The Long Road

08/28/2003 Archived Entry: "Soul Calibur 2"

Four years after the amazing Soul Calibur was released on Dreamcast, we finally get Soul Calibur 2 and it’s every bit as good as its predecessor!

Soul Calibur has been accused of being a button masher, but that’s just not true - not entirely. Because almost every direction-button combination does something different, it’s very easy for the uninitiated to pick up a controller and pull off some pretty flashy moves. Other fighters tend to have more complex controls to do anything remotely cool looking so they’re less likely to be labeled a button masher. However, if you look for it Soul Calibur 2 has plenty of depth; try memorizing the hundred or so different moves each character has. The characters all have multiple stances, weapons, unblockable moves, and soul charges.

Aside from the depth of the fighting engine and 2 player games, there’s lots of replay value to be had in Soul Calibur 2. There are lots of extra characters, playing modes, costumes, stages and weapons to unlock by playing the quest-like Weapon Master Mode. These can take up to a week of solid playing to fully unlock. The survival modes are fun for trying to get the highest score and team battles are insanely cool with more than 2 people around.

The music in Soul Calibur 2 is one of the best parts of this game. Most fighting game background music can pretty much just be ignored and will never stick in your head, not so here. The game’s soundtrack is composed of epic orchestral music that gives each fight a feeling of grandeur. The music is infinitely better than the generic techno-pop that Capcom’s fighters are saddled with. Some of the tunes stand our more than others but the whole soundtrack has been in my playlist for most of this week, “Eternal Struggle” and “Under the Stars of Destiny” being my two current favorites.

The only real problem with SC2 is that it isn’t all that different from SC1 on the Dreamcast. The game engine is essentially the same as is the Weapon Master Mode and while the graphics are great they’re nowhere near as jaw-droppingly-better-than-anything-else. The major differences are the new characters (Necrid and Raphael are AWESOME) and the multiple weapons for each character which add a lot of fun to Versus games. The “joke” weapons, particularly Nightmare’s fan, are a blast. Another difference that I appreciate is that some levels now have walls on some sides so that ring-outs aren’t possible all the time, there is even a cage-match stage where ring-outs aren’t possible at all.

Wish list for Soul Calibur 3: I want the special battles of Weapon Master Mode in multiplayer, it would be awesome to be able to play one-on-one where the only way to win was by throws or unblockables or ring-outs. I want pre-rendered endings ala Tekken, a real storyline and I want it all in less than 4 years.

For being the best fighter I’ve played since Soul Calibur 1, I give Soul Calibur 2 a 9/10

Replies: 55 comments

For the most part, I'll have to agree w/ Rayne on this one. The game is so damn near-perfect, it keeps me up at night wondering how they accomplished such a feat!

Things I'd like them to add for SC3:

I demand a "Bouncy-Mode" for SC3 that caters only to the female characters =)

Also, they need some counter-cheaper moves, to defend against moves such as "The Cheaper" and "The Pattern"

[No, I'm not crazy. Ask Rayne, we actually call out those terms halfway through our many battles..]

Now, for a small rant:

A lot of folk's will refuse to give this game a perfect 10/10 in fear of being called biased, or "Too forgiving". Really, there isn't such great a flaw in the game that out-weighs the positive factors.

Take for instance, Grand Turismo 3. In the first 300,000 copies of the game, there was a glitch that wouldn't let the players get to the 100% mark in the game. Also, there were also some sections in the menu that didn't play the music correctly. This was the copy that most magazines had to review.

The game was awarded a perfect 10/10 from just about every respectable mag. Why? Those flaws truly weren't that great of an impact to what many thought was the definition of "Perfect".

THIS game is almost in every way greater than it's predecessor. Music, Graphics, Gameplay, OH. MY. GOD. Im getting EXCITED listing all of this! Im going to go play. right. now.

-Dave

[Case in Point: The game is just so damn fun that I can't even finish my rant. 10/10 baby!]

Posted by Dave @ 08/29/2003 05:50 PM EST

I reserve perfect 10s for something that is absolutely flawlessly mindblowing and I don't think that SC2 is there... but almost.

Posted by Rayne @ 08/29/2003 06:24 PM EST

It is SUCH a great game! I bought it tonight and, though I've only played the Weapons Master part for an hour or three, I've unlocked all but one of the characters.

Now to get all the maps, weapons and costumes.

Anyway, I'd write more, but the game's paused downstairs and calling out to me.

Posted by Romer @ 08/30/2003 04:28 AM EST

Romer, have fun doing Weapon Master! Im guessing there's more than 10+ hours of playtime there alone!

I was just over at Rayne's house, where we are currently @ Lvl. 75, with all 200+ items and weapons unlocked :D ATM, there is currently nothing left to complete in our save file :)

Get Rayne to invite you over sometime, we can have SC2 Bash: Part Deux!

-Dave

Posted by Dave @ 08/30/2003 10:16 AM EST

Romer lives a little far (ie: waterloo). They'll be many a SC2 bashes once I get there though!

Romer: Did you unlock Lizardman, Assassin and Bezerker?

Posted by Rayne @ 08/30/2003 02:09 PM EST

Yes well... I was wrong. For some odd reason last night I thought there was only one more fighter left to unlock but there were four remaining. Anyway, there ar eonly three remaining now. Lots more to do, though.

And Lizardman, Assassin and Bezerker are the three I have yet to unlock.

Posted by Romer @ 08/30/2003 03:57 PM EST

In response to dave's

"I was just over at Rayne's house, where we are currently @ Lvl. 75, with all 200+ items and weapons unlocked :D ATM, there is currently nothing left to complete in our save file :)"

There is no "we" or "our" in this, i was the one that did all the work.

And for Romer, if you're playing the NA version, then i pity you, i really really pity you. The voice acting in the NA version are REALLY HORRID.

I would also give SC2 a 9/10. Why? Because there are tons of cool features in WMM that we can't use in normal modes. Also the 'dungeon' stages had no variations. There was one dungeon where I had to fight the same guy about 15 times before i got to the exit. Not fun at all.

Posted by Anonymous @ 08/31/2003 02:37 PM EST

Hey Anonymous:
"There is no "we" or "our" in this, i was the one that did all the work."

Seeing as how you are anonymous, the "I was the one that did all the work" is useless, as no one knows who you are!

Posted by Anonymous #2 @ 09/01/2003 07:13 PM EST

Obviously the people who that was intended too would know who they are, and in turn know who i am. It's pretty easy for them to know, and if they don't then they're just morons =P. Also i'm pretty sure just about everyone who comes here knows who i am.

Posted by Anonymous @ 09/02/2003 08:53 AM EST

Who are you? =P

Posted by George @ 09/02/2003 11:06 AM EST

I had a Soul Calibur dream last night. Rampaging Dinosaurs were also involved.

Posted by Rayne @ 09/04/2003 03:00 PM EST

*stiffles a laugh*

RAMPAGING DINOSAURS! *burst out laughing* crap, i couldn't contain it :)

when you play SC2, do you focus on one character, so that you get good with his moves, to the point of being able to perform moves like a reaction, such that it is instantaneous and you know exactly what your character will do?

or do you switch around all the time, and slowly get better at all the characters, but not develop the instantaneous reaction with any one characeter?

when i played super smash brothers fr n64, i played as yoshi almost every game i did. to the point that i had a couple moves that i did a lot, and they always worked when i wanted them to, and i could change my attack strategy easily. however, with almost any other character, i couldn't hold my own (except maybe mario, cause i played as him for a while) because i just didn't their moves and i'd be hitting buttons wondering what my characeter would do. when i played with people that always switched characters after each round, i'd feel obliged to do the same. after maybe the one round, i'd have in my head most of the moves the character could do, but then i'd switch cause everyone else did, and the previous round where i learned the moves was wasted.

so, if in the future, i am constant picking one character to be in a fighting game (possibly link in SC2, though there are some others that i'm considering), you'll kow why. i like being able to instantly react with something, and know what it will do. i don't like being a button masher, and wondering how i'm doing things.

Posted by shawnathan @ 09/04/2003 03:19 PM EST

I read somewhere that you need to hit level 72 before unlocking lizardman in subchapter 2. I'm a little bummed about this, since he's so sexy (and I'm only level 36), and I wish to play him and slaughter my friend who plays as Taki all the time... sigh.

Does it really matter how you play the game, as long as you respect that it is truly the best fighting game available for the xbox?

Did you ever wonder why one of Talim's taunts is "Are you ok?"... Kind of lame, since she's about to kick everyones butt.

... can't wait for halo 2 in january.

-super

Posted by anonymous @ 09/21/2003 02:10 AM EST

Wishlist for SC3:

naked costumes... YAY.

Posted by anonymous @ 09/21/2003 02:14 AM EST

It's something around level 72 (I thought it was 75) to unlock Lizardman, Assassin and Bezerker. Takes a while to get there.

All the dialog sounds really horrible in English, I wish I had never known what they said.

You mean Naked Costumes for only the girls right? right?!?

Posted by Rayne @ 09/21/2003 05:14 AM EST

I agree.. My favorite from the original was when Kilik would say, "This rod will be your doom."... You don't know how many times I said to my girlfriend that year.

I unlocked beserker in Chapt 4's extra dungeon mission, I think. Either way, I'm still only level 43 now... and no lizardman. :'(

No, I meant naked guy costumes. I want to seem Kilik's rod of doom bounce around every time he finishes a combo. Of course naked girl costumes! They can give the guys togas or something.

super

Posted by anonymous @ 09/22/2003 08:30 AM EST

The official Soul Calibur site has a really helpful message board for how to unlock some of the harder to obtain things in the game. This is the thread you want.

I rememeber that Kilik line, so wonderfully cheesy!! Tho now they're just cheesy...sigh.

Ivy naked *drools*

Posted by Rayne @ 09/23/2003 02:27 AM EST

ok
im a level 75 and i for some reason cant find sub-chapter 2 on my map. i have beaten all the locations listed and all the extra missons, all i need left in the whole game is lizarman. i have 87 of the 88 collections.
if any one out there knows afor sure way to get lizardman email me at bleedingevolution@yahoo.com

Posted by Postmortem @ 09/26/2003 04:21 PM EST

For the GameCube Version or Nintendo Nexus (if the Nexus is out when Soul Calibur 3 is released), I would like to see Nintendo offer Samus Aran as the secret character exclusively for the Nintendo version of Soul Calibur 3. It would be cool to see Samus fight with a sword without her Power Suit on. Gamers have never seen her fight with a sword or fight without a suit on. It would be interesting to see the most powerful bounty hunter in the galaxy, Samus Aran, to
fight in traditional combat style instead of with powerful cannon weapons. Besides, she's cool as hell and she'd kick ass!

Posted by Ian Kane Ruttenberg @ 10/11/2003 02:15 AM EST

if SC3 winds up on the PS2, I think Dante from the "Devil may cry" series should be a hidden character in addition to Hihachi(however it is spelled). like link, Dante's got alot of weapons hiding in that coat of his(like a sword,flaming gauntlets,various guns,etc.)

Of course,if and when it comes out,there should be AT LEAST a hidden bikini costume for every female character,cuz a nude code probably wouldnt survive censorship

Posted by anonymous @ 10/11/2003 01:26 PM EST

I don't think Heiachi is really too cool of a character to use, but Dante would be pretty hard to get on SC3 since he's owned by capcom. maybe they can make some kind of deal. He would really make a good addition tho!

For GC, I think Bowzer would be cool.

Posted by Rayne @ 10/13/2003 03:51 PM EST

J'adore Soul calibur. J'aime Talim. J'ai complet SC2 et toi

Posted by l'Ane @ 10/22/2003 06:22 AM EST

spawn et link es super. Je n'ai pas le xbox ou le gcube. j'ai SC2 pour le PS2. Je destest Heiachi.

Posted by l'Ane @ 10/22/2003 06:35 AM EST

J'ai encore a trouver tout les secret dans le jeu, je n'ai pas assez de temps pour ca malheureusement =(

Je n'aime pas Heiachi nonplus, je l'ai utilizer peut etre deux fois. J'aimerais bien essayez jouer comme spawn.

Posted by Rayne @ 10/24/2003 12:12 AM EST

OMG people are still replying here? hahaha didnt know! SC2 forever !! ;)

Posted by Dave @ 11/02/2003 12:58 PM EST

J'ai 13 ans et je vie dans Nova Scotia. Ma current jeu de video est GTAVC et SC2 et toi

Posted by l'Ane @ 11/19/2003 09:53 AM EST

J'ai un noveau blog, regard http://rockstarstuff.blogspot.com/

Posted by l'Ane @ 11/19/2003 11:31 AM EST

i came to this stupid fucking sight not to hear all you fuckers talk about soul cal. 2. i have that game and i is not that great it is to easy to beat and master it gets old real fast i type in when does halo 2 come out and it took me to this gay sight HALO NOW THATS A GAME

Posted by matt hecktor @ 11/20/2003 02:31 PM EST

I think the words you are looking for are "site" instead of "sight" and "too easy" instead of "to easy".

And also, if you bothered to look, someone mentions that Halo 2 comes out in January.

Posted by Rayne @ 11/21/2003 12:16 AM EST

13 ans? Tu es tres jeune!
Je n'ai pas the jeu preferre a ce moment. Pas assez de temp pour jouer.

Posted by Rayne @ 11/21/2003 12:18 AM EST

Taki and Ivy are "bouncy".

Posted by Mandroid @ 12/01/2003 02:22 PM EST

Rayne fais tu utilise un transltor ou es fais tu parle en fracais

Posted by l'Ane @ 12/19/2003 03:36 PM EST

OMG, I WUV Soul Calibur 2! I WUV IT I WUV IT I WUV IT!!! It's SOOOOO cool! I played it eveyday since I got it, and now I'm gonna be stuck on punishment. Grr. T_T All the fighters are awesome to play as, but just as annoying to fight! And, I must say this, I WUV KILIK AND NIGHTMARE!!!

Posted by Lauren @ 01/03/2004 10:14 PM EST

Het, I just remembered something. Mitsurugi is part of the name of Rurouni Kenshin's fighitng style. And did anyone notice that Mitsurugi's sword is named Shishi-oh? Coincindence? I THINK NOT.

Posted by Lauren @ 01/03/2004 10:16 PM EST

Je suis parfaitement bilingue. Ou biens, je l'etais auparavant, mon francais n'est plus aussi fort qu'il etais.

Kilik is my best player, but Mitsu's the most fun to use. Also, no idea about the kenshin connection. cool!

Posted by Rayne @ 01/11/2004 04:17 PM EST

You can also use kenshin's style.
The relic stance is the same as kenshin's techniques that earned him the name Battousai.

Posted by Raikken @ 01/19/2004 08:17 PM EST

ou est ton habite. ma est dans north salem nova scotia canada

Posted by l'Ane @ 02/02/2004 03:05 PM EST

A Ottawa, ou de temps-en-temps, a Waterloo en Ontario.

Posted by Rayne @ 02/02/2004 04:07 PM EST

Heu... que se passe-t-il ici au juste?

Posted by Étienne @ 02/05/2004 10:26 AM EST

C'est une conversation en Francais, bon et simple.

Posted by Rayne @ 02/06/2004 01:54 AM EST

Does gamecube have a nude ivy code? And if so, what is it?

Posted by Daniel Power @ 08/03/2004 03:44 PM EST

LOL!!!...that's sad Power...you are a disgrace to my name...:P!

Posted by dAN @ 08/04/2004 01:02 AM EST

i think that you know in sc2 they had a joke weapon in sc3 three they should have a couple of joke charaters for different games maybe

Posted by anumus @ 08/10/2004 06:08 AM EST

I would love to see the return of Cassandra in SC3, but I do not want to hear the high pitched voices of Xianhua again.

Spawn should be replaced by some better character. Maybe Master Chief, Hellboy, or Bill Gates.

Also, naked costumes for the chicks would be awesome.

Posted by a gamer in New York @ 08/30/2004 12:09 PM EST

heck, why use costumes ... wouldn't they be redundant? it's all about efficiency my friend.

Posted by melpie @ 08/30/2004 03:53 PM EST

I think costume makes sense in that they'd have to render the skin instead of clothing, I doubt they render skin and then clothes on top.

Posted by Rayne @ 09/04/2004 08:03 PM EST

NEVER DO 2 Player, have one person in Taki's 3rd costume....and be at that temple place that Cassandra's profile is at....and have Taki fall down. Perverts will like that cheat D:

Posted by Emily @ 04/29/2005 10:50 PM EST

NEVER DO 2 Player, have one person in Taki's 3rd costume....and be at that temple place that Cassandra's profile is at....and have Taki fall down. Perverts will like that cheat D:

Posted by Emily @ 04/29/2005 10:51 PM EST

Ahhh...me loves that game. Im so ubsessed with it that.....uhh...that Im obsessed with it. I prefer the ninja ladies instead of the heavy dudes like Astaroth and Nightmare

Posted by sakaki @ 04/29/2005 10:55 PM EST

I would love to see the return of Cassandra in SC3, but I do not want to hear the high pitched voices of Xianhua again.

Spawn should be replaced by some better character. Maybe Master Chief, Hellboy, or Bill Gates.

I agree. JUST KIDDING! argh Im sick of Xianghua! Bill Gates...LMAO! Master Shake would be preferred ;)

Posted by sakaki @ 04/29/2005 10:57 PM EST

its the easyest game on earth! I beat it in 5 hours.

Posted by joe @ 06/28/2005 01:05 PM EST

god, this is a long discussion. and all about SC2?the game rocks, but surely we have lives? or maybe not. Sheesh, what am i saying? i have a screen name that's based off a sci-fi character from "Dune"

Posted by muad'dib @ 06/28/2005 05:15 PM EST

Why you guys talking about me?

Posted by Lizardman @ 07/11/2005 10:50 AM EST

w00t nude costumes!!! somthing we could all benifit from lol

Posted by alex @ 08/16/2005 10:08 AM EST

and what is the nude code

Posted by kilik @ 08/28/2005 07:36 PM EST