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Publisher: Namco Bandai
Available on: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Reviewed on: Xbox 360
Just like early installments, the new “Soulcalibur” is a first-class fighting game. There's something irresistibly timeless about beating the snot out of each other using cool martial arts moves and ridiculously huge weapons that no one could ever really swing, let alone get hit with four or five times and remain standing.
But what's the movie connection? (Other than the fact "Soulcalibur" could someday make a potentially badass live action flick.) Well, "Soulcalibur IV" mixes some familiar film faces in with the series’ usual colorful characters: Darth Vader (on the PS3) and Yoda (on the 360). There are even “Star Wars”-themed arenas to battle in, including the flight deck of an Imperial Star Destroyer.
Sure, some might worry this dip into Lucas-land could turn "Soulcalibur" into a sequel to “Masters of Teräs Käsi”—1997's horrible “Star Wars” fighting game—but anyone who plays for more than a minute will realize this is still firmly in the "Soul" franchise.
Granted, there are a couple changes: the character creator mode is deeper, the game’s graphics are noticeably more detailed and, most importantly, they’ve added the ability to fight online. But the fundamentals (responsive controls, tons of options, every character having their own unique moves) remain the same.
It won’t matter whether you play as Voldo, Yoda or a brawler of your own design—this is one fight you won’t concede.
MOVIE GAME NEWS:
Watch and wait: Warner Brothers plans to make a prequel video game to the upcoming comic book movie “Watchmen.” But rather than a single release, Warner will make the game— which chronicles the early days of the crime fighting duo Nite Owl and Rorschach—available in downloadable installments for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, with the first episode slated to coincide with the film’s March release, and the second when the movie hits DVD.
Alien invasion: Gearbox Studio’s president Randy Pitchford, who’s developing the “Aliens” game, “Aliens: Colonial Marines,” for Sega, recently told shacknews.com that the film’s original concept artist, Syd Mead, was helping to design sections of a space ship, the Sulaco, not seen in the film but accessible in the game. The game’s script was written by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle of “Battlestar Galactica.”
On demand: Sony added movies to the PS3’s online store, with titles from Fox, MGM, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Lionsgate, and, of course, Sony Pictures, available for rent or sale. In a related story, Microsoft added NBC Universal’s films to the movie section of Xbox Live, and announced a partnership with Netflix which will allow subscribers to both services to watch any of Netflix's streamable titles on their 360 starting later this year.
Warring stars: BioWare is developing a “World of Warcraft”-like massively multiplayer role-playing game based in the universe of their 2003 adventure game, “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,” set 4,000 years before the events of the films.
Direct connection: James Gunn, the writer/director of “Slither,” is spearheading a new project with Microsoft in which he and fellow horror heads David Slade (“30 Days of Night”), Marcus Nispel (the upcoming “Friday the 13th" remake), and James Wan (“Saw”) will create short films for download off Xbox Live. In a related story, Wan was recently hired by Electronic Arts to create a trailer for the upcoming scary sci-fi game “Dead Space.”
Don't panic: One of the funniest games of the year just got funnier: Sony has revealed that Stephen Fry, who was the voice of The Guide in the film version of “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,” will be the narrator for the game “Little Big Planet,” a hilariously adorable and addictive side-scroller due out this October.
Images from Lara Croft's new adventure: "Tomb Raider: Underworld."
Get a preview of a new game based on the summer blockbuster "Wanted."
