Soul Calibur 2 Gc Series Already Superb

Of those three bonus dudes, Link and Spawn fit in the best--each has a nifty blend of special moves that seem right at home in the Calibur realm.

So clear your schedule; youve got a cant-miss appointment with an undead pirate, a busty ninja, and a weirdo dressed with lots of flair.When the original Soul Calibur came out on Sega Dreamcast, it was the best fighting game wed ever played--and were not qualifying that with an arguably, because there was no argument (almost four years later, only Virtua Fighter 4 and MF4: Evo--see page 115--can compare).

Calibur was a huge step forward from its predecessor, Soul Blade, and not just because it looked beautiful; it was amazingly deep, especially for a weapons-based fighting game.

On top of Link, Soul Calibur 2 made us go one more round by having kick-ass controls, a wide variety of characters and a crappy load of game modes that you might not care about, but they were there anyway.

But now, for the one guy out there who didnt already know, Soul Calibur II is coming to all three consoles (each version has minor differences and an exclusive character).

Take the phone off the hook and put out the do not disturb sign--the wait is finally over.

Soul Calibur II became my sensei overnight, and Ive been abusing buttons ever since.

Soul Calibur 2 Gc Series Already Superb

With this sequel, Namco chose to refine its previous work rather than rethink the series already superb design.

SC2 is anything but a lamp-heated rehash of last generations leftovers (and not only because many of you missed Calis debut).

This fighters been training in secret for years and emerges from its sword school a leaner, faster, more lethal samurai, subtly improved in most every aspect.

And the screenshots youve been staring at all summer only hint at this babys breathtaking beauty.

Youve seen the flashes that follow blades as they arc through the air.

Youve studied the stills of elegant arenas where sunlight filters through stained glass, curves around columns of cold marble, and kisses Ivys perfect breasts.

Its fast and fluid, making even over-the-top moves seem totally convincing.

Watching a petite Talim deflect a blow from Astaroths king-sized ax and stagger clear across the stage under a shower of sparks is all the proof you need.

Namcos strategy of refinement carries over to Soul Calibur IIs roster of characters as well.

Series fans will be thrilled to see their favorite duelists back in action (sultry dominatrix Ivys chain-whip punishments never looked so sexy, and gimpy Voldos undulations are more disturbing than ever).

Most of the returning characters pack new moves, combos, and stances, and the whole group has been rebalanced to weed out any unfairness.

If youre new to the Calibur club, youll be immediately impressed--this series has always been about stylish guys and gals wielding impressive weapons, and its a blast just to explore the intricacies of each available avatar.

Sure, the fighting styles are fanciful, but these magically delicious maneuvers look so damn cool that you likely wont obsess over the lack of martial arts feasibility.

If youre a series vet like me, however, youll probably be a tinge disappointed by the lack of fresh faces.

Although each consoles version of SC2 offers a total of 23 characters (once youve unlocked all the secret ones), realistically only three of them are fundamentally new: prissy fencer Raphael, sprightly tonfa babe Talim, and each systems exclusive character (see above).

Soul Calibur 2 Iso Gc