SoulCalibur V

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 142 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 142
  2. Mixed: 52 out of 142
  3. Negative: 29 out of 142
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  1. Thaeonblade
    Mar 7, 2014
    5
    On further inspection and after 2 years, I take back my initial review for several reasons that I'll state here.

    As a fighting game, SCV is functional at best and if you're the type of gamer who will thrive on the changes made to the mechanics, you'll like the game. If you don't mind the lack of offline-content, the lazily cobbled-together roster, the harsh emphasis on aggressive combat    On further inspection and after 2 years, I take back my initial review for several reasons that I'll state here.

    As a fighting game, SCV is functional at best and if you're the type of gamer who will thrive on the changes made to the mechanics, you'll like the game. If you don't mind the lack of offline-content, the lazily cobbled-together roster, the harsh emphasis on aggressive combat to the detriment of all other combat types and the terrible and admittedly incomplete story mode, you'll enjoy character customization and online.

    Otherwise, SC fans and fighting game fans looking something more involved are better off skipping this game or buying it for cheap if you don't just rent it.    … Expand
  2. ShouldbeStudyin
    Mar 23, 2012
    6
    I still have many fond memories of playing Soul Calibur II, and to a much lesser extent Soul Calibur IV. All that being said, Soul Calibur V is a decent sequel to the franchise. The new critical edge system feels good and is as fun to use. The character designer is as fun to mess around with as ever. Ezio is a good guest character who meshes well with the SCV cast. Lizard Man has a moreI still have many fond memories of playing Soul Calibur II, and to a much lesser extent Soul Calibur IV. All that being said, Soul Calibur V is a decent sequel to the franchise. The new critical edge system feels good and is as fun to use. The character designer is as fun to mess around with as ever. Ezio is a good guest character who meshes well with the SCV cast. Lizard Man has a more unique move-set, Viola is interesting play, and ZWEI, well he's ZWEI. That's the good, now here's the bad. The game feels rushed. Some characters have been changed in ways that make little sense (Astaroth comes to mind), and the game has three mimic characters. The story mode is not nearly as deep as SCII or even SCIV, and focuses on only three characters. Cut-scenes are pictures with voice acting. Bottom line is the game is entertaining and die-hard fans of Soul Calibur should be entertained with it until the next, hopefully less rushed, Soul Calibur game. New comers are not likely to get much out of this game.
    True Rating: 6.2    … Expand
  3. destructo_dude
    Feb 2, 2012
    7
    I'm confused at most of these reviews. The combat has not improved. It's actually been dumbed down to the point that one of the button combinations (horizontal and kick; one of the style-switching combinations) has been removed. I'm not necessarily complaining about the changes in familiar move sets, because that actually makes the learning curve interesting. I'm complaining about the wayI'm confused at most of these reviews. The combat has not improved. It's actually been dumbed down to the point that one of the button combinations (horizontal and kick; one of the style-switching combinations) has been removed. I'm not necessarily complaining about the changes in familiar move sets, because that actually makes the learning curve interesting. I'm complaining about the way in which the combat and gameplay have devolved since Soul Calibur 3.

    Soul Calibur 3 took all that was right with SC2, improved it, and supplied a treasure chest of single-player modes including the best campaign a fighting game has ever seen: "Chronicles of the Sword." Soul Calibur 4 dumbed down the combat by dumping the fake-out "jump-delays," removed the campaign, and made story mode brisker. These aren't such bad changes, but remain questionable with the amount of content an HD game should have compared to a PS2 classic. Soul Calibur 5 removed A+K (stunting Ivy's entire move-set), reduced story mode to a single narrative, kicked out the Museum, and transformed mission-mode into "extreme-difficulty arcade-mode."

    Soul Calibur 3: Arcade, Versus, Story, Campaign, Missions, Customs (personality-building, main roster colors), Museum (movies, art, music, battle theater, profiles with full dialogue, demonstrations)
    Soul Calibur 4: Arcade, Versus, Online, Story, Missions (Tower: staged-Ascend and laddered-Descend), Customs (RPG-traits, main roster costumes), Museum (movies, art, overview of series)
    Soul Calibur 5: Arcade, Versus, Online, Story (single narrative), Missions ("Legendary Souls": Europe, Asia, both), Customs (superficially, more stuff)

    There's also the lack of stun-recovery that I find baffling. Usually, you're given a slim chance to avoid a juggle, but this entry has removed it entirely. The parries (Guard Impact) have been changed to work dependently on your power-meter, the thing you're trying to save for your "super combo." It reminds me of how frustrating it was in Mortal Kombat (2011) to have the combo-breaker rely on a "super combo" meter instead of allowing you two chances in a match like previous entries. Parrying has been altered to the benefit of no one. Newcomers will find no reward in practicing and performing it because it now depletes from the action. In the case of parrying, it really should have added to the meter than subtract.These are huge steps in the wrong direction.

    I welcomed the new characters openly, as the two previous games were two cluttered with clones. However, some of the outcomes don't make sense to me. You end up with five random select options once you've unlocked all the hidden characters (two others are just alternate weapon types for the main characters). Older, male characters that ought to be replaced have held out longer than younger females (most devastating: Talim). Mitsurugi makes sense in this regard, Maxi and Raphael (whose intended replacement is nowhere to be seen) do not. The majority of the new characters are more replacements than fresh additions, the exceptions being Viola and ZWEI who each have such unique play styles as to rival that of the SC3 additions.

    I want to give this a lower score, but technically it's still a good fighting game. Any fighting game that gives you a full-range of movement to actually explore its arenas has done something right. I'm also loving the Creation mode, which allows me to move three items wherever I want them (when stickers are simply not enough). Multiplayer is fast and hopefully draws a lot of attention, however I'm still displeased to wait for a single match to finish while myself and a number of others wait patiently. Couldn't it be a couple of matches at the same time in a room of five? Otherwise, the ping hasn't interrupted any of my matches thus far. The addition of Brave Edge and Critical Edge is a welcomed one as each has a specific strength that a mastered player can triumph over the proposed "army of button mashers these games cater to."

    So, 7 seems appropriate for now (SC4: 8, SC3:10) and I do hope stun-recovery is patched into this game because "Legendary Souls" mode (the game's one and only "mission") is such a hassle without it. To be completely honest, this is a good entry game for the series. I just hope that means people will be inclined to purchase Soul Calibur 3, if it ever ends up on PSN or Xbox-Live, or even Soul Calibur 4 for all its content and a much better approach to customs than "we balanced everything out so you can make people in bikinis tough."

    Side-note: For everyone saying the games went downhill after Soul Calibur or Soul Calibur 2, you missed out on two much better games.    … Expand
  4. Duncaaaaaan
    Jan 31, 2012
    9
    First of all, I'm going to make it clear from the start of my review: a lot, and I mean the vast majority of reviewers, have given SCV a low score (for example IGN and gamespot) because they thing the singleplayer is not great. Perhaps it isn't, but attacking it so vehemently is just completely wrong; it's a competitively geared fighting game. It was made to be the most valid entry in theFirst of all, I'm going to make it clear from the start of my review: a lot, and I mean the vast majority of reviewers, have given SCV a low score (for example IGN and gamespot) because they thing the singleplayer is not great. Perhaps it isn't, but attacking it so vehemently is just completely wrong; it's a competitively geared fighting game. It was made to be the most valid entry in the series for tournament play. Anyways, on to my review:

    The graphics, although not a huge leap from SC4, don't have to be. They were already pretty amazing in SC4, and the fact that they are better (and noticeably) means SC5 is is a beautiful, beautiful looking game. Ezio is a more appropriate guest character this time around, compared to Yoda and Vader. It's still too early to say if the game is more balanced. All I know is that Siegfried, my main (who I am pleased to know looks pretty badass this time around), is nerfed a bit. Some of his moves that were safe in SC4 aren't safe anymore.

    The real crowning achievement for SCV, in my opinion, is the absolutely incredible online and lobby mode.The netcode is absolutely excellent. Players can choose their preference for connection quality, and there is regional matchmaking. You can even choose to match up with some japanese gosu if you feel like getting your ass whooped. Of course, there will be lag if you live in America or europe. With the regional matchmaking, you'll get 4/5 bar connection, which means almost no lag at all. SC4 was tainted with lag abuse online... and you'll never see it again here.

    The lobby system is on an entirely different level to other games. Up to 6 people can join into a lobby in player matches, for people watching two others duking it out. What makes it amazing is that players can actually text chat with each other. PC players might scoff at this... but for people who primarily play on consoles, that's pretty damn awesome. It's great to see the "gg"s floating about the lobby. The game also records automatically records your last 8 matches.

    The other feature of SCV which will leave your jaw firmly glued to the floor is the new Create a Soul (CaS). Think of SC4's CaS (if you played it), then multiply it by a factor of 10... now you've got SCV's CaS. The original characters of the series can have their armour/clothing customized ad infinium, as opposed to a single monochrome colour base from before. You can even fiddle around with the colour saturation. Every character has more weapons to use than before. There's a staggering amount of weapon and armour unlocks. The possibilities really are endless this time around. Have a favourite character from a book/film you like? You can create it easily. I created a very accurate replica of Guts from the manga "Berserk" with ease. So there you have it: The best online mode, netcode and lobby probably ever seen so far in a fighting game, absolutely beautiful visuals, and a staggering amount of customization.

    I think many people will be turned off by these so called "professional" reviews that completely fail to focus on the important parts of a fighting game, instead focusing on paltry tings like story mode, and "lack of a tutorial mode (gamespot.... it's called training mode ffs).    … Expand
  5. VermillionHaze
    Feb 1, 2012
    5
    The worst entry in the series to date. It's a bare bones minimalist title that excells at multiplayer at ONLY multiplayer. No character endings, cutscenes, or even a vague idea of why most of the cast is even in the game. The campaign is the only storyline in the game and it only features a small portion of the roster and some only have a single line of dialogue. Speaking of theThe worst entry in the series to date. It's a bare bones minimalist title that excells at multiplayer at ONLY multiplayer. No character endings, cutscenes, or even a vague idea of why most of the cast is even in the game. The campaign is the only storyline in the game and it only features a small portion of the roster and some only have a single line of dialogue. Speaking of the campaign...you would think stripping away every single extra feature or mode would make them focus on making the campaign good right? Sadly it's quite terrible, scribbled drawings with naration and a few 5-second cutcenes here and there. I'm not sure what Team Soul was thinking. This game offers nothing to single player oriented fans, the only thing left to do after the campaign is...collect clothing. Which have no properties as armor and weapon stats are gone as well. This is a RENT. You can litteraly do everything this game has to offer in one nights work.… Expand
  6. Redfordsto
    Feb 1, 2012
    5
    I have played through the SoulCalibur series since the Sega Dreamcast. It's been getting progressively better over the various sequels. Until now, of course. While there are tons of ways to create and customize your own characters with tattoos and skimpy clothing, the other features are lacking. First, the single player seems more like a fast and repetitive tutorial rather than theI have played through the SoulCalibur series since the Sega Dreamcast. It's been getting progressively better over the various sequels. Until now, of course. While there are tons of ways to create and customize your own characters with tattoos and skimpy clothing, the other features are lacking. First, the single player seems more like a fast and repetitive tutorial rather than the intricate individual stories I was expecting. Plus, there are fewer single player options than the previous game. It seems as though they want to push the multiplayer component. As someone who isn't a professional and doesn't enjoy being beat down repeatedly by those who are, the emphasis on online multiplayer is disappointing. Finally, there is a slight change to the fighting mechanic and power of the characters that must be experienced that I know will upset the hardcore fans who are used to the older mechanics. It's something that the must be felt to understand. Moves are definately added, but there's a slight change to how your old favorites will move. If you planned on singleplayer fun; this is not the game for you. If you enjoy hours of online multiplayer; check this out.… Expand
  7. Alenth
    Feb 6, 2012
    3
    By far the worst entry in the series, story mode is horrible and makes zero sense, quick match is just a grind for titles, we don't have talim, rock, zasalamel, etc but hey!! they have time to introduce a copy of jin and 3 mimics!! Patroklos and Pyrrha are by far the most annoying teens ever in a FG.

    The supers are really inconsistent and cheap with 1 frame start ups, Guard break is    By far the worst entry in the series, story mode is horrible and makes zero sense, quick match is just a grind for titles, we don't have talim, rock, zasalamel, etc but hey!! they have time to introduce a copy of jin and 3 mimics!! Patroklos and Pyrrha are by far the most annoying teens ever in a FG.

    The supers are really inconsistent and cheap with 1 frame start ups, Guard break is poorly done, a lot of characters are dumbed down with a lot of moves being removed, Maxi and Nightmare are really boring to play, the new replacements are more of the same.

    This game is only for the extreme zealous fans, the only good things are the online play, Ezio, Viola and Zwei, this is an online game only, is just a rushed game.    … Expand
  8. MonkofMajere
    Feb 1, 2012
    5
    As a long time fan of the Soul Calibur series, I picked up the collectors edition thinking this would be another incredible chapter in the series. What I've found, however, is a very mixed view of the game.

    On one side, the character creation is absolutely fabulous. It is a huge improvement on SC3 and 4's Character Creation in every way possible. This is probably the best feature of this    As a long time fan of the Soul Calibur series, I picked up the collectors edition thinking this would be another incredible chapter in the series. What I've found, however, is a very mixed view of the game.

    On one side, the character creation is absolutely fabulous. It is a huge improvement on SC3 and 4's Character Creation in every way possible. This is probably the best feature of this game. There are so many possibilities it's astounding! On the other hand, however, there is the lack of beloved characters, the three mimic characters (mimic meaning they do not have their own style, but use others instead), the very disappointing story mode, and the general unpolished feeling the game has. Starting with the first point, though. While characters being taken out of the series is inevitable, those that were taken out are a little ridiculous. Some of the series best characters have lost their spots in this game, and those that were replaced are shadows of their former selves. And even some of those that returned are nothing to be excited over. Kilik, a longtime veteran of the Soul Calibur games, is nothing more then a mimic. Talim, a very popular character in the series in general, does not even appear. And the way each character is designed makes it feel like the developers just didn't put the effort into the game that they should have.

    And then there's the storyline. Now, I've read more then a few reviews where people have defended this feature by saying it is not supposed to be the main attraction of the game. While this is true, if you put a feature in a game you put effort into the feature. Period. Otherwise you may as well just leave it out. After reading about how the Dev's had specifically said they were taking inspiration from the new Mortal Kombat game, I was somewhat excited. While the story line in MK isn't the best, it was well designed and well put together. Soul Calibur V's storyline is terrible. You play as three characters who, for the most part, just continuously fight each other. While there is some animation, most of the cut scenes are nothing more then concept art. And while I'm sure some people would defend this by saying it is an artistic style, to me it just comes off as laziness. The game itself also just feels unpolished. And while this is to be expected (to an extent) from a brand new release, no Soul Calibur game has felt so incomplete. From the balancing issues with several of the characters to the way the characters move all feels unfinished. And unlike the story line, this does affect what this game is intended for. All in all I would suggest holding off on this purchase, even to long time fans of the series. I have loved every single Soul Calibur game to date, even dating back to pre-"Calibur", but this game needs a lot of work before it can even be considered good.    … Expand
  9. McNinja
    Feb 1, 2012
    3
    Soul Calibur 5 is perhaps the most disappointing thing I have ever played. The kicker is, I knew it was not going to be good. The Story mode is bland; the two lead characters are boring and unlikeable, the dialogue is just poorly written, with the female lead, Pyyrah, spouting on and on about how "she's alone" and how Soul Edge "won't betray her" and other insipid garbage to such a degreeSoul Calibur 5 is perhaps the most disappointing thing I have ever played. The kicker is, I knew it was not going to be good. The Story mode is bland; the two lead characters are boring and unlikeable, the dialogue is just poorly written, with the female lead, Pyyrah, spouting on and on about how "she's alone" and how Soul Edge "won't betray her" and other insipid garbage to such a degree that you end up wanting her to just get over it and move on, and Patroklus is continually declaring how much stronger he's going to become, and how he's going to save his sister, and how they'll be a family, etc. It is like the entire first season of Naruto, except all of the dialogue is compacted into one hour and consists of nothing other than Sasuke being emo and Naruto declaring how much of a ninja he's going to be. There's also an incredibly jarring fight where you control Z.W.E.I, even though the previous... storyboard/comic/cutscene thing indicated nothing of the sort, and for that matter, you can forget any characterization beyond "he's a werewolf!".

    But enough about the story mode. Arcade mode is as you'd expect- you just fight a series of enemies, then you're done. That is really how it goes. No story for any of the other characters, just a series of fights, some exp, then you're done. Legendary Souls mode is new, but amounts to a more difficult Arcade mode. There is really no reason to play these modes other than to level up.

    Character Creation is different from SC4. Gone are the armor and weapon stats and effects, but instead we have a poor starting selection of gear that takes a long while to fill out. However, what you can make varies between boring and the most insane horse-headed sumo-wrestler imaginable, and as usual, is extremely robust. The characters also got worked over. Ezio Auditore makes an appearance, and is a great addition to the cast. However, Kilik, Taki, and Talim are gone. Kilik is not a selectable character, and in a baffling move Talim, Xianghua, and Kilk have been replaced with younger characters. Yet, for some reason, Mitsurugi is still in, despite being one of the oldest characters in the game. New additions Viola and ZWEI both have interesting new playstyles, and there are two Patroklus and Phyyra characters, both with different styles. The new Lizardman, Aeon, is my new favorite, (mainly because Zasalamel is out of the game entirely, with not even his move set remaining) and now wields two axes instead of an axe and a shield. Edgemaster and a new character Elysium (the physical embodiment of Soul Calibur) are both random-style characters. There is also the addition of the Devil Jin style from Tekken, although why it is in this game is beyond me. It is a bare-fisted style, making it a tougher style to play in a game where pretty much everything has a longer range. In addition, there are no more of those foot weapons/style in SC5. That is not a huge deal, but it does present an opportunity to ask "why?"

    In fact, most of the game begs the question "why?" Why are Talim, Xianghua, and Kilik no longer playable? Why do I have to play on the same stage four times in the really short story mode? Why is there no Tower of Souls mode? Why is the fantastic Chronicles of the Sword mode, one of the best things about SC3, gone? Hell, why in the hell was ANYTHING changed from Soul Calibur 3?

    It seems as if Namco and Project Soul threw everything they had into online, and completely disregarded any sort of single-player modes. There is no substance in any mode; the only value this game has is as a game where you fight other people. You have no reason to care about the characters, no backgrounds for any of them, no personalities, nothing. They are just virtual fighters, with no more purpose than to hit another virtual fighter. While the mechanics are not shallow, at all, the characters are, and even though it is a fighting game, the game makes no effort to make it anything more. This is made all the more worse when you realize that there is no, I repeat NO tutorial or introduction mode at all. New players will get wrecked online, and even in the other modes, simply because the game makes no effort to explain any mechanics. It is simply unfriendly to new players.

    If you loved Soul Calibur 4, you'll like Soul Calibur 5. It is made for fans, and no one else, and even then, fans will see the startling lack of depth, previous modes, and established characters. Some will not mind in favor of the new and improved mechanics, but if they are anything like me, or if they are just new to the series, they'll be put off. Namco-Bandai, and Project Soul, could not have dropped the ball any harder if they had tried.    … Expand
  10. Zonbi
    Feb 3, 2012
    4
    TERRIBLE!!!
    Very disappointing, as I expected. They got lazy. It makes me sad. In my opinion. Soul Calibur 5 is best in show with graphics. Soul Calibur 3 has the best story mode. And Soul Calibur 4 has the best character creation opportunities and design.
    All Soul Calibur V revolves around is GRAPHICS. Nothing more!! Effort put into the background is a 0. They downgraded almost all of    TERRIBLE!!!
    Very disappointing, as I expected. They got lazy. It makes me sad. In my opinion. Soul Calibur 5 is best in show with graphics. Soul Calibur 3 has the best story mode. And Soul Calibur 4 has the best character creation opportunities and design.

    All Soul Calibur V revolves around is GRAPHICS. Nothing more!! Effort put into the background is a 0. They downgraded almost all of the characters. Be smart and keep SC4 if you have it, don't buy five. It's story line revolves around one character. The graphics are cool, but they got lazy. Makes me sad. If this is as good as it gets, then they really should stop right here.    … Expand
  11. nemean
    Feb 7, 2012
    1
    Story: ~1hr to beat. Note: this involves a few fighters. The rest -omitted, you get to fight on a few stages. The few people that do show up have 1 line of dialogue. Almost the entire cast of SC5 is not in the 'story mode'. Wow! Big effort Namco. ~3 cut scenes in story mode. The rest is pencil drawings. Yeah, I prefer pencil drawings on my 60" 1080P HDTV. Thanks Namco for 1996 &Story: ~1hr to beat. Note: this involves a few fighters. The rest -omitted, you get to fight on a few stages. The few people that do show up have 1 line of dialogue. Almost the entire cast of SC5 is not in the 'story mode'. Wow! Big effort Namco. ~3 cut scenes in story mode. The rest is pencil drawings. Yeah, I prefer pencil drawings on my 60" 1080P HDTV. Thanks Namco for 1996 & chargingfull price for a 'new' game. It's as if Namco scanned the storyboard pencil drawings that should have become CG video or even in-game-engine sequences & decided "Nah, we're 2 cheap. Let's use pencil drawings instead." I almost forgot, you're going to hear a LOT of "I love you brother/sister/mother" in story mode. You get to hear those words & READ them 2. Why? cuz you can unlock the text. cuz that is SO much more fun than unlocking katas (e.g.SC2), different gameplay modes (e.g. SC3) & ending movies (e.g. SC4).

    Arcade: Remember picking a fav fighter, pick their 1P/2P/3P costume, select their diverse weapon set? Play through arcade/story & unlock their 'ending movie'? That was fun & rewarding. Namco removed that part of the game. Yes, no story mode for the remaining people in the game. All fighter endings are gone. No option to view the cutscenes, all 3 of them. That's right, they removed all the endings. Want to know what happened to Astaroth? Raphael? Amy? Taki? or Cervantes? Good luck, cuz all that is missing from this game. What did they replace it with? You get a sad arcade mode (fight 6 times) Yippie! cuz that is *so* much better than full CGI endings (sarcasm). Oh, I forgot they added a 2nd arcade mode. What is different about it? You get to fight 6 times (sound familar?) and... The difficulty is higher. rip-off. Even SF2/MK1 had ending movies We've got HDTVs, 3D games, lossless high-def master audio surround sound & what does Namco give us? pencil drawings & text descriptions of "Loves his sister, can't wait to live with her". WTF?

    Chronicles of the Sword/Tower of Souls: GONE. Replaced with... ??? Nothing. It is just gone. You have arcade (fight 6 times), training (worthless), & VS mode (which doesn't work properly). Oh wait, you can fight online.... except you could already do that in SC4.

    Reduced: Taki, Sophitia, Kilik, etc are gone. But you get 3 ppl that are mimics (copy other styles),add 2 more that have ~identical styles [Sophitia's son & daughter], that seems 2 be an extra 2 fighters, it's more clones, that makes 5 mimic fighters.

    Museum Mode/Gallery mode/photo mode/Kata mode: GONE. Replaced with: Nothing.
    1-player: All standard modes like time attack, team battle, tower of souls, survival, ARCADE, gallery, etc. ARE ALL GONE. Nothing to do in 1-player. This stands out since previous SC games had a strong single player (i.e. SC2). Using your fav. fighter & level them up by playing a variety of matches? How cool it was to have reached level 10 with everyone? This led to further rewards in-game... GONE.
    2-Player: Good luck trying to get this working. It took over 10min+ to get a VS match. Oh, & both players were sitting IN THE SAME ROOM. Remember how you could handicap your fighter compared to your opponent? i.e. in SC4 you could have 1/2 health & your little brother could have X2 health. Help even out matches where someone is less skilled, it was useful & a staple in SC? GONE.
    Training: Games typically give you info on new features & explain how 2 use them? it's good 2 have this info? Namco doesn't provide it. Yet they tout it as 1 of the main features. Contrast that with SC4 which provided it. Namco couldn't be bothered to copy some text into the game to help out players. Oh wait! They do have text... yes they provide lots of text about love....(More later). Training mode is reduced compared to SC3/4. Gone.
    Unlockables: Oh how we used to collect artwork, concept art, music, weapons, movies, opening CGI sequences (complete with inserting your CaC into those sequences), BGM, kata (demonstration) mode & all sorts of other fun stuff? Well That is all gone too. But you CAN unlock things like these wonderful TEXT descriptions. E.g. I just unlocked "Loves his sister." Wow, that is great Namco. A... piece of text? What can I do with it? I can have it appear when I play online. Wow.... that is supposed to be better than having Taki or Sophitia in the game? RIP OFF!!!
    Options: No 3D support (Arkham City/Assassin's creed). Remember changing time limits/round? You could select 'infinite' time/round, have a fight 2 the finish? GONE. Namco decided to force a max limit [60 sec]. Thanks for giving me LESS options than before.    … Expand
  12. Flimsyman25
    Feb 2, 2012
    5
    Extremely disappointing compared to previous entries in the series. The bare basics of combat are basically the same as in previous games, but the mechanics of deeper strategy and tactics of previous games are lacking.

    The Soul Gauge and Critical Finishes of SC IV were very well-done, and gone in this new entry, but the best example is probably the Guard Impact system. In previous    Extremely disappointing compared to previous entries in the series. The bare basics of combat are basically the same as in previous games, but the mechanics of deeper strategy and tactics of previous games are lacking.

    The Soul Gauge and Critical Finishes of SC IV were very well-done, and gone in this new entry, but the best example is probably the Guard Impact system. In previous games, the Guard Impact let a player punish a predictable opponent, forcing a player to constantly vary their timing and even program their opponent to leave an opening. In SC V, Guard Impacts require half of the meter, thus can only even be attempted a few times a round. The meter mechanics overall feel a lot like Soul Calibur is trying to emulate Street Fighter or King of Fighters. I and my gaming group always appreciated Soul Calibur developing deeper, more strategic mechanics than that.

    If nothing else, the lack of story in the game frustrates me. With 17 years having passed since the previous game, the status of most character's stories is up in the air, yet there's literally zero story content on most of the characters in the game. An absolutely bizarre exclusion (to say nothing of the overall extreme lack of single-player content).    … Expand
  13. MCfresh
    Feb 5, 2012
    8
    While long term fans of the series may be disappointed with the lack of single player features, no RPG style elements, or the loss of tower mode, those competitively minded will find that this game is incredibly enjoyable. The main focus here is multiplayer. The netcode is superb, and easily one of the best of any fighting games currently on the market. Lobbies are executed wondefully andWhile long term fans of the series may be disappointed with the lack of single player features, no RPG style elements, or the loss of tower mode, those competitively minded will find that this game is incredibly enjoyable. The main focus here is multiplayer. The netcode is superb, and easily one of the best of any fighting games currently on the market. Lobbies are executed wondefully and global colosseo tournaments and ranked matches allow the user to get their competitive fix.

    One thing soul calibur has always suffered from is the lack of recognizable characters, but Create a Soul mode more than makes up for this. If you don't like any of the characters that are provided but love their fighting style, use create a soul to make you own fighting badass with the moveset of your choice.

    Overall this is a great game with a lot of fun to be in multiplayer online and offline (if your into the whole tournament thing.) I can see why the EVO tournament decided to include the game this year and its a great fit. Pass on this if your looking for singleplayer, but if your a fan of fighting games for multiplayer reasons, this is a title that should not be passed on.

    My non-biased review is an 8 for the lack of single player options and a terrible storymode. My biased review is a 9 for the tons of multiplayer fun this game can afford.    … Expand
  14. Bowimbiri
    Feb 10, 2012
    4
    Well, the very same day I purchased this game was the day I finished the storyline and unlocked every character. The story focuses so much on the siblings that no other character is worked out mostly - We don't get to know what happened to Taki, or if Viola mystery resolves, etc... it fell flat, boring and poorly worked out. Online gaming has been enhanced from IV, but still lacks thatWell, the very same day I purchased this game was the day I finished the storyline and unlocked every character. The story focuses so much on the siblings that no other character is worked out mostly - We don't get to know what happened to Taki, or if Viola mystery resolves, etc... it fell flat, boring and poorly worked out. Online gaming has been enhanced from IV, but still lacks that thing that will motivate you to play it. Single Playing sucks as bad as the arcade game AMY, it is not challenging and does not have anything new or entertaining... Character creation is kind of nice and creative, but still I will prefer that from IV due to the ability business introduced in it. This game seemed to be rushed in more than worked out, there is not much new about it and having 3 mimic characters is a very lazy thing to do. I'm completely disappointed of this and after three days was so bored of it that gave it in trade-in for something more worthy of my time before price dropped. Nothing like Soul Calibur II so far… Expand
  15. ludd_gang
    Feb 1, 2012
    7
    Gameplay feels more fluid. Costumes no longer alter combat, which allows you more freedom in character creation. Single player mode acknowledges that the tower challenges and storyline were always just arcade mode anyway: Pretty much arcade is the single player experience. The storyline mode now is restricted to a few characters and adds marginal art to the blank text of SCIV. At last, aGameplay feels more fluid. Costumes no longer alter combat, which allows you more freedom in character creation. Single player mode acknowledges that the tower challenges and storyline were always just arcade mode anyway: Pretty much arcade is the single player experience. The storyline mode now is restricted to a few characters and adds marginal art to the blank text of SCIV. At last, a ABK button translator chart accompanies the move list. There is less T&A in this version.… Expand
  16. nayerr
    Feb 3, 2012
    9
    Why anyone is moaning about story mode is beyond me. Be glad they even added one. This game is meant to be played as a 1 on 1 fighting game and thats it. Screw the story mode. I love this game. Even though I'm not very good at it.
  17. Belmontix
    Jan 31, 2012
    9
    i just picked it up today, and i thought the game was just as fun and engaging as always! the critical edge can be kind of abusive, but it works just fine with the game. its a bit sad that some characters were cut, but the new guys like ZWEI and Ezio (the guest character) are fun to utilize. The character creation is waaaaaay better than last game, with way more you can do for youri just picked it up today, and i thought the game was just as fun and engaging as always! the critical edge can be kind of abusive, but it works just fine with the game. its a bit sad that some characters were cut, but the new guys like ZWEI and Ezio (the guest character) are fun to utilize. The character creation is waaaaaay better than last game, with way more you can do for your character. The story mode is disappointing, but at least u could get it done and over with to get characters. Its a very effective build-up from the previous game… Expand
  18. Bloodlustrous
    May 11, 2013
    8
    Soul Calibur took a chance by changing up the story mode, a move that did not work in its favor. Having a personalized experience for each character in the game is part of what gave the Soul series so much replay value. In the latest installment, that feature is lost.

    Another daring move Namco made was replacing fan-favorite characters for some fresh faces. Soul Calibur V takes place 17    Soul Calibur took a chance by changing up the story mode, a move that did not work in its favor. Having a personalized experience for each character in the game is part of what gave the Soul series so much replay value. In the latest installment, that feature is lost.

    Another daring move Namco made was replacing fan-favorite characters for some fresh faces. Soul Calibur V takes place 17 years after Broken Destiny, so I believe trading in some of the characters was necessary to match the timeline. Many of the new characters bear similar fighting styles to those absent, so it is not a huge loss. However, Amy's graceful fencing and my favorite Talim's dual-wield elbow blades did not return. Truly disappointing.

    Despite the two major flaws, I still believe Soul Calibur V is a game worth being played. Both English and Japanese voice acting is flawless, the graphics are clean and crisp, the combat is excellent as always, the character customization is limitless and the character designs are original and sexy.

    If you have XBL then you will thoroughly enjoy this game. Online matches with other players against their customized characters is entertaining and with great combat it's simply unbeatable.
    If you're not an XBL user, then you might just want to stick with Soul Calibur 4. It has more replay value and you get a cooler guest character.    … Expand
  19. Eliut
    Feb 2, 2012
    10
    The best 3D fighting game is return and Better than ever, more characters, more options, best mode for playing online... what else could you want? Are you a fan from the series? don think about it and buy it!
  20. RonaldOVOXO
    Feb 5, 2012
    5
    This Series is a classic. And i hope this is the last one because it's becoming more repetitive by every game. I like this game but it gets boring since i played every soul caliber
  21. MikeDubC
    Feb 3, 2012
    9
    This is a great game. People are complaining about the single player, but I think that is absurd as this ia really a multiplayer game. the netcode is very solid too. All around great game.
  22. Jimbro84
    Sep 6, 2012
    0
    soulcalibur V is the most utterly retarded game ever. i can't believe I paid 30$ for a used version of this mess. the combos are almost impossible to do and memorize (because Y=B and X=A and you have to figure this out). also, the storyline sucks and instead of having videos between fights all you have is reading material.

    finally, there is limited possibilities for character creation    soulcalibur V is the most utterly retarded game ever. i can't believe I paid 30$ for a used version of this mess. the combos are almost impossible to do and memorize (because Y=B and X=A and you have to figure this out). also, the storyline sucks and instead of having videos between fights all you have is reading material.

    finally, there is limited possibilities for character creation (half of equipments and haircuts are jokes) I HATE THIS GAME. stay away from it and unless you haven't had puberty buy Mortal Kombat 9 instead.    … Expand
  23. TheFishMan
    Feb 7, 2012
    7
    Its Soul Calibur It has Swords and big men with hammers what more do you need ?
    Best in the Series so far , has the button mashing for the noobs and has some nice new touches that make it a professional fighting game if you wanna get indepth. Hater are Gonna Hate nothing you can do about that.
  24. Gygaa
    Feb 5, 2012
    8
    In terms of story and customisation, the game has left a lot to be desired, but last time I checked SoulCalibur a fighting game, and the actual gameplay mechanics are at there best here. Combat is more fluid, there are less move-sets therefore a greater emphasis on mastering them. Each character is well designed and incorporated into the game, even Ezio feels like a long-standing member ofIn terms of story and customisation, the game has left a lot to be desired, but last time I checked SoulCalibur a fighting game, and the actual gameplay mechanics are at there best here. Combat is more fluid, there are less move-sets therefore a greater emphasis on mastering them. Each character is well designed and incorporated into the game, even Ezio feels like a long-standing member of the franchise. Ignore those claiming that the single-player experience is below-par. SoulCalibur V's Quick Battle mode is a masterstroke, imitating the feel of online play for those who don't have an online account, or simply for those who can't wait to find a match in multiplayer. The characters in this mode are a combination of custom-created ones using the character creation feature and a few of the games proper characters at a tougher difficulty level. The game operates on a E5 - A1 difficulty ladder with the latter being the hardest. This is emulated in the ranked online play with the player starting at the bottom and working their way up through a points system. There is also the option of a player match king of the hill/winner stays on style match in which you can spectate on your opponents. Single player Arcade mode now has more routes ranging from Europe & Asia, to Leaderboard routes. Once you've mastered Arcade mode on normal and then hard, you can move onto Legendary Souls mode (if you've completed Story mode first to unlock it) which is another version of the Arcade mode but on the games highest difficulty setting, with a set list of boss-style opponents ranging from Nightmare to Algol (SCIV) and another few from previous games that I'll leave to your imagination.

    Pros: -Quick Battle Mode
    -Best Online play of the series
    -Fluid Gameplay
    -No more Soul crushes etc.
    -Better character roster
    -Main character focus no longer on Seigfried
    -Online rivalries with friends

    Cons:
    -Mediocre Story Mode
    -Scaled down character customisation
    -Raphael is an A.I breaker
    -Dampierre is a pre-order bonus only
    -May feel ~soul-less~ to some

    I would recommend this game, one of the better fighting franchises for the console.    … Expand
  25. Kolaboxing
    Feb 6, 2012
    8
    Fighting games seem to be in an odd position at the moment. After a prolonged dry spell during the previous generation of consoles, the genre saw a large boom in popularity with the release of Street Fighter 4 and Mortal Kombat. Along the way, one of the industryâ
  26. EddyHan
    Mar 13, 2012
    4
    I admit, I'm a Soul Series fan and had high expectation for this game, but who can blame me! Soul Calibur was one of my most treasured games back on the DC and SC2 on GC was just perfect. So is SC5 is soo different? Well, YES and it isn't good at all! First, the balance is all wrong. Why is it that powerful attacks are easily punished by speedy attacks? You 'll find instantly that speedyI admit, I'm a Soul Series fan and had high expectation for this game, but who can blame me! Soul Calibur was one of my most treasured games back on the DC and SC2 on GC was just perfect. So is SC5 is soo different? Well, YES and it isn't good at all! First, the balance is all wrong. Why is it that powerful attacks are easily punished by speedy attacks? You 'll find instantly that speedy character like, Leixia, Natsu, Pyrrah Omega and Nightmare are highly advantageous! Secondly, the story mode is utter crap! Even though fighting games are mainly multiplayer, it is traditional to have an arcade mode which explains why every character is fighting. Thirdly, there aren't enough modes like time trial and survival. There are some good things about SC5. Things like Character Creation and the multiplayer UI are very well done. The online gameplay is seemingly lagless and error free. The graphics are good, but it still has the plastic finish from SC4 on it which doesn't impress me much. All-in-all I would of given this game a 6, BUT....there is something missing from this game, it's SOUL. Because of the changes in mechanics which includes the removal of Guard Impact and Parry, this game is NOT a Soul Calibur game! The feeling is more like a Street Fighter game than Soul Calibur and that's what is wrong. If you haven't bought this game yet wait for it to go down in price. If you 're a Soul Series fan, I'd avoid this one.… Expand
  27. Yerczeys
    Jul 5, 2014
    3
    This series has gone downhill hard and fast. I'm not a multi-player guy, but I really loved the first three games. At this point, the characters they're adding have grown lame and over the top. Remember Talim? She's gone, along with her fun tonfa style. Now they have some douchebag with a dumb sword and a werewolf ghost. Worst part though is the story mode, and I used to love storyThis series has gone downhill hard and fast. I'm not a multi-player guy, but I really loved the first three games. At this point, the characters they're adding have grown lame and over the top. Remember Talim? She's gone, along with her fun tonfa style. Now they have some douchebag with a dumb sword and a werewolf ghost. Worst part though is the story mode, and I used to love story mode. My issue is that rather than make a story for each character (so you can play your favorite!) it just follows the Sophitia replacement on his blisteringly dull adventure. That's it, one story, that's all you get.… Expand
  28. Venatis
    Jun 7, 2012
    6
    Soulcalibur V is one hell of a fighting game, but its not without its flaws. From whiny and annoying characters to the over powered character Nightmare (who is also ridiculously fast too!) And they have rid us all of some of the best characters in the SC series! There is no longer a Talim to play as, Taki or a summing summing -mina! (Cant spell her name! The woman who was like Kilik withSoulcalibur V is one hell of a fighting game, but its not without its flaws. From whiny and annoying characters to the over powered character Nightmare (who is also ridiculously fast too!) And they have rid us all of some of the best characters in the SC series! There is no longer a Talim to play as, Taki or a summing summing -mina! (Cant spell her name! The woman who was like Kilik with the bladed pole thingy!) The CPU's spam their moves quite a bit also. But apart from removing a couple of the best characters they have introduced new ones! Ezio the assassin from Assassin's Creed is a special character available to play in SCV. Ezio is a good character, not the best introduced in V but a good one! (I mean who doesn't like Ezio? He kills with tiny blades and shoots a cross-bow! I think they just stole the job i do for a living!) Then their another bunch of people with names i cant spell, but im going to give it a go! Potrokolus, the main character, theirs actually two versions of him. But he is an awful character just like his sister (who is also a character and has two character version/types) They both whine and cry about their poor little lives. So have fun with them! Theirs Devil Jin the man from Tekken. But they have actually introduced two decent characters! One man by the name of Z.W.E.I (Odd name I know, don't get me started!) His character design is pretty cool (Apart from the giant moon tattoo on his chest) and his fighting style is very interesting. He fight with a wolf that he summons from time to time. His moves a pretty weak but if you know how to play as him you can use him to a rather good extent. He is a combo powerhouse! And the other character is a woman by the name of Viola. Another interestingly designed character, she used a glowing orb to fight, but her moves too are very weak. But once again if you can play as her she is pretty damn good! Now the character customization in this game is amazing! I myself have spent a few hours creating characters. One i was perticually proud of was my Morrigan creation (Dragon Age Origins) in the style of Viola! You can pretty much create anything and any one! If you wanted too you could create a horse man/woman. Not that you want to but you know, its nice to be given the option. Show they care in kind of a weird way. Although the game is quite dreadful in a way, it also has a way of just pulling you back in to play it again. It's like it has absorbed your soul and you just have to play it one more hour. So if you like SoulCalibur then i would say buy it. Its not the best one but it is very fun to play! Plus you can play as your favorite characters! Oh, wait, they probably took them out...… Expand
  29. rapscallion1980
    Feb 10, 2012
    7
    I'm gonna make this short, as a longtime fan of the series I am a little let down. The verses fighting is very polished, and a few of new fighters are very nice additions to the game. However the single player was so short, and not challenging that I find myself quickly getting bored with this game, this was not the case with any other SC game.
  30. DrEggman
    Sep 13, 2014
    9
    SC5 is without a doubt the best fighter out there, the most fun to play, the most technically brilliant. Along with the returning veteran fighters you can make your own custom characters, this mode gives you slightly more options than in SC4, however there is room for improvement still so I must award only a 9/10
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Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
51
#51 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 56
  3. Negative: 1 out of 56
  1. GameCritics
    Mar 29, 2012
    60
    Unfortunately for those returning after an absence (like me) or who are brand new to the series, Soul Calibur V does little to bring a player up to speed with the new characters and mechanics beyond throwing them into the fight and letting them wade through as best they can. Factor in the scarcity of offline single-player content, and this means that multiplayer is the only thing granting Soul Calibur V any longevity; players looking for long-term offline play will be better served with Soul Calibur IV.
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  2. GamesBeat
    Mar 12, 2012
    80
    Critics praised this series for its unique campaigns like Weapon Master that feature a variety of challenges and weapons with different properties, but SC5's offerings feel limited and rushed.
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  3. Armchair Empire
    Mar 7, 2012
    80
    While there's nothing revolutionary in the gameplay of SoulCalibur V from its predecessors, fans of the franchise will enjoy once again the blade battling that looks just as good as it plays.
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