SoulCalibur 6 is a continuation of the popular arcade fighting game series in the Japanese style. The game features a new defensive mechanic that allows you to use shields to block attacks. Additionally, battles combine high dynamics with spectacular cinematic scenes. The main storyline unfolds parallel to events already known from other installments. The main character becomes a victim of yet another master of the "Soul Edge," but survives and embarks on a long path of revenge against the new owner of the cursed blade.
SoulCalibur 6 is a reboot of the arcade fighting game series Soul, with a visual style of anime and fantasy. The developers have returned the franchise to its roots to reveal hidden truths and attract new players. If the project is not successful, it will become the last in the series.
Unlike traditional fighting games, SoulCalibur characters use melee weapons as their primary means of combat, while swinging arms and legs complements the process. This combination is made possible by a polished combat system, impeccable gameplay, and interaction with the environment.
A new feature of the game is the Reversal Edge system, which initiates a strike exchange in slow motion with just one button. Damage is determined by a complex formula based on the "rock, paper, scissors" principle. Another new mechanic is the Lethal Hit, which allows players to launch their opponent into the air through specific actions.
In keeping with the spirit of the times, each character has unique abilities that distinguish their fighting style from templates and stock characters.
SoulCalibur 6 includes many successful combat mechanics from previous games:
- Armour Break looks new — a strong hit breaks the opponent's armor elements, so by the end of the fight, they can be stripped down to their underwear;
- Guard Impact has returned in its original form, and it can be used without spending points;
- Critical Edge has remained almost unchanged, familiar from SoulCalibur 5;
- From the third installment, Soul Charge has returned in a completely revamped form. It allows several characters to transform into alternative versions of themselves, unlocking special abilities.
Background of the Game World
The SoulCalibur series takes place in an alternate reality of our world, at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries, with events revolving around a pair of mythical swords — the cursed sword "Soul Edge" and its opposite known as "Soulcalibur."
The plot of the sixth installment specifically unfolds between 1583 and 1590, but since this is a reboot, it retells events that occurred during these 7 years from a new protagonist's perspective, adding new stories and characters. Overall changes in the plot are made to launch a new chronology.
During the campaign, the player explores an expansive game world represented as a global map of the planet. The journey covers Asia, Europe, and America, with the hero visiting a variety of places — from forests and mountains to villages and cities. All of this is presented as combat arenas with corresponding themes.
The character editor's possibilities are extensive — 16 races, numerous sliders for body, face, and clothing settings, as well as the formation of a unique fighting style. You can create Sonic, Thanos, Shrek, Spider-Man , and many others.
The main parameters of the fighter are determined based on the race type, after which you can choose your preferred weapon (from nunchaku and halberds to various swords) and select a fighting style. Some can even stun their enemies with their huge "device".
SoulCalibur 6 offers 18 canonical characters — you can play as them in various game modes. In addition to the well-known heroes from previous games in the series, there will be a trio of newcomers. There are also guest characters — Geralt from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or 2B from NieR Automata.
The main character of SoulCalibur 6 is a character created by the player for the campaign. The main storyline unfolds parallel to events known from other parts of the series and is presented not through traditional CGI cutscenes but in the spirit of the early games in the series — as text on the screen. There are also dialogues in-engine.
The player's character becomes a victim of yet another master of the "Soul Edge," but survives, after which they embark on a long journey of revenge against the new owner of the cursed blade. For this, they first fight ordinary enemies under the guidance of a mentor, and once they master all the abilities — they battle powerful foes.
Opposing them is a new character named Azwel. He aims to "save" humanity and can summon weapons from the air to use them in crazy combinations.
The story of SoulCalibur 6 is quite deep and can be compared to some JRPGs — there are main and side quests, a role-playing system with "loot" and "leveling up," hiring additional fighters, and dialogues with multiple response options. There is also a "good/evil" system that affects the ending.
For fans of the series, the developers have created a story mode. These are separate mini-campaigns consisting of 2-4 missions dedicated to well-known characters from the SoulCalibur series. Each fighter has a new storyline in the game chronicle, previously unpublished. For newcomers, the mode is useful as it reveals important events, while fans can simply reminisce about the past.
SoulCalibur 6 offers rich and very complex modes, which is why we will just list them:
- In "Arcade," you can practice against bots on 8 different arenas, with a boss at the end chosen from 5 possible options (depending on the selected difficulty);
- "Versus" allows you to create a custom battle against a player or computer, as well as select the difficulty;
- Regular online matches are battles between characters, where victory or defeat does not affect anything but allows you to warm up your fingers in intense battles with another person;
- In ranked online matches, players earn points for each victory, which promote them up the ranking. There is a leaderboard for each region.
The mechanics of combat and player capabilities in SoulCalibur 6 heavily depend on the modes, which are most fully revealed in multiplayer. Innovations such as blocking and counterattacks, as well as boost abilities, will be useful there. Online battles require precise tactical actions and are less arcade-like than in single-player or campaign modes.
- The game is bright, dynamic, with a deep combat system and a wide variety;
- Fights vary each time — conditions of the arenas, hero status, type of strikes, and more change;
- All reference information about characters (appearance, attributes, fighting style, combos, and moves) can be viewed in a separate part of the game — the "Museum."