Soulcalibur IV

Posted Aug 6, 2008 by TBO.com

Updated Aug 6, 2008 at 12:30 PM

System: Sony PlayStation 3

Also available for: Microsoft Xbox 360

Publisher: Namco

Reviewer’s rating: ***1/2

ESRB rating: Teen

Game type: Fighting

Kind of like: “Soulcalibur III”

Best feature: You can play online for the first time.

Worst feature: Horribly cheesy dialogue.

The bottom line: The best fighting game ever created gets better still with the addition of intense online action. But “Soulcalibur IV” won’t fly off the shelves because of its unparalleled gameplay or sweet eye candy. No, the game’s major selling-point is simpler than that: It features Darth Vader. (Xbox 360 owners get Yoda instead.)

Still, even “Star Wars” geeks can’t deny that “Soulcalibur” stands tall on its own — even without light saber-wielding Jedis in the lineup. The rest of the characters aren’t too shabby themselves — we still prefer hellish golem Astaroth and his giant axe, but one of the greatest things about “Soulcalibur” is the sheer variety of characters, weapons and fighting styles.

Gameplay is almost impossibly well-balanced. The fluid controls are never complex enough to shut out button-mashing beginners, but also feature enough depth that hardcore players can perpetually refine their skills. Against tougher opponents, learning when to defend and counter becomes every bit as important as knowing how to execute a brutal finishing move.

Fortunately, the game has as much style as substance. The characters, their gear and especially the fighting arenas just look flat-out cool. And, yeah, that includes the Star Destroyer docking bay, where — we’ll admit it — we had a total nerdgasm seeing the Death Star in the background.