This is another tale of souls and swords. *record scratch*
SoulCalibur 3 brings back what its done from the past and has made it better. Way better. This time around, there's a new antagonist in the world.
Get ready to spend hours in this game. SC3 has plenty to offer, like Tales of Souls mode, Chronicles of the Sword mode, and Soul Arena.
In Tales of Souls, you choose any of the SoulCalibur heroes (and villains) and play through their stories. This isn't like SC2, as there's actually a plot to read (if you wish) and decisions to make that affect what enemies you face. No matter what paths you choose, there is always the final stage against the boss of doom: Abyss. Each stage dramatically gets harder as you go, so there's always a level of challenge no matter how good (or bad) you are. Each story isn't that long, though, probably as long as a Marvel VS. Capcom 2 session in an arcade from start to finish. Every story you complete rewards you with different prizes and unlockables, and each story is intertwined with each other, so you kind of know what to expect, but at the same time have some surprises every time you begin a new character's story.
I'm also amazed at the game's storytelling. It's very rare that you see a fighting game have cutscenes, let alone even a plot. It's just amazing watching conflicts occur as you progress down the story. It eventually gets repetitive, but you've got to give them a hand for such beautiful presentation.
Soul Arena is basically what's left of SoulCalibur 2. It contains Quick Play and Mission Mode. Quick Play is the simple, plotless fighting you should've gotten accustomed to if you've played a (good) fighting game before. Mission Mode contains 10 different kinds of matches, ranging from Sudden Death melees to coin battles. (I smell a ripoff)
There's also a World Championship mode where you can take on computer players based off of the best SoulCalibur players in the world. If you think you're so good in SoulCalibur, face these elite players and say that again. This is undoubtedly the ultimate SoulCalibue challenge.
And now, here's where the game truly shines. Chronicles of the Sword mode blends in elements of strategy (ala Fire Emblem) with SoulCalibur to bring you a completely different epic of souls and swords. (I gotta stop doing that.) Chronicles of the Sword is set in a war-torn continent consisting of three empires: Grandall, Halteese, and Dalkia. You start off as an apprentice Grandall commander training amongst your own in the basics of war. Eventually you'll be given an army to command and finally step out and engage in war. What makes this mode stand out amongst everything else in this game is that the main character is literally you. You create your own character and your own comrades (among the ones already given to you). As your soldiers fight, they gain experience and level up in time, increasing their abilities. Unlike Fire Emblem, units that fall in battle aren't lost for good. They return to battle after a short retreating period, ready to fight again.
To be honest, the only reason why I got back into SoulCalibur was the character creation feature. And by gum, does it rock. This isn't your second-rate custom creater. You have hundreds of items to choose from to dress up your character in. Fell like being a gladiator? Pull out the gladiator helm and the tunic. Want to be the almighty general? Break out the general's chainmail. Or perhaps you just want to be a simple casual peasant-looking guy? Pick off a shirt and set of pants of your choosing. The combinations are nearly limitless. Clothes aren't just there for show, either. Clothes affect what kind of personality your character exhibits. Is he more of the peacemaker or the dark, evil type? What's so great is that no matter what outfit you're sporting, it doesn't affect what job your character is. Would you like to be a dagger wielding Theif? What about the sly kunai weilding Ninja? Or perhaps just be simple and be a Gladiator with the basic shield and sword? It's all up to you. Go ahead, be a mean barbarian-looking Theif or a saintly-looking Assassin. See if I care.
This game has a heavy emphasis on the custom character aspect of the game. Alongside the free stuff you can unlock in the game, ranging from faces to jobs to weapon disciplines, there's tons more to be bought in the shop. The shop carries many many things, from weapons to armor to other random things. Even though many of these unlockables have to be unlocked by beating a furiously difficult task, there's always an alternate way to unlock anything, so rest assured if you're not good at SoulCalibur. There's also extras you can unlock like great artwork and cinematics that you sould definitely spend some time looking at, if you like looking at pictures at least.
Can't forget the multiplayer! The multiplayer mode doesn't have much to offer, only quick fights and tournaments, but playing SoulCalibur among friends is already great enough as it is. What I've sorely missed (and unfortunately omitted in SC3) is the great Team Battles.
Even with that single ommission, everything new this game offers definitely makes up for it. This game is still simple to pick up and play, but takes a true pro to master. If you loved SoulCalibur 1 or 2, this is definitely a must have. With superb storytelling, a massive checklist of unlockables, the amazing Chronicles of the Sword mode, and the best custom character creater I've seen in ages, this is undoubtedly one of the greatest fighting games.
The legend will definitely never die. This tale of souls and swords concludes with my highest recommendation and a 10/10.
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