SoulCalibur II HD Online

SoulCalibur 2 HD Online is everything the original was and more. Stunning full-screen, 1080p visuals and the inclusion of the full-fat single-player mission mode make this an essential download at $19.99/£15.99

Still a great fighter even without all the bells and whistles that have been bolted on in recent years - it’s more accessible and balanced than later ones, too.

A nearly flawless update of a decade old title. While it’s unfortunate that the online mode isn't nearly as polished as the rest of the game, the true soul of the game has never looked so beautiful.

Soul Calibur II HD Online illustrates this perfectly: with the core game given nothing but a face lift, it remains a great fun experience, even if it’s the exact same experience that it provided ten years ago. The new features add very little, but then there’s very little that needed to be added even ten years ago, and therefore it remains to be seen whether similar tales of swords and souls will continue to be eternally retold.

But a few missteps and one notable absence can't derail what is otherwise a timeless fighting game in high definition.

As an HD update, it's pretty good. The new resolution feels great, and even the interface has been updated, which is something worth appreciating. Also, the online addition is something unmissable these days, but there's a problem. A game called SoulCalibur III, better almost in every single aspect, should have been the title Namco Bandai remade. If you're OK with SoulCalibur II, though, please, go ahead.

If you would call yourself a SoulCalibur purist and long for the days where you could show off how good you were in SoulCalibur II to everyone in the world, this might be for you, otherwise it’s just another cash grab HD re-release with very little new substance.

Hardcore fighting fans looking to dive back into a franchise classic should take note: this probably isn't the exact version of the game you remember. The core gameplay, for reasons unknown, is based around the European PAL release, which had a few distinct elements that were changed for the North American version. Casual players won't care, but diehard competitive players will find some attacks are much nastier than they remember.

SoulCalibur II HD Online is the same great fighting experience that fans had years ago but also includes HD and two online modes, which helps it to stay appealing to the current standards.

There are tons of fighting games with nicer looking graphics and more depth gameplay-wise, but SoulCalibur II HD Online puts up a good rumble against the competition.

Soul Calibur II is an excellent fighting game that’s aged well, and this HD version is very faithful to the original. We’re puzzled by the price tag, though, as you can get Soul Calibur V for the same money.

Soul Calibur II HD Online is just a regular conversion sold at a too high price to appeal everyone but the most addicted fans.

Soul Calibur II HD Online is the lovely comeback of the best Soul Calibur game so far, with its well balanced roster and the solid combat system. The Weapon Master mode is still awesome and both the HD graphics and the Online modes are good extra. But the 18.99 euros asked for buying the game is a high price for an HD remake. Too high, actually.

Even a decade later it’s obvious why SoulCalibur II is regarded one of the best 3D fighting games. The HD version is unfortunately only decent – it’s clear that the game is 10 years old and the online component is very modest. [02/2014, p.72]