enough damage to break the game. Critical Edges can also be added into combos pretty easily, which adds a refreshing dose of fluidity to successful combos.
“As an example, I made Griffith from Berserk, Matt Murdock from Daredevil, and Kylo Ren from Star Wars, and all three of these vastly different characters were easy to accurately make.“
As many can probably tell from some of the already infamous character designs that are all over social media, SoulCalibur VI has an incredibly in-depth character creation mode. Whether you want to make your own original characters or adapt your favorite anime characters to SoulCalibur, there’s more than enough customizability to make whatever you want to make. As an example, I made Griffith from Berserk, Matt Murdock from Daredevil, and Kylo Ren from Star Wars, and all three of these vastly different characters were easy to accurately make.
The music in SoulCalibur VI successfully captures the feeling of adventure and fantasy that SoulCalibur is all about, as does the over-the-top voice-acting that suits the series so well. The narrator/announcer is as hammy as ever, which I consider to be an essential part for any SoulCalibur game.
The Final Word
SoulCalibur VI is a blast to play on your own or with others, as it largely improves upon the best parts of the SoulCalibur series. Though the Libra of Soul mode is certainly weak, the rest of the game more than makes up for it with just how fluid and fun it is to play. I can say with confidence that SoulCalibur VI is my favorite game in the series, and I’m looking forward to playing it more with friends in the near and likely distant future.
MonsterVine Review Score: 4 out of 5 – Good
