Soulcalibur IV

Blog Post: An Epic Edition!

Jonathan Harrison — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:36:00 GMT

As a huge fan of the Soulcalibur franchise, Soulcalibur IV is currently the best installment to the series with its enhanced graphics, new characters, and special guests Starkiller, Darth Vader, and Yoda. Definitely a must-buy for those who enjoy this classic saga.

Blog Post: Beautiful, smooth, and infinitely enjoyable.

Mr Colossus — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:35:00 GMT

I am a big fan of the series. I have put in about 140 hours into it and im still going strong. Ive created over 50 custom characters. Not all are saved anymore. But the depth and variety is amazing. I finally finished the tower of lost souls at about 135 hours. It was so hard and challenging, but it was so engaging. I dont even have all of the treasure chest though so im technically not done. But I have mastered one character and am now giving others a try. Delving into the in depth move list is truly a fun experience. Every character is so different im amazed every time i just think about it. There are some crossovers whith a few moves. But thats what i appreciate the most about soul calibur. You can easily tell the difference between each character. Also the controls are completely customizable. I changed every single buttons action to fit how i used to play on the gamecube. Also how you do a move is related to what the move actually is. If you do a diagonal slash, you will move the stick diagonally and press that respective strike. Thats what makes learning the moves easy. But creating your own combos is where time needs to be put in. And thats where it gets fun.

Graphics and sound are also a plus throughout the game, aside for the dialogue. I have gotten frustrated with my opponent just because of how they talk. Also i havent had a non lag game yet either which is frustrating. I have only won two games out of about 12. But if it wasnt laggy for me i would be owning fools left and right. Even wussy button mashers. There is many ways to counter button mashers with counters, impacts, parries, and just good knowledge of the game.

SC4 is oozing with amazing content i think i will still be able to still put at least another 20 hours in before the disk becomes unreadable and thats the only way you will be able to get me to stop playing this game.

Wiki: Soulcalibur IV Guides

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 07:28:00 GMT

Guides for Soulcalibur IV

Blog Post: Can this live up to the fans or is it a let down

Gamecrow — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:15:00 GMT

If you a fan of the series get this game- if you are not a fan read this. I played this game for a while and i didn't play it like the first three. We all know this is the first next gen Soulcalibur but it seems like no one care about it with all the gay lines in the game. Some others cared because it's there old family fighting game. But the graphics and the gameplay are too good . My favorite Soulcalibur game is the second one. I will love that game forever.

Blog Post: A NEW WAY TO RAISE YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL

Fro Zack — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:27:00 GMT

Whether it's spending hours on the couch with friends, ascending or descending through the Tower of Lost Souls, or creating a suggestive female character in the character creation, Soulcalibur IV is in many ways a great experience. The ease of combat is brought to you with accesible controls, as well as the graphics are distributed through a very clear resolution that makes your old crappy TV that you played GoldenEye on sit in the corner and mope in jealousy. Soulcalibur IV is not a game to be forgotten on a Friday night.

The new online play is a blast to play through even if you're not an experienced fighter like I am. This mode adds loads of replay to the game and makes me feel sorry for those who don't have a LIVE or PSN set-up. While that's a great mode to play through, others, however, are not. While Arcade and Stroy Mode are good for a couple of hours, you will most likely find yourself bored with fighting characters over and over and over again.But I guess that's just true Soulcalibur fashion, even if you craft a character in the new Character Creation mode. But keep in mind that you're still making the same character, just this one has different clothes, face, hair, and maybe a different gender. Ultimately there are many things that you can customize on this blank canvas that's soon to be filled. I would've loved if you could customize a new weapon and choose the type of skin you had so you could be like Nightmare.

But, the game has many strong points that will make most people happy. Multiplayer is presented incredibly with the usual controllable flow of battle, astonishing visuals and great musical score (especially if you're playing on one of the Star Wars levels). It really makes me reconsider that the graphical power of such a small box can contain so much juice, like an orange handed to you by God from the deep vines of pure divinity.

Ultimately Soulcalibur makes for an experience unlike any other, except for the other entries in the Soul franchise. With a game with this much replay, video games might be able to stop their marketing plans. But who would want that?

Wiki Page: Complete SoulCalibur IV Strategy Guide

Ryan — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:22:00 GMT

B throw. If the attacker throws you with an A+G throw, press and mash the A button to escape as you see the throw animation happen. For B throws (B+G), mash the B button. You must commit to a single button input, A or B, or else the throw escape will fail.

flashes red when the gauge is less than five percent. Over time, the Soul Gauge gradually recovers, but will not recover automatically when the gauge is flashing red.
attack

Soul Crush and Critical Finish
Guarding against strong attacks or being Guard Impact by the opponent will put you at a disadvantage called Soul Crush, a conditional status when the Soul Gauge is fully depleted. During a Soul Crush, the opponent can execute a Critical Finish, an instant kill, by pressing four buttons (A+B+K+G). A Critical Finish ends the battle in a single attack.
must be broken

Opponent must be Soul Crushed

Critical Finish video

Key Terms
The Soul Calibur community uses many terms, but we'll list the most common notations:

AC: Air Control
An opponent can launch you in the air, and perform multiple hits before you land. While you're in the air, you can change the direction of your fall, avoiding many devastating air combos. To air control, hold and commit to a directional input after being launched in the air.

CH: Counter Hit
A counter hit happens in two circumstances. If you're attacked while trying to initiate an attack, the enemy’s move will not only inflict more damage than normal, but may stun, launch, or knock you away. And a counter hit may happen if you're back-dashing. You can identify a counter hit by looking at the character animation: a normal hit flashes yellow, and a counter hit flashes red.

FC: From Crouching
A specific move can only be done from a crouching position.

Frame Trap
Frame advantage is when an offensive attack is blocked and the attacker has an advantage over the defender's next move. Frame advantages are usually associated to quick moves that recover quickly. By using a move that recovers quickly, the attacker can recovers faster than the defender, because the defender will be in the block stun, while the attacker has fully recovered from the attack. Therefore, the attacker has the absolute initiative, placing them at a very advantageous position to dominate the defender's next move.

Using the principles of frame advantage, frame trap is when the attacker hits first when executing a move of the same speed as the opponent, and is able to land a counterhit, not a regular hit, as the opponent tries to attack. Knowing which moves gives you frame advantage is important in high-level play, because you can apply that information to your advantage when setting up traps and baits. For instance, after attacking the opponent with a move that has frame advantage, you can attack again without fear of being hit. If you anticipate the opponent trying to counterattack, attack right after the blocked attack, and you'll land a counterattack. As the opponent goes from defense to offense with an attack, your attack will him them in the middle of their attack animation, scoring you a counterattack for extra damage through combos.

The opponent's recovery time is a large factor in frame traps. Every move that hits or is blocked has recovery frames. Without recovery frames, the opponent could immediately counterattack and hit the attacker after the block. Also, certain moves will put the defender in a longer recovery, making the defender's next attack slower than it would be.

GI: Guard Impact
You can parry an opponent's attacks by pressing + G against mid and high attacks, or + G against mid and low attacks. And after a successful GI, you have a chance to hit the opponent without retaliation. But be careful: if the opponent is quick, he can Guard Impact the next attack.

A big change to Soul Calibur 4 is the new GI ( + G for mids and highs, + G for mids and lows) This GI knocks your opponent to the floor, forcing a great wakeup game. This is most effective when an opponent is near a wall on his right side, because a successful parry will send him into the wall, stunning him. Follow up with a free combo!

Auto-GI: Automatic Guard Impact
You can tell if an opponent has an Auto-GI by looking at the bright purple glow during a move, such as Sophitia’s K, or Mitsurugi’s B + K. Seeing if they work against verticals, horizontals, highs or lows depends on a character’s move, so practice learning what works and when to use them, because moves with auto-GI may add good momentum to a character’s offensive ability.

Perfect GI
Instead of a typical Guard Impact (repel) with a green flash, your GI maybe accompanied by a red flash. A perfect GI is difficult to pull off, as it requires just frame timing, but when successful, any attack during the GI window will yield a guaranteed counterhit.

JF: Just Frame
A notation for inputting a command on the "next" frame of animation. A Just Frame can be difficult to pull off for certain characters, so the timing may require practice. A successful Just Frame is accompanied by a flashing white light on the character.

Rolling (Ukemi)
When a player gets knocked to the ground, they have the option of rolling, useful in avoiding damage that would otherwise be dealt. A player can roll forwards, backwards, left, and right.

TC: Tech Crouch
A move attacking the opponent while evading the enemy's high attack. Some tech crouches are so good that they'll avoid some mid attack, such as Voldo's B and Mitsu's K.

TJ: Tech Jump
Some special moves are jumping attacks, and will automatically avoid lows.

Tech Trap
A tech trap catches people rolling on the ground. Some tech traps will only hit when someone rolls, while other tech traps will hit grounded opponents. Crouch throw is a move that can tech trap, but won't hit someone on the ground. After certain knockdown hits like Astaroth’s B hold and Rock's FC K, a crouch throw can be used to hit anyone rolling.

UB: Unblockable
An unblockable attack can't be guarded, but is usually slow and easy to avoid, and may inflict little damage depending on the character. You can't Guard Impact against an unblockable attack, unless executing a Perfect GI.

WR: While Rising
A WR move must be done in transition from crouching to standing position (letting go of guard while crouching, then quickly executing the command).

Combos

Several combos use terms to notate timing, stasis, and conditions. Please refer to the list terms below and glossary in general strategies for additional informaton. Combo videos are located in the specific character profiles.

Terms.
Amy
The Apprentice

K, A+B, BBK

B, A, A, A+B

A+B,A+B, AABB

Astaroth

[K], B

[K], B+G

B command throw, B or [B] or B+K, A+G

[K], B

K, A+G

B4, B+G, A+G

CH B, [B] (Tech Trap)

CH B, CH second hit of A, B, [K], B

CH BT B+K see above

Cassandra

B, A+B, A+B

[B], [B], BB Just Frame A

(CH) B+K, BB Just Frame A

Cervantes

(CH) A+B, WR A, B, K

(CH) B, A+K, A+K, A+K, B (fastest input)

B (fastest input), B (fastest input)

Hilde

A+B, A+B, K

B, B

B+K, B

Ivy

Whip State (CH) [B], K, B+K

Sword State (CH) A, K, B

Sword State WR B, A+B, A

(CH) Coiled State A, A transition into Whipstate B, slide A+B

Kilik

(CH) B, K, K, K, B

A+G, A, B, [B]

Monument A, B, B

Lizardman

B, (hold guard to let opponent go over you) [K], B

A+B, A+B

B, A+B

(Tech Trap) , A+K, B, A+B, A+B

Maxi

K, B+K

(CH) B, , A

K, B+K

(CH) B, B, K

Mitsurugi

(Mist Stance) A+B, A, B, B

(CH): [B]B, B, into Mist B

(Relic Stance) A,B, B

Nightmare

A, , K, K

B, A+B

(CH) WR [B], A+B, A+B

A, K,K

Raphael

A+B, B+K

(CH) K, B, B

[B], B, B

Rock

(CH) A, B, K, A+G, B

(CH) B, K, A+G, B

B, B+G, B

Seong Mi-Na

K,B, K, K, B+K, B, B

(CH) K, K, K, B+K, B

K, B, B, A

Setsuka

B, JFB, A+K, B, B

B, JFB B, A

aBg, Ba, B

_A, B+K JF B, A+B

Siegfried

Combo done when Siegfried is on the left side of the screen: B, B, B
Combo done when Siegfried is on the right side of the screen: B, B, B

B+K, [K], A+B

(CH) WR [B], [kB], K

Sophitia

, A, A, B

(CH) K, B

B, A+B

Taki

A+B, B, (BT) A+K, B+G

A, A+B, B

(BT) B+K, K, A+K, B+G

Talim

B, B, A+B

B+K, A, FC B, B, , A+K, K

_ B, K, B, A+K

Tira

(Gloomy) B, _B, K

(Jolly) B, A, JF A

(CH) K, B

(Gloomy)(Counter Hit)WRK, K

Vader

B+K, B, K,B

__ A+K, A+B A+B

A+B, B+K A+B, A+B, A+B

Voldo

Blind Stance, Callistro Rush A, B, K, B+K,

Blind Stance A, B, B, A+B, B

Just Frame B, B, Just Frame B, A+B, B

Xianghua

then release the input back to neutral, B, K, A

WRB,B+G, Just Frame B+K (right when she touches the ground), B, K, A

(CH) K, B+K

Yoda

B, B+K, B, B

A, B+K, B, B

Yoshimitsu

K, A+K

B, K

B+K, A+K, A+B, B, K

Yun Seong

K, K, K, K, K

(Crane Stance) A, K, K

K, B

(Counter Hit) WRK, B

Zasalamel

B+K, B+K

B, A+B

B+K, A+B

K, K, A+B

Algol

Story Summary

Algol has reawakened by stealing the power created by the swords, Soul Calibur and Soul Edge, clashing together. The Tower of Glory appeared in Ostrheinsburg, but with Algol residing on his throne, the Tower became known as the Tower of Remembrance. On his throne in the Tower of Remembrance, Algol could rule like he did long ago, but his physical form wasn't adequate. He needed more power, accomplished only by attaining the soul swords, and he knew where to find them -- the powerful warriors wielding the swords would come to him and save him the burden. Patiently, he waits.

Strengths

As the main boss of the game, Algo's strengths are his quickness, high damaging moves, and combos. His B attack is a simple move, but it's one of his most dependable move -- quick, long range, and deals good damage. (The long-range is deceiving; your opponent won't expect an interrupt with a B attack when you're afar.)
Algol's most unique aspect is his projectile attack [Which we've christened "Soul Bubbles" in-house -- you heard it here first! -- Ed.], which can really be an absolute nuisance. These bubbles can be shot straight or into the air (two at a time, even) or bounced off the ground, and they can greatly aid in juggling and comboing opponents. Algol's teleport, his other unique move, is very fast and acts as a viable way to quickly move away from the edge to avoid a ring-out. Algol also has numerous launcher moves at his disposal, and they all have decent follow-up attacks.

Weaknesses

Algol's projectiles can be parried, which actually knocks them back the other direction, slightly faster -- and they can hurt him! Then again, he can parry them back -- and they'll bounce even faster (think Pong). Another shortcoming: Though he has some quick low attacks, Algol can be handily punished if the opponent blocks in time. Algol is a character of few weaknesses, but if you know what moves to expect, he's not overly powerful.

Top Moves and Strategies

B, B: His B’s are solid mid attacks with good range.

A: A is a quick low with insanely long range, useful for chipping the opponent's life from, especially at far distances.

A, A: Two long sweeping mid attacks that will stop those who side step. After A, A, you can use A+B as a follow up for additional damage.

B: A quick and long range mid attack used as a punisher -- and a great move just to throw out. Follow B Algol with A+B to start a combo.

B: A solid launcher that does decent damage for Algol.

B, B, K

A, A+B, aB (press A, then quickly slide to B)

B, A+B, A

A,A, A+B, aB (press A, then quickly slide to B), B

Amy

Story Summary

Amy Sorel, the emo-looking teenager in a Gothic Lolita dress, first appeared as a cameo in a cut-scene in Soul Calibur 2, and then as a bonus character in Soul Calibur 3. Amy finally became a main character in Soul Calibur 3: Arcade Edition, when she was redesigned with her own set of unique moves. In Soul Calibur 4, Amy waits for Raphael to come back to their castle, who left their home in order to protect her. “Be a good girl, I’ll be back in a while," said Raphael, his final words before leaving the castle. Amy became restless while watching a butterfly being knocked around by the wind -- an event that changed her perception and motivated her to leave the castle.

Strengths

Amy’s strength is her quickness. She has many fast moves and fast low attacks, allowing her to attack out of a disadvantaged situation. For instance, her Graceful Cutter ( A), a quick low with great range, is great for poking the opponent's feet and chipping their life. In addition to her quick moves, Amy has many moves that lead into damaging combos.

Weaknesses

Amy's pathetic attack damage is by far her greatest weakness, and is noticeable by anyone trying to pick her up. Amy mainly relies on combos to inflict any decent damage. Another shortcoming is her predictability such as her stun attacks that create a short window of opportunity for a free combo. But once the opponent realizes they can shake out of the stunned state, the stun moves becomes ineffective.

Top Moves and Strategies

A: A great, quick low attack for poking the opponent. Use A to make your opponent scared of her low attacks.

B: One of Amy’s best launchers, B can be used to hit opponents from far away, and to punish an opponent stepping to the sides. To apply B in your strategy, hold so your character is stepping, then press B for the attack when the opponent whiffs a move.

B, A: Amy strikes with a quick mid attack, followed by a low attack. A move that definitely has its uses, B is especially hard to block if the opponent isn’t familiar with it.

B,B: Amy has lots of decent poking low attacks that can confuse an opponent who wants to block low against her. Mix the low attacks with mid poke attacks such as B,B -- a useful strategy in her mix-up game. On hit, B, B gives her frame advantage, which means any of your quick attacks after the B,B string will interrupt whatever the opponent tries to do.

Combos

A+B, BT B+K, A+B

A, B, B+K,K,K

K, B+K, K, K

Astaroth

Story Summary

Astaroth finds the truth about his creation. He was modeled after a weak human, which made him question his own existence. He found this individual and nearly tore him apart. He realized he was no longer under control of his master, the god of destruction, and searched for great power for himself. Tira came to Astaroth telling him about the Soul Edge. He knew she was a servant of the sword but also realized there were better souls for him to harvest. He decided to go to Ostrheinsburg under Nightmare's control, but Astaroth was only waiting for a chance of betrayal, and reap all the incoming souls for himself.

Strengths

Astaroth is still a big, brutal fighter -- he lacks speed, but his ability to deal out heavy damage makes up for it. His giant ax gives him substantial range as well as a few keep-away abilities. He has a variety of techniques at his disposal, like forward and backward throws that make him one of the best characters to set up ring-outs. When Astaroth's Bear Fang ( + B) is held down, it puts blocking opponents at a disadvantage; it's a powerful move if your foe is on the ground, as it's very hard for an opponent to recover safely. The opponent will either get hit with the Bear Fang on the ground or stand up and block, which puts your foe at a disadvantage. Finally, Astaroth's Bull Rush ( K) remains one of his greatest techniques; it's a quick crouching mid-attack that does good damage and can ring enemies out.

Weaknesses

It's an understatement to say that Astaroth is a slow character. Though he has a few quick moves, you need to set up his main attacks carefully, and this can make it hard for him to keep up with faster characters at close range. Although he's a bit smaller in stature this time around, he's still big enough to get tagged by certain moves that would normally miss other characters. This means certain combos are easier to perform against him.

Top Moves

K: Astaroth’s K is a quick mid attack useful for keeping up with faster characters. K knocks the enemy down on counter hit, allowing Astaroth to use moves like B+K, A+G, and A+K.

K: Even though K is punishable, it can ring out the opponent and punish whiffed moves.

B and [B hold]: Two fast moves to compensate for Astaroth's lack of speed. B is one of his fastest moves knocking the opponent down on counter hit, and [B hold] gives Astaroth frame advantage when blocked.

A: With long reach and decently quick, A is a good low poke. The best time to use A is when the opponent is getting up from the ground, or when you're spacing the opponent.

A,B and A,[B hold]: A,B and A,[B hold] are great spacing tools to keep the opponent far away.

Combos

[K], B

[K], B+G

B command throw, B or [B] or B+K, A+G

[K], B

K, A+G

B4, B+G, A+G

CH B, [B] (Tech Trap)

CH B, CH second hit of A, B, [K], B

CH BT B+K see above

Cassandra

Story Summary

Cassandra continues her quest to find the cursed sword Soul Edge. She heard a rumor of a large crystal as tall as a man in transit to the castle Ostrheinsburg, and wondered if the stone was the Holy Stone, a protective amulet warding evil off. If the crystal was the Holy Stone meant to dispel evil, then the castle must contain an evil power -- perhaps the Soul Edge? Cassandra heads off towards Ostrheinsburg to investigate.

Strengths

Carrying a sword and shield, Cassandra is a fighter with a strong and powerful moves list enhanced with several new options. She’s a great character for beginners, retaining her play-style set in Soul Calibur 3, with the added benefit of several new quick moves.

Her trademark Angelic Exile shield attack (B) is still useful for ringouts, and acts as an excellent punisher after blocking an attack. Also, the Angelic Exile has a new option. By holding the B button, the Angelic Exile turns into Angelic Gust, stunning the opponent. Stunned, the opponent is vulnerable to a launcher -- an attack lifting them into the air -- causing significant damage. On top of that, while in Angel Step (), Cassandra's shield will automatically guard impact high attacks -- an excellent tool to add pressure on the opponent, and to close the distance on a character with long range.

To make up for her lack of decent lows, Cassandra has a great set of throws to use against opponents that loves to block high. Her basic throws have good range, and her command throw, Angel's Embrace (B+G) leads into a juggle combo with Shield Buster (BB Just Frame A) for big damage. Against ducking opponents, she also have two low throws (A+G and B+G).

Weaknesses

Her best moves are also her biggest drawbacks, as most of them can be punished if blocked. When blocked, Cassandra's low attacks place her at a disadvantage, so a skilled player can punish her immediately after blocking her attacks. Unfortunately for Cassandra veterans, her brutal combo (B,A+B, B+K) used in Soul Calibur 3 no longer works. Also, her good moves Heaven’s Wing (while rising B) and Pure Stinger (from crouch, +B) can only be done from a crouch, limiting Cassandra's offensive options. And, finally, her Dancing Shield (B, B), two damaging vertical slashes, isn't as useful as before, since an opponent can sidestep them more easily.

Top Moves and Strategies

B, B: Safe, quick attacks with good priority and has frame advantage on hit. Use often.

(WC)B: A long range, low stab that's good after applying pressure.

B: Her best punisher with decent damage, upgraded with an auto-GI property.

B+K: A mid attack that tech crouches, able to start combos from a counter hit or Just Frame.

B: Steps and launches for combo damage. Use B after stepping the opponent's moves.

B+G: A fast command throw that can lead into a juggle combo.

Combos

Set One:

B, A+B, A+B

[B], [B], BB Just Frame A
or
[B], [B], B (An easier version of the one above, same damage)

(CH) B+K, BB Just Frame A

Set Two:

B+G, BB Just Frame A

(CH) B+K,B+G (not a garunteed combo because the throw can be broken but still a good combo to try)

[B], B, Up+B,AA

B, A+B,Just Frame [B], Just Frame B

Cervantes

Story Summary

Once a pirate, Cervantes was a former owner of the Soul Edge, but the sword's overwhelming power corrupted his soul and turned him into an…undead pirate. As his flesh was decaying, Cervantes desperately sought ways to hold his body together by consuming the souls of the living -- even attacking and consuming the soul his own daughter, Ivy, in her mansion.

Strengths

Cervantes inflicts heavy damage and has decent range. His instant attack Geo Da Ray ( B) is still one of his most valuable tools -- a fast mid attack going over low attacks while ducking under high attacks, used to punish opponents and rack massive damage in a combo.

His Bloody Culverin ( A+K) is one of his most important moves, even though it's good only for juggles. After Cervantes fires his guns at an opponent in the air, the opponent can't air-control (a technique affecting the direction of your descent) after being hit, which can lead to fantastic combos. And his counter moves, Pirate’s Scheme (A+K) and Pirate Tactics, were changed from an attack to a teleport behind the opponent, setting up Cervantes in an advantageous position.

Weaknesses

Beginners should be careful when using Geo Da Ray, as it can easily send Cervantes out of the ring, and despite its usefulness, Geo Da Ray can be punished on block. Another shortcoming is Cervantes low attacks, which are easily spotted and unsafe if the opponent blocks them.

Top Moves and Strategies

A+B: Players familiar with Cervantes' previous incarnations will quickly recognize that his A+B has been radically changed. Although A+B now inflicts less damage, fails to hit a downed opponent, and is near-useless in juggle combos, it's a mistake to write the move off as inferior to its predecessors. Cervantes' retooled A+B is, in fact, a staple of his arsenal in Soul Calibur 4. To begin, the move is relatively safe on block; it forces the opponent into a crouching position, rendering it safe from nearly all counterattack (Sophitia's B being a notable, brutal exception) while doing respectable damage to his opponent's Soul Gauge. A standard hit forces the opponent into a minor fallback stun that, while guaranteeing nothing, nevertheless opens up the pirate's formidable mixup game.

Furthermore, a counterhit A+B is truly devastating. Counterhit A+B, WS A, B, K is a guaranteed combo inflicting substantial damage while leaving Cervantes with his back turned to a downed opponent. From this position he is able to use powerful backturned moves such as BT B+K, or teleport with BT A+K or [A+K], allowing for creative wakeup tactics. Intelligent application of A+B is an absolute necessity for a skilled Cervantes player.

K:This move is perhaps Cervantes' most important low attack, and its assorted follow-ups are absolutely crucial to Cervantes' pressure tactics. While moderately risky if blocked, successfully landing this attack allows the pirate to force his opponent into truly unpleasant mixup situations. After K lands, his K cannot be interrupted. Attempting anything apart from blocking or guard impacting ensures the aforementioned opponent will take a counterhit knee to the face.

K: After conditioning opponents a time or two with this string, Cervantes players should consider mixing up the K knee with throws or even another K. The throws in this case are devastating, as they can't be guard impacted. Further, K leaves Cervantes in crouched status, thereby giving him access to his new command throw (FC B+G), a spectacular and painful throw that inflicts 70 damage. As if this mixup were not enough, it is possible to simply attempt another K if the opponent freezes, thereby resetting the mixup.

Combos

(CH) A+B, WR A, B, K

(CH) B, A+K, A+K, A+K, B (fastest input)

B (fastest input), B (fastest input)

B, A+K, A+B

B (fastest input),B, A

Hilde

Story Summary

To her enemies, she's Hildegard von Krome, protector of the commonwealth, the princess of the kingdom of Wolfkrone -- but let's just call her Hilde. A new character in Soul Calibur, Hilde's quite the departure from the rest of the female roster. Unlike other gals (we're looking at you, Ivy), Hilde feels comfortable with ornate armor covering her entire body, her vital parts -- arms, midsection, and chest -- fully protected in the right spots. Pragmatism over decadence? Clearly, Hilde wants to protect her greatest assets in times of distress.

Strengths

With a short sword in her right hand and a long staff in the other, Hilde's most attractive quality is her ability to fight at both long and close range. The A button controls the short sword, while the B button controls the staff. Combined, these give Hilde great versatility -- a decent close-range game featuring swift, low attacks capable of interrupting the enemy's attack, and an enormous range uncommon for a character who can move quickly and swiftly.

But what's even more interesting is Hilde's ability to charge her moves for bigger damage, just like the boxer Balrog in Street Fighter II. By holding the A or B button (or both!), Hilde charges for an attack until the button is released, after which she'll suddenly stab or slash her opponent. Interestingly, holding down the A button for more than three seconds triggers a powerful two-hit combo, ending in an attack that surrounds Hilde's body in flames. Abusable? Not quite. If the opponent blocks the first hit, the second hit will not activate, but the opponent's guard-crushed and placed at a disadvantage.

Her charge attacks is what defines Hilde's playstyle. Her charge combos can lead to a long range ringout, even from the center of the stage! In addition, a level 3 charge B attack can lead up to 100 damage, in addition to the near full stage ringout potential. It is enough to cause Hilde's opponents to become scared and act more carefully in fear of a ringout or massive damage. Against opponents who love to sidestep to avoid Hilde's long range charge B attacks, she also has a very good level 3 charge A attack, which tracks step decently at a distance, and can ALSO lead to a long range ringout combo.

Weaknesses

For the uninitiated, the charge attacks represent a barrier to entry in learning Hilde's core strategy and tactics. Holding one or two buttons for a charge attack while guarding and kicking feels overly complicated, and it's naturally easy to be confused over the movements. Adept players, on the other hand, may move beyond the confusion and instantly adopt Hilde's challenging play style. In short, Hilde isn't the best character for the burgeoning Soul Calibur player.

Her main weakness is that to put on pressure and to do her charge combos, the player -must- hold down A and B whenever possible; a rather difficult habit to build as the player would also need to learn when to let go of a charge to break throws, poke with fast, uncharged attacks like AA and A.

Top Moves and Strategies

A+B, K: If the opponent has trouble recognizing low attacks, A+B can be a very strong. Some opponents may block the low attack on reaction, but on others A+B, K can lead to a lot of damage.

A+K: Hilde’s quickest move. An attack with many uses, A+K is used to punish an opponent's unsafe moves and to stop the opponent from side stepping.

A+B: A horizontal attack followed by a long range stab that comes out decently quick and stops side steppers and people backing up.

A: A good low attacks with good frames. Hitting the opponent with A makes them look like they’re stunned, causing them to panic. Take advantage on this situation by following up with a fast move.

K: Good poke that gives advantage on hit.

A+B: A good attack that gives Hilde advantage on hit and block.

A+K: A slow, but good damaging low that rings out at close range. Use it when your opponents are scared blocking high in fear of Hilde's Charge attacks.

Charge As and Bs: Hilde's best attacks in the game. Learn to use Level 2 & 3 Bs to combo and ringout, and learn to use level 3 As to auto-guard impact almost all (except for kick) attacks while also leading to a far range ringout combo.

Combos

Combo Set 1
A+B, A+B, K

B, B

B+K, B

Combo Set 2

(CH) A, A+K

(CH) While Standing Level 3 charge A,K,A, B+K

*Level 2 charge BB, level 3 charge A , level 2 charge BB, level 2 charge AA

*Level 3 charge B, B+K, level 2 charge BB, level 2 charge AA

*Level 3 charge B, K, Level 2 charge BB, level 3 charge A , level 2 charge BB, level 2 charge AA

*The Charge combos may seem difficult at first, but the trick is to release and then quickly press and hold for the charge as soon as you do a part of the combo, so you will have the maxium amount of time to charge for the next part.

Ivy

Story Summary

Isabella "Ivy" Valentine returns with the same goal: to destroy the evil sword Soul Edge by using the power of Soul Calibur. Problem is, evil can't use Soul Calibur -- sucks for Ivy, since evil runs in her blood. But that doesn't stop her from feverishly researching ways to harness the power of Soul Calibur in her palatial mansion. Without warning, dear old dad Cervantes breaks into the mansion and consumes Ivy's soul, leaving her to die. But thanks to her edifying research, Ivy manages to save herself by fusing her soul and removing the impurities that had contaminated her. Her soul pure, Ivy can now harness the power of Soul Calibur!

Strengths

In addition to her great short-range moves, Ivy plays an amazing long-range poking game and possesses some devastating, high-damage air combos. Her Asylum move (A+B while rising) does a lot of damage and also catches crouching opponents -- which wasn't the case in previous games.

Ivy's known for her different stances, and this time in Soul Calibur 4, she has three stances: sword stance, whip stance, and a coiled stance. The new coiled stance has long range whip moves and short range sword moves.

Switching Stances

Switching stances during a move is the most effective way to switch stances. Remember, Ivy can only switch stances forwards or backwards. For example, by using Know Thyself (A+K) or Reveal Thyself (B+K), she can switch from whip state to coiled state, but can't switch from whip state to sword state. Know Thyself (A+K) will move up a stance, and Reveal Thyself (B+K) will move down a stance.

Also, time the input of the stance switch when the move is over. Ivy is vulnerable after the natural transition between stances (a switch that's not performed during a move). So a successful switch during a move allows Ivy a lot more options after the attack -- including combos.

The Dancing Gnome is one of Ivy's most dangerous moves, performed in whip stance by pressing A+B and/or A+B hold. The A+B is a good mid attack, while [A+B hold] is an unblockable -- great for mix up games. She also has two special throws, Summon Suffering and Criminal Symphony, which inflict good damage and condition people to duck. Although her throws aren't as powerful as past Soul Calibur games, they still remain an important part of her arsenal.

Weaknesses

Ivy's hardly for beginners -- the fact that she has four stances is a big barrier to entry. To switch a stance, perform the "Know Thyself" (A+K) and "Reveal Thyself" (B+K) during a move, as opposed to transitioning between stances. Learning how to switch stances effectively provides Ivy with her best options.

The commands for her popular throws, Summon Suffering and Criminal Symphony, have changed, and are harder to execute. She maintains a decent amount of her old moves, but most of the moves are stance specific.

Top Moves and Strategies

Whip State A+B and [A+B hold]: One of Ivy's best moves for guessing games at long range. The Whip State attack is a mid attack with three different properties: fully charged, half charged, and no-charge. A fully charged Whip State sends out an unblockable attack stretching nearly half of the screen, dealing 20 damage that's great for chipping, and can't be side-stepped. The half-charged attack isn't an unblockable attack, but will hit side-steppers, while the no-charge is an instant attack that won't hit side-steppers.

The Whip State strategy forces the opponent to guess which attack Ivy will execute. Place Ivy away from the opponent while charging A+B for the unblockable attack. Depending on their position, the opponent's options will be limited, forcing them into a trap. The opponent may not have enough time to move beyond the range of the unblockable attack, so they'll try to interrupt you by rushing towards you and attacking you out of the stance. This is when you use the faster versions of A+B: mid-charge or no-charge. (Note: In the 1.03 patch in September 2008, this move no longer tracks at all, and it will not hit side steppers).

Sword State While Rising B: This move can lead to massive damage making it a useful tool.

Sword State B: A good mid attack that gives advantage on hit and launches the enemy in the air on counter hit.

Coiled State A: A long range move that stops an opponent's step.

Whip State A: Another long range move that stops an opponent's step. On counter hit, A can be followed with additional hits and damage.

Combos

Whip State (CH) [B], K, B+K

Sword State (CH) A, K, B

Sword State WR B, A+B, A

(CH) Coiled State A, A transition into Whipstate B, slide A+B

Kilik

Story Summary

Kilik is now determined to rid the world of the evil sword once and for all. During his hard training, he realized that he would need Soul Caliber to destroy Soul Edge. He also had another problem. His traveling partner Xianghua was in love with him. He could not have feelings for Xianghua, because she reminded him strongly of Xianglian, who was murdered by Kilik while possessed -- a tragedy out of his control. Eventually, the two of them traveled to Ostrheinsburg together, but Kilik proposes an ultimatum to Xianghua. When it was time for him to fight the Soul Edge, he would do it alone.

Strengths

Kilik's bo staff affords him superior range over the rest of SC4's cast thanks to a plethora of techniques that keep enemies at a good distance. Certain characters will have trouble getting close against some of his long-range moves, and he can hold his own pretty well with some evasive attacks.

Moves like Heavy Bo ( B) and Reverse Bo Thrust (B while rising) are still among Kilik's most powerful attacks, as they offer quick, safe movement as well as decent damage output in close quarters. Two other great moves are Trick Bo ( A+B) and Dirty Bo ( A+B). If you set up these lows properly, they deal good damage, and they're also handy for causing ring-outs.

Kilik's old Rising Flare trick (A+K while on the ground) remains, and he has a new evasive B attack from his Monument stance (), which can also cause ring-outs.

Weaknesses

Because he's somewhat slow, faster characters can force Kilik to block a lot or take a lot of risks. The timing is now stricter on some of Kilik's combos; this is definitely a weakness when trying to execute combos (like going from the Reverse Bo Thrust to Heavy Bo). One other change hurts Kilik -- the big damage combo that started off Twin Phoenix (which is changed to a rolling A-to-B) no longer counts as a combo.

Top Moves and Strategies

B: A quick move to setup. On counter hit, B will lead to an attack throw with decent damage. On normal hit, B gives Kilik frame advantage.

While Rising B: A fast evasive tech crouch that leads into the B attack throw if timed correctly.

A+B and A+B: Two solid lows that throws the opponent on hit. Use either move when the enemy is on the ground.

While Rising A: A long range, tech crouching mid attack great as an anti-step move.

B+K, B, B: His auto guard impact dishes a lot of damage, and can ringout the opponent.

Combos

(CH) B, K, K, K, B

A+G, A, B, [B]

Monument A, B, B

Lizardman

Story Summary

Cursed with the form punished by a god, Lizardman was slowly losing what humanity was left inside him, his mind warped and twisted. After running into a pack of his kinsmen, he proved worthy of their leadership by displaying his superior ferocity and unmatched skills. This posse of brutish, bloodthirsty lizardmen followed him on a murderous rampage across the countryside. Only when asleep would Lizardman have memories of his original life. During one of these torturous nightmares, he realized his old soul was what was lost, and his only choice was to set off on his own journey to attain power and reclaim it himself.

Strengths

Lizardman's play style is a vague mix of Cassandra's and Sophitia's styles and his own unique brand of bestial wrath. Lizardman's offense offers plenty of craziness with a bit of risk. His crawling stance leads to entirely new moves -- the deceptive Bone Crusher attack (A+K), a two hit move hitting low then mid; an auto-GI repel; a roll performed backwards (B+K); and a forward roll that can ring out the opponent. Many of his trademark moves can take him straight into a crawl, so keeping a smooth flow and mixing his moves up should improve your game dramatically.

Lizardman's Grit Draft attack ( A) still stuns on a counterhit, and it still provides the opportunity for a good mind game even if your enemy shakes out in time for your next move. He also retains his good combo damage -- any mistake on an opponent's part can be a painful despite Lizardman's lack of speed.

Weaknesses

With power comes a couple of slight drawbacks. If the opponent keeps their distance, they can avoid most of Lizardman's moves. You should use range attacks wisely -- or expect some harsh retaliation from faster characters. A lot of Lizzy's lows are also easier to see (and thus easier to counter) than those of other characters, so they're considered high-risk, high-reward maneuvers; use them only when you've applied pressure, since these moves are still unsafe if blocked.

Lizardman is also slightly bigger than the other fighters, so certain combos are more dangerous to him. You can even cut off his tail as a low-armor break

Top Moves and Strategies

A: A horizontal attack with awesome range, A stuns on counter hit, and sets up for a good mix up.It sets up for a good mix up because if the opponen doesn't shake out of the stun the player using Lizardman gets a free combo. If the opponent does shake out of the stun they are on enough disadvantage and they have to block or they will get hit. Guessing what move to block is where the mind game comes in because the user of Lizardman has a choice of middle, low, or throws to use.

B, B: Quick and medium ranged attacks that have good frame advantage on hit.

A: A safe, close range low poke. Since Lizardman is best up close, A keeps opponents from stepping or interrupting you.

Crawling Stance: The stance is high risk and high reward, though it's integral to his match strategy. A+K, B is very deceiving if mixed with his other crawl options. Hitting A while in Crawl hits low, but punishable on a block unless you execute B to jump, or A+B to auto-GI your opponent’s incoming attack. K does a lunging headbutt attack, but is slow and easy to see. B+K is a rolling mid attack able to ring out the opponent, and works faster if the opponent is behind you.

B: A great launcher that tech crouches and has devastating damage

Critical Finish strategy
Although Lizardman's stance is a powerful mix-up game, his Critical Finish strategy is equally devastating, complemented by three moves that destroys the opponent's armor in six to eight moves. A, B, A+B are all powerful, meaty attacks that places Lizardman safe after the block (with proper spacing) while destroying the opponent's armor. Repeated use of these power moves will place the opponent's Soul Gauge in the red. And once the armor drops, and the Soul Gauge flashes red, a threat of a Critical Finish may force the opponent to take uncalculated risks and change their strategy in order to compensate for their disadvantage. As you see the opponent attempt to adapt the CF strategy, capitalize on their fear by changing your strategy with attacks in the stance. Or keep the pressure on the opponent's guard until it breaks, at which time a Critical Finish can be performed.

Combos

B, (hold guard to let opponent go over you) [K], B

A+B, A+B

B, A+B

(Tech Trap) , A+K, B, A+B, A+B

To Be Continued

Blog Post: Beautiful

Maximus Wild Thing — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:10:00 GMT

Beautiful. Visuals astound on a daily basis. Easy to just step in and play. Easily takes in new fighting gamers. Simple controls while still maintaining depth in attacks and techniques. Every character in the entire game are very much their own fighter. Could take weeks to finally pick which fits you best. And even longer to master that character. Every fight you are in makes you feel like a truly powerful warrior that has their own style and strategy on how to best your opponent. Tower of lost souls will keep you fighting for months even for experienced players. And even as a button masher it is possible to bust out huge combos but when playing against a human button masher its not hard to overcome their tendencies with simple strategy. Just a few things that hinder this beautiful work of art is the super short story modes. It gives background into the characters somewhat yet the depth is nowhere near length of SC2s weapon master mode that kept me working for many weeks. Yet despite the lack of a lengthy story mode i simply have enough fun simply playing versus against the computer. As an overall, SC4 has an incredibly deep move set, wonderfully responsive controls, amazing character creation, and beautiful visuals. One of my top faves.

Blog Post: Sweetness

Yanna — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:52:00 GMT

I thought this game was pretty awsome and i really good upgrade from the previous soulcalibor's. i liked how this time you can actually use the original characters moves and weapons unlike the previous one where you had to keep fighting with your created person until the learned that certain style. all and all this game was really awsome and the graphics were great. i loved it. cant wait to see what they add to the next one!

Blog Post: Great fighting game.

Tyler_XMB — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:13:00 GMT

Soulcalibur 4 is the second best Soulcalibur game after the second one for me. It has diverse characters. Stages that span all over the world and many unlockables. My favorite character to play as is Darth Vader unless I'm playing as one of my many custom characters.Online is fun but very simple.

Blog Post: Best Soul Calibur Ever!!

The Yoshiman — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:13:00 GMT

This is the best Soul Calibur ever so far. Everything about this game is perfect, the graphics are amazing, the user content is so immersive, and the tower of lost souls will consume your social life. The only thing that is bad about this game is the story mode. In Soul Calibur 3, the story mode had so much content that it could take you an hour to see all the choices you can make in one character's story. In this game, it takes you about 10 to 15 minutes to complete about two story. But with the online play, the creative content, and the breathtaking graphics, it's still enough to make this a must buy among fighting fans.

Wiki Page: Soul Calibur IV In-Depth Character Guide: Siegfried

James M. — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:22:00 GMT

Welcome to the first In-depth character guide.
I will rank each character based on a few attributes and difficulty. They will be posted at the end of this guide. I will even tell you some of my combos, so if you want to use him, you can use my combos.
This time we start with one of my favorite characters: Siegfried.
Siegfried, from what I heard is considered a perfect button mashing character, from what I've heard on Live.
Don't believe it. Maxi, Taki, and Talim are more button mashing characters than him.

Now, Siegfried carries a huge sword (If your not blind, you should obviously know that) that deals major damage in one strike instead of multi-strikes, like Taki. He is classified as a heavy hitter, and is often slow. Though, in the right hands he is just as fast as Taki or Cassandra.

Strengths:
-Heavy Hitter
-Unique Moves
-Good arsenal of quick moves
-A lot of moves
His attacks are heavy, causing a lot of damage
Siegfried has a lot of moves, where mostly all of them can be chained together to create a long, crushing attack. Take for example, this move: (This is in terms of Vertical, Horizontal, and Kick buttons on the game, A B and K)
A+B, B(Hold), K(Hold)
If the opponent doesn't block this move, more than half his life bar is gone!
Along with his continuous moves, most of them are fast. Like this one:
A A B(Hold), B
That attack has 2 impacts in it too, so it makes it deadlier, plus it is semi-fast. It's not too fast, but fast enough to hit some of the time.

Weaknesses:
-Slow
-Open after attack
-Easy to predict
-Button masher friendly
Obviously, since Siegfried is powerful, he is slow. Not as slow as Astoroth, but slow enough to cause you to lose the fight if not handled with properly.
Like his polar opposite(in terms of good/evil) Nightmare, his attacks are easy to counter. Most attacks leave him open after some time, so choose your moves wisely.
He is often easy to predict, since he moves into the attack, you can tell where his attacks are going by watching his body.
Button mashers can use him to some extent, and is often deadly. Most button mashers stick to his B attacks, rarely going for his A attacks.

Rankings are based on a 1-10 ranking. 1 being the lowest, 10 being the highest.
Here are the stats I grade on:
(Button Mashing: How easily a nOOb can use him/her
Difficulty: How easy or hard she/he is to fight against
Moves: How hard it is to learn his/her movesOpinion: My Opinion on him/her)

Button mashing: 5
Difficulty: 7
Moves: 4
Opinion: 8

Button mashers can use him, but will have trouble winning
He is often hard if he keeps his attacks going. Once he strikes and hits you, good luck trying to stop him
His moveset is easy to learn, but it will take you a few extra minutes to learn all the stances.
My opinion, I use him a lot, and I love using him to guarantee my level up in ranked, or my fallback in a player match so I can beat the crap outta someone. C:

Well, that’s it for now. Any questions or confused? Send me a message on here, or send my Xbox Live GT a message at :iEuRo

Next Character: Kilik
Then Ivy, Astoroth, and Taki.

Wiki Page: How To Become A Good Fighter On Soul Calibur IV

Sev — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:12:00 GMT

Ciao, and welcome to my guide on how to become a great fighter on Soul Calibur IV. If your tired of being beat over and over Online, then look no further.

My instructions should help the button-mashing nOOb turn into a deadly fighter.

1. Learn your character.
This is a big help. Go to Training in Single Player Mode and learn your favorite character's moves, even the complex ones. Find combos, and tricks, because when you have an opening, you want to lay the pain down to inflict maximum damage.
Example:
Kilik's low X or vertical attack goes for the legs, and takes the opponent off-guard, then when you rise, press B or the kick button to do a double kick. Since the gaurd is messed up by the low strike, the rising kicks attack Mid and High, doing a small chuck of damage.

2. Patience is a virtue.
Wait for your time to strike, and 8 way run as much as you can. If you wait, most attacks leave any character open, especially the simultaneous pressed moves. Stand back too, if the attack misses, make it a strong and fast attack. Really, the decision to attack is all up to you, so choose wisely, because you too can leave yourself open to attack.

3. Use Guard Breaks and Impacts often.
Every character in Soul Calibur has a Guard Break Move. If hit correctly, it'll do what it says, it will break the opponent's guard, leaving a small window to decimate them with a fast attack. Impacts stop the opponents attack in it's tracks. Usually by pressing A or the guard button and flicking the control stick or pressing the control pad in the desired direction. Impacts are harder to land thought, so practice them in Training Mode

4. How to defeat button mashers.
From the button mashers I've played on live, they stick to one or a few moves and pound down your defenses until they win. Learn their technique quickly, then act when the time is right.
Example:
If they like sticking to Horizontal attacks, 8 way run and attack when they are open. Usually button mashers hardly guard at all. If they use Vertical, stand back a bit, and then run at them when they are open, use a running vertical attack, or grab them.
If the button masher won't give you enough room, either guard impact them, since it's easier when you know what they are going to do, or use a quick attack, usually one that uses one button and will stop the button masher with a stun or knock down, then lay down the pain.

5. How to Guard yourself effectively.
Usually guarding is slightly diffcult, and could lose you the battle if you don't know how. Switching between the high and low guards is just by watching what your opponent's character is doing. If they're going to swing their weapon low, they usually crouch their body and attack the feet. Most of the time it's a guessing game, crouch guarding at the right time and place when your opponent is going for a high vertical attack, for example.

6. Change up your attacks.
Keep the opponent guessing what your going to do. If you spam a certain move during the match, don't expect to win easily.
Eample:
Cervantes' Geo Do Ray, which often is pressed after the Charge is easy to predict if used over and over again. Same with his running B or Horizontal move.

7. Warm up before you go into ranked.
If you just got on, warm up with a single player battle or player match online. Usually the latter because your fighting a human opponent rather than a bot.

That's good for the basics. I might post more guides on each character with their strengths and weaknesses soon. Any other questions? Send me a message.

Blog Post: A Big Fan

WindyCityRockr — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 04:55:00 GMT

If you're a fan of the series, then you'll probably love this game. Graphics are great, and the combat has always been a plus. Additionally, Darth Vader is a complete bad rump, but I wonder how Yoda is on the 360.

After you get past the polish, it's essentially the same game it's always been. The finishing moves are pretty cool, but they get old, like any other fighting games finishing moves would. Online mode is where it's a plus for me. Fighting against someone else besides a close relative is always good for any game. That's how you can really test your skills at the game (which a lot of people I've played lack)....lol. Overall its a great game if you are a fan of the series. If not, you might want to rent it first, just to see how you like it

Blog Post: Have To Be A Fan

WindyCityRockr — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 04:53:00 GMT

Blog Post: Namco Unleashes A New Stage Of History

Adam Biessener — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:59:00 GMT

I've always loved Soulcalibur's brand of weapon-based one-on-one combat, from its precursor on PSone to the amazing multiplatform sequel and the mediocre third entry on PS2. This latest iteration falls somewhere in the middle of the series' legacy. While it doesn't recreate the finely tuned excellence of Soulcalibur II, it sidesteps many of the issues found in III and adds a ton of single-player depth and lag-free online play. Plus, on an HD display, you really have to see this thing in motion.

Mechanically, Soulcalibur IV is nearly identical to its predecessors. Equipment breakage and a simplistic blocking gauge strongly discourage turtling, but otherwise you could easily be playing the first game with new characters and tweaked move sets. Unfortunately, sideways dodging in IV is just as bad as it was in III, with vertical attacks magically tracking to negate lateral movement on the defender's part. The flow of a round still finds that magical balance between combos, juggles, defense, and positioning more often than not, which is the most important thing. [Excerpt]

Venturing outside of the traditional Arcade or Versus modes is finally worth your time here, and not just for unlocking the full roster of characters. The plethora of challenges, many of which hearken back to the totally unfair (in a good way) adventures in Soul Edge, will take even dedicated Soulcalibur nuts months to clear. Nearly everything you do works toward leveling up your fighters, unlocking new ones, and padding your in-game wallet. In most other titles in the genre, this would be an afterthought. Here, the introduction of an astoundingly deep character creator/editor allows you to customize the look and capabilities of created characters and stock fighters to an impressive degree. I normally don't bother with this sort of peripheral frippery no matter the genre, but I spent almost as much time playing with the character editor as I did beating the crap out of Miller or the CPU.

Skills like ''Auto Grapple Break'' and ''Invisible'' add a wacky element to the game, but it's all fun and games in single-player since setting up your favorite fighter to handle some of the more unfair challenges can be an entertaining metagame. Hardcore fans can relax, though – Arcade and Standard Versus modes still require unmodified characters, so you don't have to deal with the lack of gameplay balance these new skills present.

Online play, a first for the series, is well implemented. Most of the matches I played were lag-free, and the matchmaking system works well. It still doesn't beat having a couple of buddies over and passing off the controller between bouts of smack talking, but the option is nice.

Frame-counters and other savants will probably have issues with some aspects of Soulcalibur IV's gameplay, but the average player or fighting game enthusiast is well served by this title's array of game types and tight weapon-based duels. I know I'm more than satisfied.

Blog: Soulcalibur IV - Xbox 360

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:01:00 GMT

File: Soulcalibur IV

Ben Reeves — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:21:00 GMT

The sixth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games

File: Soulcalibur IV

Ben Reeves — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:21:00 GMT

The sixth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games

File: Soulcalibur IV

Ben Reeves — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:21:00 GMT

The sixth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games

File: Soulcalibur IV

Ben Reeves — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:21:00 GMT

The sixth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games