Soul Calibur V

Soul Calibur series first appeared in 1996 on PlayStation as Soul Blade (or Soul Edge). It was a very good game, but in the eyes of most of us was an experiment, a "Tekken with swords." The popularity of the series soared to the heights of the Soul Calibur Dreamcast, which wowed audiences and critics, thanks in part to exploit the capabilities of the Sega console to produce impressive graphics and the combat system. The games of the series Soul Calibur continued to move at very high levels, although several factors that were not directly related to the quality, prevented As the popularity to win the first or the second SoulCalibur.

The Soul Calibur V brings many changes through an effort to attract more people, but to simplify the negative sense. The fifth (and if you count Soul Blade, sixth) member of the series features new mechanisms, which add depth and make changes that promote better flow of battle, thus offering a great fighting gameplay, which has all the skills to pull the attention of all kinds of friends. However, those primarily interested in the content will remain offline, again, disappointed.

Technically, the Soul Calibur V at the top of the class. The character models are highly detailed, the animation fluid and the environments are distinguished mainly for their art direction. The arenas in Soul Calibur V is very detailed and some are very atmospheric, while the level design is not done with the simple logic of creating a unique site to host gladiator, but give the illusion that are part of a larger world.

The visuals that frame the action and contribute to the establishment of one, artistic, very beautiful game. The sound field varies in very good shape and in turn contribute to creating atmosphere, but to impress. It is worth noting that, surprisingly, even the voice overs of the story mode is very good.
The first thing to watch someone playing Soul Calibur V is that the new member of the series is clearly faster than its predecessor. However, it continues to use three basic blocks in the combat system: one horizontal and one vertical with a gun and kick. In the tradition of the series, each character has literally dozens of moves and combinations you can use. Moreover, the games of the series Soul Calibur is still the only 3D fighting to place less emphasis on our position in the arena. We speak of course for ring outs ending a battle directly.

The SCV and adds new ideas in designing the levels, but invests in those built by his predecessors, who are anyway not very left room for improvement. The tracks are usually asymmetric and often contain walls that can break or have a low level, information that can shape the strategy of players.

The ring outs is one of the factors that make the battles equivocal and push the players to be as careful as possible to the end. A new feature is the Critical Gauge, which fills up when we launch and blows. We can have up to two full bars Critical Gauge simultaneously, which are used for various movements. With half an energy bar can perform Guard Impact, which repel all hostile attacks (and unlockable) and gives us time to fight back.

The execution of the Guard Impact has changed and is now pressing the "back" and the three attack buttons (which you can place a button), but remains the same regardless of the type of attacks that try to stop (low, medium etc). However, if fails, we just do not hit, but lose and Critical Gauge.

By using a half-bar Critical Gauge can perform the Brave Edges, which performed if specific special moves all three buttons pressed the attack. In this case, our attacks are stronger and often changes the number of hits and / or attributes of attacks that can stun or cause to be unlockables. With an energy bar and a performance similar to that found in the "Supers" of Street Fighter can perform the Critical Edges, which are substantially equivalent "Super moves" of Soul Calibur.

These movements are repulsed and fail relatively easily if not careful, but they can surprise you and cause considerable damage to our opponents. Fortunately, Critical Edges are not too loud by themselves are hard to change the flow of battle. They are just another useful tool we have at our disposal.

The new additions to the SCV work very well and add depth and additional options in our repertoire, and the flow of battle is excellent and allows many twists. This is due partly to the relatively small health bars and although they must win a total of three rounds to emerge winners, the fighting did not "pull" excessive in duration and not tiring. Finally, we should mention that when a character loses a round, and left behind, earning an automatic bar Critical Gauge. This is essentially the only "come-back mechanic" that exists and operates for the benefit of competition without giving the feeling that penalizes the player first.

Generally we have no complaint about the gameplay of Soul Calibur V and believe that everything is configured perfectly. Despite many changes, a new member of the series retains its personality and this is something very positive, especially when the new title of Namco has to deal with so many great fighting games, claiming the money and the time of her friends category.

source: gameover.gr