Soul Blade

aka: Soul Edge
Moby ID: 3676
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Description official description

In the 16th century, a sword surfaces that is so powerful, so evil that warriors from all over the globe seek it out. It is Soul Edge, a demon blade. From America to Europe to Japan, these warriors fight each other for the chance to obtain it. Soul Blade is a 3D weapons fighting game that chronicles their story.

A complete 3D fighting game that allows for side steps, Soul Blade has twelve colorful fighters (ten standard, two hidden, plus additional costumes for a few fighters), each with various weapons and styles. The first ten can be used in all the combat modes, while the hidden two can only be used in versus and arcade mode.

Namco enhanced the arcade version (called Soul Edge) by adding a well done CGI intro, plus a story mode to the addition of the traditional team, survival, and time attack modes. The story mode goes into greater detail about each character, and is presented in an ancient book format. The story mode also allows you to unlock more of each characters' extra weapons. These weapons, which vary in lengths, stats, and durability, add to the options available players in the versus mode.

Soul Blade's sequel is SoulCalibur, both in the arcades and for the Sega Dreamcast.

Spellings

  • ソウルエッジ - Japanese spelling

Groups +

Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Arcade version)

67 People (49 developers, 18 thanks) · View all

Director
Game Design & Motion Management
Character Motion Adviser
Coordinator
Main Program
Enemy Program & Special Camera
Character Model Chief Artist
Character Model Artists
Stage Model Artist
Character Motion Artists
Character Motion Assistants
Original Game Concept
Character Design
Title Logo Design & Graphics
Full Motion Pacman Demo
Title CG Artist
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 89% (based on 26 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 51 ratings with 2 reviews)

I don't normally like fighting games, but I loved this one.

The Good
The characters, story mode, and different costumes. The coolest feature was the weapons. You can get different weapons with different special abilities. It had interesting multiplayer modes.

The Bad
Nothing. It was great and I especially liked the secret characters.

The Bottom Line
A fighting game with good graphics, a ton of cool different weapons, and an awesome campaign mode.

PlayStation · by Attila (553) · 2001

A fun, yet unrealistic, sword fighting game.

The Good
The game was released in the early Playstation Era, a time when all Playstation graphics lacked in quality. Soul Blade, however, still manages to have some of the best graphics, even better than some of the later Playstation games. There are so many modes built into this game, and the storyline is excellent. You can go into "Edge Master Mode" and find new weapons for the characters. Each character has their own unique ending movie, the Edge Master mode tells you (in text) what happend to the character on their journey. The game seems to focus around a mythical sword called "Soul Edge", each character has their own weapon and reasons for looking for the sword. Some want power, others want to destroy it.

The Bad
Practice mode does not allow for two players to be in at the same time. Knocking a weapon out of someone's hand is unrealistic (there is a stress meter), once it's knocked out of your hand, you can not retrieve it. You're limited to a ring, and for an epic battle searching for the most powerful sword in the world, the tournament seems too organized.

The Bottom Line
If you don't mind unrealistic sword fighting, you should try Soul Blade. If you're looking for an ultra realistic sword dueling simulation, you won't find it... I've owned it since the first release and I'm still finding things out about it. It is by far the best game on Playstation.

PlayStation · by ZombieDepot (40) · 2001

Trivia

Version differences

In the PAL version, Li Long's weapons is a three-segment-staff due to UK law. In the Japanese version of the game, the opening features Sophitia standing naked in the water. In both the PAL and US versions, she received a bathing suit.

Awards

  • Electronic Gaming Monthly
    • March 1998 (Issue 104) - Fighting Game of the Year Runner-Up (PlayStation version)
    • March 1998 (Issue 104) - Best Music Runner-Up (PlayStation version)
    • March 1998 (Issue 104) - Fighting Game of the Year Runner-Up (Readers' Choice) (PlayStation version)
    • 1998 Buyer's Guide - Best Intro
  • PXExtreme
    • 1997 (Vol. 3, Iss.3) - Best Fighting Game of the Year

Information also contributed by Big John WV and Zovni

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Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 3676
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Ray Soderlund.

Arcade added by 666gonzo666.

Additional contributors: Zovni, Fafnir, Alaka, DreinIX, Patrick Bregger, Rik Hideto.

Game added April 3, 2001. Last modified February 21, 2024.