by Eric Martin
The Rundown
The ever-popular weapon-oriented fighting game franchise is back, with new characters, new gameplay modes, and stunning new visuals. Once again, you can choose from dozens of your favorite Soul Calibur characters, select your weapon, and lay the unholy smackdown on your opponents in what I consider to be the most in-depth player-vs-player combat system of any I've ever played. Story mode is about the same as ever, where you can take your character on a path of battles across the land of Soul Calibur 3 in search of information about the evil Soul Edge sword, your ultimate plan for the weapon depending on the good or evil alignment of your character. This time, the actual path you take can end up having more effect on how your story progresses than in any of the past games. As well are the quintessential player-vs-player VS modes, the Gallery for viewing unlockables, and the basic training and practice modes. However, there are now even more intriguing things to discover, including the never-before-seen Custom Character creation feature in which you can take different parts and outfit items and custom-make your own character based upon a class template that defines what weapon- and move-sets the character can choose from. In the all-new Chronicles of the Sword mode, you can utilize this feature to play out an RPG-like campaign that allows you to advance custom characters through experience levels and eventually unlock new parts and movesets for particular classes, as well as earn game currency (Gold) to buy new parts, classes, and other unlockables. The Soul Arena makes its appearance, and allows you to try for more Gold by testing yourself in a selection of unique challenges. Nearly every Soul Calibur character from all of the former games becomes unlockable, excluding of course the bonus platform-exclusive characters of Soul Calibur 2, but also including 3 completely brand new characters with their own styles of butt-kicking.
The Ratings
Concept: The super-popular game franchise makes its return, with more of the same, and a buttload of new stuff. The battle system is tried-and-true, and even a little bit innovated-upon since the last installment in the series. The storyline is pretty much the same as the past couple games, although the timeline has progressed to continue where the more satisfactory character endings of Soul Calibur 2 left off. Bring in a blaze of new features like the custom character creation and the brand new standard characters, and you get yourself an excellent addition to an excellent series. I give the concept of Soul Calibur 3 a very pleased 9/10.
Visual Effects: This game is the best-looking so far out of the series, as well it should be. The characters are smoothly animated and the levels in which you battle are also very animated, and really quite beautiful. Waterfalls, windmills, swaying foliage, and flocks of birds all add to the great atmosphere of the game as you brutally smash the crap out of your opponents. The color palette has never been so wide-ranged, and there isn't a dull color scheme in this game. Even the classic underground tomb levels are semicolorful. I give the visual effects of Soul Calibur 3 a heartfelt 9/10.
Sound Effects: Between the triumphant background music, the vivid and lifelike sounds of the scenery, and the constant quips and bantering of the combatants, Soul Calibur 3 has all you'll ever need for sound effects. It's not what makes this game shine, but there is nothing more you can ask for in a rough-em-up game like this. I give the more than satisfactory sound effects of Soul Calibur 3 a very solid 8/10.
Mechanics: As we've come to expect from the Soul Calibur franchise, the mechanics are absolutely superb. Movement and execution is perfectly fluid, and the innovative battle system that has made the series famous is in its finest form. Whether you're dodging, striking, parrying, or locking your opponent into a vicious attack throw, every move is unique and flawlessly executed, so long as you're skillful enough to make your hits land on an equally skillful opponent. The sheer range of motion and vast arsenal of individual moves and stances is nearly overwhelming, and it's most likely the main thing that keeps fans coming back for more. I give the game mechanics of Soul Calibur 3 a perfect 10/10, and I mean it.
The Bottom Line
Fans of the franchise will not be disappointed, and this game could be the one to draw any number of new players. With more to offer than ever before, Soul Calibur 3 is without a doubt the best of its kind on the market today. It's a proud addition to my personal collection, and every person I've ever spoken with who's played it has absolutely loved it. I strongly recommend this game to anyone who's either an existing fan of the series or simply a fan of medieval-ish personal combat in its best form.
A professional gamer-geek who wants to spread his opinions to the world and hopefully help other gamers like himself to find quality games for good deals. I'm here to help with gameplay problems at fenix_arisen@yahoo.com.
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