SoulCalibur IV

EL33TONLINE ( )

There is no doubt that SoulCalibur IV is a remarkable achievement. With its accessibility, depth, gorgeous design and rich features, it is probably the finest fighting game available right now on either the 360 or PS3. Both hardcore and casual fighting enthusiasts are strongly advised to check it out.

GamesCollection (9.5 out of 10)

SCIV si è fatto attendere, eccome, ma ne è valsa la pena. Splende sotto ogni punto di vista, è bello, dinamico, ricco di contenuti con una giocabilità maestosa. Quanto potete chiedere da un gioco? La storia e la cura dei particolari rende ancora una volta la saga appassionante quanto il secondo capitolo, dove si pensava aver toccato l'apice della profondità narrativa. E invece no: che sia questa versione o quella PS3 non esiste altro beat'em'up al di fuori di lui. Compratelo, now, adesso, subito!

The Review Busters (9.5 out of 10)

If you haven’t picked up a fighting game for awhile now then you better consider buying Soulcalibur IV. This is the perfect fighting game on the Xbox 360 right now, both off and online. I really hate how Namco Bandai added into Star Wars characters, but at least we can beat the living hell out of Yoda if we want to.

Realm of Gaming (9.4 out of 10)

So how good is this game? Fantastic. As unbiased as I can be, I really do not have any negative words to give it except the addition of an adventure mode would have been even better. And that's about all of the negative words I can give it. If you love fighting games you owe it to yourself to pick this up, and even if you don't, even if you are only looking for a good party game, pick this up. It is Namco's greatest fighter to date and one of the best of all time.

Power Unlimited (92 out of 100)

Soul Calibur IV is een topper binnen het genre en dankzij de heerlijke gameplay, onwaarschijnlijk knappe graphics en het ruimte assortiment aan personages en spelmodes, een waardige binnenkomer van de serie op de nieuwe consoles.

Gaming Nexus (A-)

Soulcalibur 4 has its flaws, awful writing and stilted dialogue, but it is also the essential fighting game of the summer, if not the entire year. Well-balanced characters and endless customization will keep you coming back for more.

Jeuxvideo.com (18 out of 20)

SoulCalibur IV est un excellent jeu de combat qui saura satisfaire plusieurs types de public : les néophytes prendront du plaisir dès la première partie, les joueurs plus techniques pourront s'exercer afin de sortir des combos dévastateurs, et les collectionneurs passeront un temps fou à personnaliser leurs combattants et à débloquer tous les équipements.

V2.fi (90 out of 100)

Muutenkin on vaikea kuvitella, että kunnon beat'em upia etsivä pettyisi poimiessaan Sielun Kalapelin pelihyllystä, oli sitten kone kumpi tahansa. Nämä pelit eivät ehkä enää ole suuren yleisön silmissä samanlaisessa killer app -asemassa kuin vielä muutama vuosi sitten - PS3:kaan ei ole vielä saanut "oikeaa" Tekkenin jatko-osaansa - mutta alan harrastajajoukko on edelleen tiivis, ja tutut hahmot kannessa myyvät epäilemättä peliä myös yleisölle valtavat määrät, minkä tuoreet tilastotkin todistavat. SC ei ole sitä aivan tiukkapipoisinta HC-vääntöä, mutta tarjoaa lajityypin ystäville varmasti kymmeniä tunteja viihdettä - jo Xbox-version saavutusten metsästämisessä kulunee kelpo tovi.

GamersHell.com (9 out of 10)

In the end, whether it's your first time touching a Soul game or not, it's hard to not appreciate what's been done here: beautiful, crisp and bouncy graphics mix well with a fighter heavy on a classic formula of strategy, timing and execution, with it all backed by inviting-yet-deep character customization and creation. There are a few hiccups in presentation and a some odd choices here and there, but a strong heroic, rhythmic soundtrack nullifies any headaches you may get in trying to understand just what's going on with characters' stories. Now that gameplay feels to be right on, it seems like it's about time to show a bit of creativity and attention to all of the contexts within which we play, story and dynamic levels included.

GBase - The Gamer's Base (9 out of 10)

Mit Soul Calibur IV haben sich die alten Hasen von Namco wieder einmal selbst übertroffen. Das Spielprinzip wurde minimal verändert, was auch gut ist. Denn dadurch spielt es sich ähnlich und doch erfreulich frisch. Die Grafik wurde sehr schön auf ein höheres Niveau gehoben und in Sachen Kämpferbalance gibt es nichts zu meckern. Was ich mir persönlich gewünscht hätte, wäre ein besserer Storymodus. Dieser wurde leider vergessen. Dennoch hat mir der Titel ausserordentlich viel Spass gemacht und es ist immer ein Genuss, einen Gegner ungespitzt in den Boden zu rammen. Wer nur annähernd etwas mit Prügelspielen anfangen kann, muss hier zugreifen! Kaufempfehlung!

JeuxActu (18 out of 20)

Si l’on devait relever un point sombre de Soul Calibur IV, ce serait son mode solo, trop light par rapport à Soul Calibur III où l'on pouvait se gargariser avec un mode Chroniques de l'Epée parfait. Enfin, d’aucuns remarqueront que nous n’avons pas évoqué le mode online du jeu. Lors des quelques essais que nous avons effectués, le lag était tellement atroce – un temps de réaction d’une demi seconde – que nous préférons attendre que les serveurs soient complètement opérationnels pour porter un avis précis sur la question. Quoi qu’il en soit, Soul Calibur IV parvient à contenter !

JustPressPlay (9 out of 10)

It has giant phallic shaped swords, skin tight outfits and boobs the size of steroid infused watermelons. On top of this it has nicely balanced combat and a reliable online network. It has pretty much all a fighting game needs to be successful. Once you get past the cheesy voice acting you’re in for a game you’re going to love. Granted it might have a feature or two that series veterans might miss, but it’s still an enjoyable game. If you own both the PS3 and Xbox 360 and don’t know which version to get just get the one your online or real life friends are going to get because they look the same. I personally think the A.I. on the PS3 version is a lot cheaper though.

UOL Jogos ( )

Diante da escassez de jogos de luta desta geração, "Soulcalibur IV" chega em uma boa hora. O jogo continua a tradição da série, com combates acessíveis para novatos e atraentes para veteranos. Juntando a isto temos um robusto sistema de criação de personagens, vários personagens à disposição e um novo sistema multiplayer online. Para fechar o pacote com grande estilo, a Namco conseguiu exibir alguns dos modelos mais belos dos últimos tempos, em gráficos de tirar o queixo. É um grande jogo do estilo, imperdível para os fãs de gênero.

GameSpy ( )

Fighting games are iterative in nature. It's easy to take a look at the likes of Virtua Fighter 5 and Super Smash Bros. Brawl and argue that although both are amazing sequels, they offer little besides flashier visuals, extra characters, a few new moves, and online multiplayer. In the case of Soulcalibur IV, I simply ask: what's wrong with that? After nearly a week of back and forth rounds in the office and at home, Soulcalibur IV resurrects the sort of deep-seated resentment and blood-boiling rage that only a well-crafted fighting game can elicit. That's precisely what makes it a fine sequel.

4Players.de (90 out of 100)

Das ausgefeilte Kontroll-Schema mit seinen zahlreichen Schlagkombos, Blocks und Kontermöglichkeiten funktioniert punktgenau und lässt zusammen mit der optimalen Kollisionsabfrage keine Wünsche offen. Technisch beeindruckt SC4 mit einer Ausnahme ebenfalls. Doch etwas anderes hätte man von Namco Bandai auch nicht erwartet, immerhin konnte sich die Serie vor allem hinsichtlich dieser Eigenschaften von Episode zu Episode steigern und sich so in die Herzen aller Fans ausgefeilter Mehrspieler-Duelle prügeln. Dementsprechend liegt auch hier die Stärke von Soul Calibur 4: Sowohl vollkommen lagfrei über Xbox Live oder das PlayStation Network als auch offline stehen spannende Auseinandersetzungen an der Tagesordnung, die einem einen Adrenalin-Stoß nach dem anderen durch den Körper jagen.

GamingHeaven / DriverHeaven (89 out of 100)

All in all however, Soulcalibur IV is great fun and will appeal to a wide section of gamers for the lovely graphics (which look almost identical on PS3 and 360) and exciting character development. It not only looks beautiful but it sounds just as great with some wonderful weapon sounds. Once again however I have to give the edge to the Playstation 3 version, the install, while slightly annoying at the start, makes the game load significantly faster than its counterpart. Also Darth Vader is much more useful than the ill balanced 360 Yoda. Both are recommended, however if you are lucky enough to have both consoles, go for the Playstation 3 version, it is superior.

Gamesmania.de (89 out of 100)

Die Steuerung ist punktgenau wie eh und je und die tollen Charaktere sorgen für viel Spaß und Abwechslung. Technisch gibt es ebenfalls kaum Grund zur Kritik: Die Ladezeiten sind vollkommen OK, die Animationen erstklassig und wenn es einmal gelingt einen kritischen Finisher hinzubekommen wird ein grafisches Feuerwerk abgebrannt. Der Onlinemodus spielt sich, mit ganz wenigen Ausnahmen, lagfrei und ist ein absoluter Gewinn für die Serie. Der Storymodus enttäuscht zwar zunächst, da lediglich fünf Abschnitte zu erfüllen sind bevor die Endsequenz gespielt wird. Wenn man jedoch bedenkt, dass es für jede der 30 Charaktere einen eigenen Storyfetzen gibt, ist dies zu verschmerzen. Jeder, der auch nur ein wenig für Kampfspiele übrig hat, sollte sich diesen Leckerbissen nicht entgehen lassen!

360 LIVE (8.9 out of 10)

Wir würden Mitsurugi und Co mühelos auf den Genre-Thron hieven. Es muss aber angemerkt werden, dass das Digikreuz des 360-Controllers nicht wirklich für Prügelspiele geeignet ist. Wer mit dem etwas schwammigen Tastgefühl nicht klarkommt, dem legen wir den Kauf eines Arcade-Sticks ans Herz - damit legt »Soul Calibur IV« so richtig los. Die Investition lohnt sich, zumal in Kürze bereits Capcoms »Street Fighter IV« auf der Matte steht. Ring frei!

GameSpot (Belgium/Netherlands) (88 out of 100)

Soul Calibur IV is een must voor de fans van de reeks. Al het goede is behouden, je zal enkele van de extra's als cosmetisch en overbodig afdoen, terwijl andere, zoals het online luik en de Tower of Lost Souls Mode wel degelijk een meerwaarde naar je favoriete schop, stoot en hak kick brengen.

GamesFire (88 out of 100)

Am Anfang steht die Steuerung. Klar, denn von der Story ist nicht viel übrig geblieben. Deshalb interessiert nebenbei auch niemanden ernsthaft, wieso sich hier alle mal wieder verdreschen. Hauptsache die Charaktere sind cool und das sind sie! Wenn man den Bogen mit der Steuerung erstmal raus hat und einen Charakter gefunden hat, dessen Moves einfach von der Hand gehen macht, das Spiel Spaß. Alleine über Xbox Live und zu zweit vor dem TV ist das Spiel ein Garant für Langzeitmotivation, die in den heißen Sommertagen über die Runden kommen wollen.

Game Informer Magazine (8.75 out of 10)

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.

XboxAchievements (87 out of 100)

Unique fighting styles, weapons and characters coupled with very fluid and technical gameplay is really the formula for success in an ideal fighting game. Soulcalibur IV hits all those right on the head. Getting some friends together to have a tournament and forcing everything to use the random character select is a great way to spend a night. Playing by yourself is equally fun and the option to battle online is very welcome, though a bit frustrating if you're not playing friends. This game is a must-have for any fighting fan and a great starting place for newcomers.

Peliplaneetta.net (86 out of 100)

Soulcalibur IV on yllätyksetön, mutta adrenaliinia kutkuttavan vahva jatko menestyksekkäälle sarjalle. Veteraanit kiittelevät pelattavuuden uudistuksia, oman taistelujan luontimahdollisuutta ja nettimätkintää, satunnaisemmat pelaajat löytävät iloittavaa silmiä hivelevästä ulkoasusta ja Tähtien sota -hahmoista, jotka miellyttävät erityisesti kaltaistani saagan vannoutunutta fania.

Fragland.net (86 out of 100)

If you've ever wondered whether fight games are for you, then you should certainly try this one out. Even if in the end you don't have fun with the great gameplay, then there's still Yoda (or Darth Vader in the PS3 version) and the excellent volumes of boobs that have some great physics applied to them. Everything a healthy young man longs for!

Video Game Generation (8.6 out of 10)

All in all, Soulcalibur IV is a high quality game which will keep you coming back for more. From the surprisingly addictive character customization to the challenging Tower of Lost Souls, this game is well crafted and presented, leaving little room for improvement. Although the story mode will disappoint some and the voice acting is shocking, Soulcalibur IV brings a lot to the table with refined gameplay mechanics and is certainly a game worth adding to your collection.

Retro Gamer (86 out of 100)

Combat is fast and fluid, with matches often going right down to the wire if you're against an evenly matched opponent, online play is surprisingly stable and lag-free, while the new non-Star Wars characters offer plenty of depth and balance while integrating nicely into the classic line-up/ Add in loads of unlockable goodies, some glorious-looking visuals and fantastic, extremely operatic music, and this will keep you going for an age, or at least until Street Fighter IV appears. It's hardly going to matter once that one's in our hands...

Mygamer.com (8.6 out of 10)

When all is said and done, Soul Calibur IV is a solid choice for any fan of the series and fighting games in general. Graphics aside, no single element stands out or demands your attention, but neither does the game come across as rehashed or “too safe”. In the end, Namco delivers a fun, well-polished sequel with plenty of content and great replay value. While you’ll know what you’re getting with SCIV, odds are you’ll enjoy it.

games xtreme (8.5 out of 10)

If the developers can fix the online issues, the game could be a serious online brawler. At the moment though it's really too much of a miss in that respect than a hit. Fortunately there's a lot more to keep you going in single player and vs modes.

Game Freaks 365 (8.4 out of 10)

If you have played previous Soul Calibur titles, you will feel right at home with this game. Throw in a player creator and online play, slightly improved graphics, Yoda or Darth Vader and you have Soul Calibur IV. The story mode is still sub-par, but Arcade and the Tower of Lost Souls should keep you busy long enough. Not to mention all of the replay value you will get out of playing with friends offline or random strangers online. Soul Calibur IV is definitely worthy of a rent, while fans of the franchise shouldn't think twice about buying.

PC Action (Germany) (2 out of 7)

Neben Tekken ist Soul Calibur wohl die Prügelserie mit den schnellsten Erfolgen für wilde Knöpfchendrücker. Doch wer sich in den Spielablauf hineinfuchst, stößt auf unerwartete Tiefen und hat im Vergleich zu solchen Gelegenheitsspielern die Nase vorn. Zumindest, wenn Sie nicht gegen Yoda kämpfen. Richtig gehört: Der Altmeister aus StarWars bekommt in Soulcalibur 4 einen Gastauftritt spendiert. Der 66 Zentimeter kleine Jedi-Zwockel passt allerdings weder von seiner Herkunft noch von seiner Stärke in die mittelalterliche Schwertkampf-Kulisse. Während Yoda der Xbox-360-Fassung vorbehalten bleibt, gibt es nur auf der Playstation 3 seinen Kollegen Darth Vader - der ebenfalls viel zu stark ist. Macht aber nichts, cool sind die Burschen trotzdem. Und in der 33 Kämpfer umfassenden Riege finden sich genug andere Widersacher. Etliche frische Bewegungskombinationen gibt es auch. Sogar mit (zerstörbaren) Rüstungsteilen bestücken dürfen Sie Ihre Recken. Herzallerliebst!

Game Revolution (B+)

So there you have it - another page in the history of Soul Calibur is written to the polite applause of this reviewer. SCIV certainly doesn’t break any new ground, but it continues to do what it does best by providing us with some of the best weapons-based fighting action in town. The character customization is worth the price of admission, and the online game will keep you coming back for more.

Thunderbolt Games (8 out of 10)

Soul Calibur IV provides a great arcade experience for home consoles. It’s shockingly pretty, and has the gameplay to back it up - especially when gaming with friends. The custom characters are also a great motivation to slog through the single player modes, earning money to buy more parts. Finally, the new online mode adds a solid multiplayer component to a genre that’s traditionally stuck to local play. It’s no revolution, but Soul Calibur IV adds enough to an old franchise to make it worthwhile.

Hooked Gamers (8 out of 10)

Soulcalibur IV will give you many hours of enjoyment, as well as many hours of frustration, but still remains to be one of my favourite games to play at the moment.

411mania.com (8 out of 10)

Soul Calibur IV is a fun fighting game and solid overall game. It brings back its core elements of game play while adding a lot of variety in terms of characters, locales, and extras. The addition of the Star Wars universe is a fun addition, though some fans of the both series will argue otherwise. The game suffers from a lack of real depth or development but that is to be expected with fighting games. Overall, it’s a very playable game and has enough variety to peak the interests of any gaming fan. However, its lack of real story and character development, plus the limitations of the nature of its game play, will have some players keeping SCIV in their libraries for the short term.

Video Games Daily (8 out of 10)

One of the main selling points for this newest of the series is the addition of Star Wars characters - Yoda for the 360, Darth Vader for the PS3 and The Apprentice from the upcoming Force Unleashed on both consoles. They're... decent enough at best. Vader is suitably lumbering and nails, though he does seem to move quicker than he probably should, and he does fit in the game pretty well. The problem is it all seems a bit superfluous, and never feels like anything more than a cynical cash-in. Put Star Wars on the front cover and you're sure to lure in more plebs to throw their cash your way, and it obviously draws attention to the upcoming Lucasarts title. Bah.

Play.tm (80 out of 100)

Yet these are irritations rather than deal breakers. I was never going to feel the same buzz playing Soul Calibur IV as I did the original: the core experience is too familiar. But the online play has been implemented impressively, and prevents this becoming a game that will sit on your shelf until your friends come round. Meanwhile the character creation mode allows for some interesting experimentation, and may one day create a community as focused on customisation and tuning as the likes of Gran Turismo and Forza. In the long run, it is this that may prove to be Soul Calibur IV's greatest achievement.

Gamekult (8 out of 10)

Ami des bonnes soirées viriles, SoulCalibur IV est le digne successeur des précédents. Certes, le travail a été plus important sur la forme, changement de génération oblige, que sur le fond, finalement assez inchangé. On appréciera en tout cas le nombre de nouveaux combattants même si une majorité d'entre eux ne sont que des ersatz de persos déjà existants, tandis que d'autres ne seront certainement jamais réutilisés par la suite. Techniquement, le titre reste toujours un modèle de jouabilité et d'esthétisme, même si l'on sent que les développeurs ont manqué d'inspiration sur les décors, ni épiques ni même inoubliables. Irréprochable mais sans grande inspiration, ce nouveau volet s'avère donc splendide et jouissif sans toutefois offrir de véritable surprise. Mais en ces temps de disette côté baston 3D, il est toujours bon d'avoir un phare pour s'éclairer dans les ténèbres de la moyenne du bourre-pif.

Game Couch ( )

One of my frustrations with fighting games is pulling off special moves. That makes me a fan of Soulcalibur IV because every button I hit does something cool. Yes, I’m an unabashed button-masher even though it brings me endless shame online.

The Next Level (USA) ( )

At first, it can be easy to proclaim SoulCalibur 4 to be the greatest entry in the series. The gameplay tweaks are enjoyable and online play is a great way of adding value when your friends might not be around to compete with. But when you examine it closely, you can see the chipped pieces on the armor of Namco's weapons fighter, and although they are all minor, they take a bit of the luster away. This is not to say that it's a bad game, or even bad for the series. But like a hot new high-performance new car without a USB connector for your MP3 device, you can still be satisfied while wishing that a few of the details weren't overlooked.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (8 out of 10)

But for all the game's technical excellence, sumptuous graphics and epic soundtrack, Soulcalibur IV also serves to remind us just how bereft of basic innovation the one-on-one fight genre has become. Were it not for the customisation and online options, this would essentially be an HD rendition of previous games. As it is, Soulcalibur IV's new features and its ability to entertain both newcomers and fighting game experts make it a good buy - if not the revolutionary leap to the next level you might've hoped for.

FiringSquad (75 out of 100)

SoulCalibur IV dots all the Is and crosses all the Ts, but doesn’t have a lot of life when you get beyond the brief thrill of playing a perfunctory beat-em-up with Yoda and Darth Vader. There aren’t any serious missteps here, so anyone looking for a stereotypical beat-em-up should be plenty entertained. But this game clearly had the potential to be much more than that, so it’s hard to come away completely satisfied.

PlayDevil ( )

It looks gorgeous, and fans have a great online experience to finally show off their skills all over the world. However, the Star Wars characters and freaky boobs detract from the experience somewhat. Its an odd, out of place experience and if you’ve played the games in the series you might find you tire from it easily, whilst if you’re new to the series you may find it a bid old hat and wonder what the fuss was all about. SCIV is by no means a bad game, but the next instalment needs to do something seriously special to retain my interest in it.

The Video Game Critic (B-)

The story mode spices up the action by incorporating power-ups and pitting you against three opponents in a row. But the storylines themselves are crap. They begin with a text crawl (and I mean crawl), and end with an incomprehensible cut scene. The melodramatic dialogue tries to sound profound but it means absolutely nothing. "Her resolution gives her the strength to face her destiny." Whatever! The arcade mode lets you play for points, but sadly, they aren't recorded unless you're on-line, and that sucks. A rich create-a-fighter mode is included, which may appeal to some. Soul Calibur IV is still a quality fighter, but unless you want to play on-line, this edition has little new to offer.

Giant Bomb ( )

Overall, it's sort of hard to recommend Soulcalibur IV to anyone who isn't already a big fan of the series. It felt like everything I liked about the game (the actual fighting) was countered by something else (the meaningless story mode, equipment stats, Ivy's creepy-looking boobs) that made me want to take the disc out and put it away forever.