![]() With the inclusion of an online mode for the first time in series history, there will be a lot less whining about the unfairness of a created character when they're basically the same as any of the main characters. It's pretty clear that these limitations are in place for the sake of balance. The list of inappropriate combinations goes on and on. Each created character moves exactly like his or her fighting style's namesake, so if you create a female character with an ax and shield, she will crawl and skulk like Lizardman, and a male sword and shield user will prance around and pose just like Cassandra or Sophitia. SoulCalibur IV's Create-a-Soul is more of a character customization system than it is about character "creation." You're given control over the character's basic body shape, fighting style and equipment, but there are only 28 move sets from which to choose. While this made for some bizarre weapons and classes, it also made each created Soul feel truly unique. The last game allowed you to create characters by utilizing dozens of unique move sets that aren't used by any of the main characters. SoulCalibur III received a lot of criticism for its unbalanced Create-a-Soul classes and its semi-RTS single-player campaign, but for all the complaints, you can't say that there wasn't a lot of variety. However, what isn't here is the sheer variety that was present in the franchise's prior iteration. ![]() Underneath that gorgeous, shiny surface, it's easy to see that the solid SoulCalibur core is still there, holding everything together and keeping the game a joy to play. When you give almost any body type the opportunity to wear just about every conceivable piece of armor, it would be astounding if there weren't any clipping issues. Arms and legs have a tendency to clip through hard pieces of armor when they're bent in odd directions, and random headgear doesn't seem to work very well with unusual hairstyles and heads, but these are extremely forgivable. Cloth convincingly falls across the body with each step, the fuzz on boots and shoulder pads blows subtly in the wind, and light reflects off the surface of wet stone more convincingly than it might in a Pixar movie. ![]() The PS3 hasn't dramatically increased the realism of the movements or altered the shape of the characters, but the fine details look fantastic. The first thing you see when you boot it up (and optionally perform the 2.5 GB install) is that the graphics have gone one step beyond those in SoulCalibur III. Right from the outset, it's clear that this title is about exquisite balance between characters, well-placed blocking and a fine attention to detail. It effectively defeated the button-mashing cliché of the last generation, and SoulCalibur IV does nothing to break this mold. It broke the mold set long ago by combo-intensive, rigid fighters like Mortal Combat and Street Fighter and created a game both easily accessible and incredibly deep. ![]() Ever since its popularization on the Dreamcast, SoulCalibur has become known as the ultimate in fighting games. ![]()
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