Soulcalibur

Soul franchise
File:Projectsoullogo2.jpeg
Genre(s)	Fighting
Developer(s)	Namco Bandai
Publisher(s)	Namco Bandai
Creator(s)	Hiroaki Yotoriyama
Platform(s)	Arcade, PlayStation, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Wii, Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable
First release	Soul Edge April 1996
Latest release	Soulcalibur V January 31, 2012

The Soul Series (ソウルシリーズ, Sōru Shirīzu) is a weapon-based historical fantasy fighting game series by Namco Bandai Games. The series revolves around a sword that, after years of bloodshed and hatred, gained a soul of its own, the Soul Edge, and the sword forged to counter it, Soul Calibur. The series is special in that each character is created to have his or her own unique weapon and style creating a varied fighting experience.

General information

File:Projectsoullogo.png

The original logo for Project Soul until Soulcalibur II - Soulcalibur V

All games in the series before Soulcalibur III were originally arcade games, subsequently being ported to home consoles. The series has seven main installments and one spin-off:

• Soul Edge (1996): Arcade and PlayStation (PlayStation port released as Soul Blade in USA, Europe and Australia).
• Soulcalibur (1998): Arcade, Dreamcast, and (2008) Xbox Live Arcade on the Xbox 360.
• Soulcalibur II (2002): Arcade, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube.
• Soulcalibur III (2005): Arcade and PlayStation 2.
• Soulcalibur Legends (2007): Wii. – Spin-off title
• Soulcalibur IV (2008): Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
• Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny (2009): PlayStation Portable.
• Soulcalibur V (2012): Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The ported versions are known for their extra features, including new characters, weapons, new costumes, art galleries, martial arts demonstrations and involved single player modes, when compared to the original arcade versions. For example, Seung Han Myong is not featured in the arcade version of Soul Edge and in home versions there is an role-playing video game-type mode titled "Edge Master" where the player can unlock various items including weapons for the default characters.

Project Soul is the internal Namco development group responsible for the Soul franchise after the release of Soulcalibur II. Although the games are most often simply credited to Namco itself, the team established its name to draw attention to the group's combined accomplishments. The designed logo for Project Soul, like the first game it was applied to, contains an outlining of the in-game character Nightmare, using his Soulcalibur II design.

Even though they are often used interchangeably, the terms Soulcalibur (written as one word) and Soul Calibur (written as two words with a capital C) are two separate terms; the former is another name for the franchise, while the latter refers to the holy sword featured in the storyline that the series is named after.

As of November, 2011, the Soul series has sold approximately 12 million units worldwide.

A petition for Soulcalibur V has been posted on Facebook. This petition has caught the attention of Namco Bandai producer Katsuhiro Harada (most famous for his involvement with the Tekken series). He is accepting suggestions and is promising to lobby on behalf of fans for the creation of a Soulcalibur V. On December 25, 2010, a new Soul series project was announced to be under way, led by a new director.

At Namco's Level Up conference on May 11, 2011, the official announcement of Soulcalibur V was made. The only major detail revealed was the advancement of the timeline 17 years forward from the events of Soulcalibur IV.

History

Soul Edge/Blade

Main article: Soul Edge

The first installment was named Soul Edge in the arcades, which was updated to Soul Edge Ver. II and transported overseas as Soul Blade on the PlayStation hardware. Set in the late sixteenth century, the game follows nine warriors in a quest, each of whom has his or her own reasons but share a common goal: to obtain the legendary sword, Soul Edge. After appearing in arcades, it was made available for the PlayStation. Along with its soundtrack, this weapon-based title has been widely praised for being innovative yet traditional to the fighting genre of games. With Versus (one-on-one battle mode), Survival (take on a gauntlet of opponents until the player is unable to continue), Time Attack, Team Battle (a selection of combatants will take on an opposing group, a victor is announced when the last remaining member of a team is defeated) and Training modes, the console port also saw the addition of "Edge Master", a single-player mode in which the player would guide one of the ten main characters in a story-like manner while obtaining a variety of weapons for use.

Soulcalibur

Main article: Soulcalibur

The sequel to Soul Edge arrived in video arcades a year later, the plot being 2–3 years later than the first game's, as was its exclusive porting to the Dreamcast console. The title is derived from Soul Calibur, a legendary weapon which opposes the evil of Soul Edge. This title would also retcon the Soul series as a whole, establishing its popularity in video gaming history as it garnered positive reviews from gaming fans and critics alike. Though retaining elements of its predecessor, Soulcalibur incorporated an extensive amount of new features, including the "8-Way Run".

On July 2, 2008, Namco Bandai released Soulcalibur on the Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Although online leaderboards and achievements are supported in this version, there is no online mode or mission mode, which was in the Dreamcast version. Therefore, all content normally unlocked by playing Mission Mode in the Dreamcast version is already unlocked from the beginning in the XBLA version.

Soulcalibur II

Main article: Soulcalibur II

Soulcalibur II further improved and expanded from Soulcalibur, in both graphics and gameplay. Soulcalibur II was released in arcade format 3 years after the previous outing of the series, subsequently being ported to all three active sixth-generation consoles. This is the first game in the Soul series to feature characters in other media, such as Link from Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda, playable on GameCube's roster. Specially featured on PlayStation 2's roster is Heihachi Mishima of Tekken fame, while Image Comic's character Spawn was an exclusive addition for the Xbox version.

Soulcalibur III

Main article: Soulcalibur III

Breaking tradition, Soulcalibur III was released only for PlayStation 2 in 2005, before an Arcade Edition was seen. It is also possible to identify the use of a different graphics engine used to develop the game. Soulcalibur III contained a new single-player mode called "Tales of Souls", the true story mode in which the player could make course-altering decisions along the way. Arenas were made more interactive, such as the breaking of rocks if one of the 42 selectable characters were to impact against them. Soulcalibur III is the first game in the series to feature a character creation system, and features a story mode called "Chronicles of the Sword" which is a mode with some strategic aspects purely for created characters.

Note: Soulcalibur III is the first and only game in the Soul Series to be THX approved.

Soulcalibur IV

Main article: Soulcalibur IV

Arriving in 2008 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the fifth installment of the series is the second game not to see an arcade release prior to the home game, as well as the first to take bouts online. Soulcalibur IV instates new gameplay mechanics into the series in the form of damage-absorbing armor (that can be shattered) and Critical Finishes (both tied to the new Soul Gauge).

Like Soulcalibur II, the fourth game also included cameos from different media. Initially, Star Wars Sith Lord Darth Vader is an exclusive playable character on the PlayStation 3, while Jedi Master Yoda is selectable on the Xbox 360. The character that the specific console version lacks can be purchased as premium downloadable content via PlayStation Store or Xbox Live Marketplace. Both versions of the game also include the Apprentice character from the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed multimedia project.

Like Soulcalibur III, Soulcalibur IV also includes a character creation system with various customizable parts, some unlockable. These characters can also be taken into online bouts, which in itself is a new addition to the series. However, unlike Soulcalibur III, the only available weapon disciplines are taken from the existing roster (there are no unique disciplines for created characters).

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

Main article: Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

Released in 2009 for the Sony PSP, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is the first portable installment of the Soul series.It uses many of the features used in Soulcalibur IV such as the soul crush, armor destruction, critical finishers, and Character Creation and also brings in some new features such as new lighting effects for stages so that they have different times of day, and the new Gauntlet Story mode. The game's features are pulled heavily from Soulcalibur IV, including its customization features. It features a new character named "Dampierre", a conman who wears twin blades on his wrists. In addition, Kratos from the God of War franchise appears as a guest character.

Soulcalibur V

Main article: Soulcalibur V

Released on January 31, 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Soulcalibur V is the sixth installment of the series is the second game to take bouts online. Like the other Soulcalibur series, this game features a guest. Ezio from the Assassin's Creed franchise makes his first debut in a fighting game. The game is set 17 years after its predecessor, Soulcalibur IV. The main character of the game is Patroklos, the son of series veteran Sophitia.

Basic gameplay

All the games in the Soul series retain some specific features while introducing or removing others from game to game. The basic button layout for the Soul series games are two weapon attacks (horizontally and vertically aligned strikes), a kick button, and a guard button for blocking. Two features that have been kept in the series since its inception are the Guard Impact defense system and the Ring Out condition of victory. In the first game (Soul Edge/Blade), the Guard Impact system is a repelling technique that allows the player to "check" an incoming strike and push it back and allowing for a free hit. A Guard Impact requires precise timing (having the player pressing forward plus guard at the instant an opponent strikes) but results in tactical advantage for the defender. The opposing player is also able to counter a Guard Impact with their own and can stalemate their opponent until someone misses the timing on the subsequent Guard Impact. As the series moved forward, the Guard Impact system was made deeper. In Soulcalibur, Namco introduced multiple Guard Impact techniques (the original repelling technique was named "Repelling" while two new techniques, "Parrying" and "Weapon Stripping" were introduced). These different Guard Impact types have been kept for the subsequent installments. For the fifth game, Guard Impacts were slightly altered by giving the Parry maneuver a new property of slamming opponents to the ground rather than just easing their weapon off its course. Repels still work the same way as they have in previous Soul series games.

Ring Outs occur when one of the fighters is forcibly removed from the arena (or "ring"), instantly ending the round and resulting in a round point for their opponent. The idea of Ring Outs in 3D fighting games was originally conceived by the Virtua Fighter series of fighting games and adopted by Namco for Soul Edge. A combatant cannot be knocked out of the ring without being eliminated by some effort from themself or by their opponent. Later games introduced new ring designs that modified the way Ring Outs were handled (Soulcalibur allowed rings to take different shapes instead of a basic square, its sequel introduced stages with walls that blocked off parts of the ring and made Ring Outs possible only in certain parts of the stage or removing that condition altogether, and Soulcalibur III introduced low walls that can be destroyed and create a Ring Out opportunity once it is gone). Soulcalibur V introduces a new aspect of Ring Outs: if a Ring Out is declared on certain stages, the battle will continue in a new location below the point where the Ring Out occurred.

Soul Edge is unique in the series as it is the only game to feature the "Weapon Meter"; a sword-shaped meter under the characters' vitality bars that determined how much damage a weapon could sustain. As a character blocked attacks; the meter would deplete until it emptied which resulted in a weapon break (the player would also have to pay half the Weapon Meter to perform a "Critical Edge" combo). Once the character's weapon was broken, they were forced to fight bare-handed until the end of the round. The Weapon Meter was designed to promote consistent offense and not constant defense (other fighters have adopted similar means to deter over-defending; Street Fighter Alpha 3's Guard Meter is an example of such a device). The Weapon Meter was abandoned following Soul Edge and instead replaced with Soulcalibur's trademark "8-Way Run" system. The 8-Way Run allowed players to walk in any direction at any time instead of using a specific command to sidestep. This kept the fights truly three-dimesional and made it easier to maneuver around attacks or away from ring edges (as well as launch specific 8-Way Run attacks). Each of the sequels to Soulcalibur have used the 8-Way Run movement system.

In the fifth installment, Namco introduced a new spin on the Critical Edge combo called the "Critical Finish". Rather than being a combo, a Critical Finish is more in the vein of a finishing move which involves an elaborate move that defeats opponents in a single attack. This new attack is tied to the "Soul Gauge" that works similarly to the Guard Break meter in Street Fighter Alpha 3 (the meter decreases whenever the player blocks an attack and is replenished by landing attacks on the opponent, it also refills slowly over time). Also tied to the Soul Gauge is the concept of destructible character armor (akin to Fighting Vipers) that can be smashed off characters to weaken their resistance to attacks. The Critical Finish itself replaces the "Soul Charge" from the other 3 Soulcalibur games (a supercharge-like move that can give your character counter properties for the duration of its charge).

Large gameplay changes have been implemented for Soulcalibur V. Critical Finishes are no longer part of the gameplay, instead replaced by the Critical Edge (different from the attack used in Soul Blade). Critical Edge attacks can be used after filling up the new Critical Gauge, which works similarly to "super meters" in other fighting games. Guard Impacts are now tied to this gauge (a segment must be sacrificed to execute one) and the original Guard Impact mechanic is replaced by "Just Guard", which works similarly but removes the consequence for missed timing. The Critical Gauge can also be used for "Brave Edge" attacks, which are stronger attacks than regular moves that don't require an entire bar to use. In addition to the 8-Way Run, "Quick Step" allows players to execute a faster sidestep to circle their opponent.

Featured characters

Main article: List of Soul characters

This table contains all the main characters in the series, with the bonus and guest characters listed below it.

Character	Soul Edge/Blade	Soulcalibur	Soulcalibur II	Soulcalibur III	Soulcalibur Legends	Soulcalibur IV	Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny	Soulcalibur V
Abyss	No	No	No	Yes 5	No	No	No	No
Algol	No	No	No 1 2	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Amy	No	No	No 1	Yes 3 4	No	Yes	Yes	No 2
Astaroth	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cassandra	No 2	No 2	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Cervantes	Yes	Yes 5	Yes	Yes	Yes 6	Yes	Yes	Yes
Charade	No	No	Yes	Yes 6	No	No	No	No
Dampierre	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes 8
Edge Master	No	Yes	No 1	No 2	No	No	No 1 2	Yes
Elysium	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Hilde	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hong Yun-seong	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Hwang Seong-gyeong	Yes	Yes	No 1	Yes 3 4	No	No 2	Yes 2 6	No
Inferno/SoulEdge	Yes 6 5	Yes	Yes 6	No	No	No	No	No
Ivy	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kilik	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Leixia	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Li Long	Yes	No	No 1	Yes 3 4	No	No	Yes 2 6	No
Lizardman (Aeon Calcos)	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maxi	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mitsurugi	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Natsu	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Necrid	No	No	Yes 5	No	No	No	No	No
Night Terror	No	No	No	Yes 6	No	No	No	No
Nightmare	No 1 7	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes 6	Yes	Yes	Yes
Olcadan	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Patroklos/Alpha Patroklos	No	No	No	No 2	No	No 2	No	Yes
Pyrrha/Pyrrha Omega	No	No	No	No 2	No	No 2	No	Yes
Raphael	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rock	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Seong Han-myeong	Yes 5	No	No	No	No	No	No 2	No
Seong Mi-na	Yes	Yes	Yes 5	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Setsuka	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Siegfried	Yes	Yes	No 7	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sophitia	Yes	Yes	Yes 5	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No 2
Taki	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No 2
Talim	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Tira	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Viola	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Voldo	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Xianghua	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No 2
Xiba	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Yoshimitsu	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Zasalamel	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Z.W.E.I.	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Total	12	19	20	30	8	26	29	30
Notes: Makes an appearance in-game Only mentioned in-game Bonus Character on console versions Standard Character on Arcade Edition Playable on console versions only Unplayable boss character/Enemy character/Minor character Appears as an alternate costume Exclusive for players who pre-order the game/Downloadable Contact Notes Playable on console versions only: Necrid-Soul Calibur II Sophitia-Soul Calibur II Seong Mi-na-Soul Calibur II Abyss-Soul Calibur III Unplayable boss/enemy characters Inferno-Soul Calibur II Charade-Soul Calibur III Night Terror-Soul Calibur III Cervantes-Soul Calibur Legends Nightmare-Soul Calibur Legends Appears as an alternate costume: Nightmare (Siegfried's costume)-Soul Calibur Siegfried (Nightmare's costume)-Soul Calibur II

Bonus characters

Soulcalibur II

• Assassin
• Berserker
• Lizardman (Generic)

Soulcalibur III

• Abelia
• Arthur
• Aurelia
• Chester
• Demuth
• Girardot
• Greed
• Hualin
• Luna
• Lynette
• Miser
• Revenant
• Strife
• Valeria

Soulcalibur IV

• Angol Fear
• Ashlotte
• Kamikirimusi
• Sceherazade
• Shura

Guest characters

Soulcalibur II

• Heihachi Mishima (PS2 version)
• Link (Nintendo GameCube version)
• Spawn (Xbox version)

Soulcalibur Legends

• Lloyd Irving

Soulcalibur IV

• Darth Vader (PS3 version)
• Yoda (Xbox 360 version)
• The Apprentice

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

• Kratos

Soulcalibur V

• Ezio Auditore
• Devil Jin (CAS)

Original soundtracks

Main article: Discography of the Soul series

Soul Edge sparked the release of two soundtrack albums. Soulcalibur, II, III, and IV each produced one album, while Legends and Broken Destiny have not seen the release of any albums.

Film

Soulcalibur (or Soulcalibur: Endgame) is a movie adaptation of Namco's Soul video game series.

During spring 2001, Chinese director Sammo Hung committed to do a movie adaptation of Soulcalibur and had actor Jackie Chan in mind to star. At first everything seemed to be going well, Sammo was given a $50 million budget and backed up by Namco. Sammo's official website announced its plans regarding Soulcalibur, but after a year later nothing developed. Eventually Sammo's official website removed its announcement and the Soulcalibur movie was presumed cancelled. Unofficial sources suggest that Sammo had lost interest in creating the movie after Chan could not commit a schedule to create the movie. Sammo had forfeited his rights to produce the movie and they were taken by an American producer.

Warren Zide's Anthem Pictures has since acquired the rights to adapt the game to film. It has been stated that the film's story, unlike the games', "revolves around two warriors who are chosen by Shaolin monks to recover and destroy a powerful sword that has fallen into the hands of an evil prince who plans to use it to open the gates of hell and destroy the world."

External links

• Official site
• Official site for the film
• Template:Ja Project Soul official site
• Official Facebook site
• Template:Dmoz
• The Soulcalibur Wiki (Wikia)