Soul Calibur?

[Roto13]

That's kind of disappointing. :P But whatever.

I just got my hands on a copy. I'm installing it right now. (Optional installs are awesome.) The only opinion I can give so far is that I didn't think the opening cutscene was anything great. I really don't care about that, though. xP

EDIT: The install took forever, but it's optional and the load times are awesome so it's probably worth it. I've played through Story mode and Arcade mode as Mitsurugi. Story mode is pretty lacking in story, but I don't care about that either. xP Less work for me to do when I'm updating my Soul Calibur story guide later. :P Arcade mode doesn't appear to have an option to change the difficulty. That's kind of disappointing, since I didn't have much trouble with it. I haven't really done anything in character creation mode besides buy some new characters, but it looks interesting enough. I really liked character creation mode in Soul Calibur III, so I'm definitely going to give it a try in IV.

I don't have a lot to say about the gameplay yet, since I've only played as Mitsurugi so far. He seems to be pretty much the same as he was before.

[Mirage]

Kilik is a bit changed, but not terribly much. Talim seems to be worth using again, Seong Mi Na seems stronger than in 2 and 3.

I've only had a few hours to spare for playing today, but I'll probably spend all weekend on it.

[Zeldy]

My brother got it this morning and I've been on it a little bit. I'm not as critical as the rest of you xD the game's good, I managed to thrash my brother on it and it's his game!~

I like using Amy as we share names I like using all the girls, Talim, Seong Mina and the like, my brother's always the big scary slow ones so I have an upperhand with speed.

[JKTrix]

Tower of Souls is definitely where the challenge/battle variety lies in this game. As far as I've played, you can still just play them as normal, just going for the kill. But there are particular conditions in each floor that will net you bonus items if you fulfill them. Having battle conditions be an option rather than mandatory is great.

[Vyk]

Descending the Tower = Survival

[Dreddz]

I've spent most of my day playing the online and am impressed at how lag free it is, a lot better than Tekken 5's online. But playing other people is a reminder at how button mashy friendly this series is. People who mash at the buttons can go along way and really disheartens you when you practise with a character all day to then die online against someone who is smashing their head against the controller. And when there is lag you have to give in and button mash yourself or else you've got no hope winning otherwise.

Feature wise Soul Calibur IV is ahead of the competition but its gameplay is still leagues underneath Tekken or Virtua Fighter.

[Rase]

Just got word that a suite mate will have the game this fall, so I'm looking forward to that. Haven't played a Soul Caliber game since 2 about four years ago, so I'm looking forward to trying it again.

[Slothy]

But playing other people is a reminder at how button mashy friendly this series is. People who mash at the buttons can go along way and really disheartens you when you practise with a character all day to then die online against someone who is smashing their head against the controller.

This may be true, but like any well made fighting game, once you've mastered it button mashers are no trouble (at least going by my experience with the other games). That's what always set Soul Calibur apart for me; all the depth of a great fighting game without being so painfully inaccessible that you feel like you're brain damaged when you first pick it up. I definitely prefer it over other fighting games.

[Roto13]

But playing other people is a reminder at how button mashy friendly this series is. People who mash at the buttons can go along way and really disheartens you when you practise with a character all day to then die online against someone who is smashing their head against the controller.

This may be true, but like any well made fighting game, once you've mastered it button mashers are no trouble (at least going by my experience with the other games). That's what always set Soul Calibur apart for me; all the depth of a great fighting game without being so painfully inaccessible that you feel like you're brain damaged when you first pick it up. I definitely prefer it over other fighting games.

This. :P

[Vivisteiner]

Me a month ago: Alright, I guess we can spend my birthday money on stuff, but you just make sure you have enough money to buy me Soul Calibur IV when it comes out.

Husband: Ok.

Me yesterday: Soul Calibur IV comes out tomorrow.

Husband: We don't have any money.

Me: *DIVORCE PAPERS*

Oh I didn't know roto was a girl I thought it was a boy, by the sig avatars and the comments.

Classic.

[Dreddz]

This may be true, but like any well made fighting game, once you've mastered it button mashers are no trouble (at least going by my experience with the other games). That's what always set Soul Calibur apart for me; all the depth of a great fighting game without being so painfully inaccessible that you feel like you're brain damaged when you first pick it up. I definitely prefer it over other fighting games.

I think your overexaggerating the depth that Soul Calibur has. Compared to other fighters its by far the easiest to win at by button mashing. Tekken has always been the most fair and balanced as it is still inviting to casual players but has a lot of depth so that people who practise always beat someone who is button mashing. Virtua Fighter is on the other end of Soul Calibur as button mashing gets you absolutely nowhere. I appreciate all three fighters for what they are but there's no questioning the fact that Soul Calibur is for beginners and it a little too forgiving to the casual.

[Madame Adequate]

Balls is it. I didn't play III enough and haven't touched IV yet, but I knew exactly one person who could even match me at Soul Caliber I or II. Button mashing was incredibly easy for me to deal with.

And yeah try button mashing with Voldo, then watch me use Voldo, and see which of the two gets smashed in by Astaroth and which gets a win.

Certainly VF is more complex than SC. And in some ways Tekken arguably is as well. But a well-played SC character will be infinitely superior to a button-mashing one.

Excluding Maxi, but even then, I don't think it really counts as button mashing seeing as a single button press tends to be a 13-hit combo.

[Vyk]

I agree with Vivi and MILF. Rookies love Maxi. But that just means you have to be more defensive. I've -never- had any trouble with button mashers. My friends and family love fighting games. But I always have to tone down my skill just to make matches fun. I don't want people getting pissed off that I'm unbeatable just because I learn to use the damn block button and know how to dodge and hit high and low when necissary

Button mashers I know are always on the offensive. Which means if your balance in you defense enough you're almost guaranteed to win

[Zeldy]

Okay so this game rocks. I've just been on it for 4 hours, and I absolutely kick butt as Talim!

I unlocked like 6 achievements, and I was like WHAT THE HELL DID I DO, but yay! I finally got round to making my own character, 'Zeldy'~ If anyone wants to play online on the 360, pm me first as it's my brother's, I'd like to kick some of yo butts.

[Roto13]

You know, I think Story mode has more Story in it than it lets on. For example, when playing as Sophitia, Taki says something along the lines of "I cannot ignore your evil deeds." Sophitia and Taki fought together to destroy Soul Edge way back in Soul Blade, so they have a pre-existing relationship. Not only that, Taki would think very highly of Sophitia for putting her life on the line, even getting seriously injured in he process. That one line can mean a whole lot if you know the history surrounding the characters.

I'm new to the whole online leaderboard thing. I'm number four hundred and eighty something in Arcade mode. I don't know if that's good or bad. xP