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faceoff508
05-08-2002, 04:53 PM
This game is looking sweet. For those SC fans out there, I decided to give you the scoop on IGN Insiders hands on SC2 review:


Hands On: Soul Calibur 2
We try out the latest build of Namco's arcade super fighter.

May 06, 2002 -

The year of the fighter is well under way, with Tekken and VF4 already out on home systems (in Japan at least) and Soul Calibur 2 being finished for a not-so-distant arcade release. While we'll have to wait for final home versions of all three games to judge for sure, a recent play test of Soul Calibur 2's so-called Version 0.79 reveals that Namco may have the best of the bunch on its hands with this huge sequel.
It's certainly the best looking of the three fighters even in its incomplete stage. While the game's previous build, shown at the February AOU arcade show, looked a bit flimsy, that's no longer the case. In comparison to the previous build, Namco has most notably improved backgrounds to a level even beyond the arcade VF4. Most of the stages allow you to see far into the distance, with what looks like full 3D details for mountains, valleys and so-forth. Even the interior stages do things that just aren't necessary, like allowing you to see through windows into other rooms.

Detail up-close has been upgraded to the 10th degree. There's no such thing as a flat polygonal surface in this game; everything, from the railings to the fighting mat has volume, and is irregular in shape, as if it's been lived in. One of the stages takes place a ruins, with collapsed columns showcasing tiny details (this stage has high-res Egyptian-style artwork along its walls -- we appreciate the show of texturing mastery, but something's out of place). Another stage which has been the setting for some of the most striking screenshots features a giant rotating sun-dial immediately behind the characters. Well, maybe it's not a sun-dial, but it's really big and it's turning, and you will be impressed.





We were a bit off in our impressions last time when we said that the character models were only slightly improved over their Dreamcast counterpart; no, they're actually much improved, and come packed with new animation patterns for all movements and weapons attacks. VF4 still seems to win when it comes to overall character detail, but Soul Calibur 2 is the most well animated fighter we've ever seen; the weapons are given a life all their own in this game. Add in the unmatched lighting and shadow effects (including glorious self-shadowing characters!) and PS2 image quality that only Namco can do, and you've got probably the most beautiful arcade fighter ever made.

We had no complaints about the previous build's gameplay, and that continues with the new version. We were able to try out the charge move which, by pressing the three attack buttons at once allows your character to super charge himself with an orgy of ultra-slick lighting effects. The results were some amazing, brutal finishing moves, which seem to return from the original Soul Edge.

Even the regular, non-charged attacks are pretty brutal. While the previous Soul Calibur on Dreamcast made you cringe at times, this game is likely to take an adult rating. It's just nasty at times. Characters subject one another to painful attacks in previously unheard-of detail. Astoroth really looks like he's breaking his opponent's back, and Ivy -- oh boy, Ivy -- that chain weapon of hers is finally done justice. There's no blood, of course, but the game redefines violence in a fighting game.





The new build promises the following charactes: Ivy, Mitsurugi, Astoroth, Maxi, Casandra, Kilik, Xianghua, Nightmare, Taki, Voldo and Talim. Of the characters, we were unable to access Talim; perhaps she`s stored in one of the two remaining question-mark slots? We did get to try out Raphael, who fights fencing style with a single, thin blade, and fits in well with the rest of the crew as a slightly different fighting game experience. The new build also marks the return of Voldo and Xianghua, both of whom look as they did in Soul Calibur, but with the added benefits (or minuses, in the case of Voldo) of extra detail. And, of course, everyone from the old to the new benefits from the refined 8-way-run system, which feels so smooth and intuitive that horizontal movement in future fighting games will likely be judged by it.

We've come to appreciate the stages much more with the new build. The arenas, while flat in the vertical sense, are uneven in the other two dimensions. Some stages are narrow and long, some are square, some curved. Some stages feature walls on a few sides while others are completely open on all sides. Namco has added a few moves for dealing with walls. You can tap directions on the joy pad in order to quickly get around your opponent, or if on the offensive can brutalize your victim. As for the non-walled areas, ring outs are tough to achieve, as characters seem to resist falling out of the ring no matter what you. On top of this, the ease of the free-run system makes actually getting an opponent into a ring-out position tricky. We did manage to see a few ring-outs, although it wasn't common.

On the whole, as with the original Soul Calibur, the game feel perfect from the moment you start, yet somehow manages to grow on you with each game. The result should easily be one of the best -- if not the best -- arcade/home fighter later this year. Expect more soon, hopefully from Namco's booth at E3.

One note about the version on test. The cabinet features slots for PlayStation memory cards. We're not sure how or if this will feature in the final version of the game.

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http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/sc2_0411_1.jpg
http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/sc2_0411_3.jpg
http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/sc2_0411_4.jpg
http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/sc2_0411_6.jpg
http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/sc2_0411_5.jpg

l Maximus l
05-08-2002, 04:57 PM
Looking forward to it! :)

Xtopia
05-08-2002, 04:59 PM
Very cool, thanks faceoff!:D

LynxFX
05-08-2002, 05:12 PM
Looks great but I have a problem with this line:

and PS2 image quality that only Namco can do, and you've got probably the most beautiful arcade fighter ever made.


What the hell are they talking about? PS2 image quality? :eek: :confused: :mad:

GokuX
05-08-2002, 08:37 PM
Originally posted by Lynxfx
Looks great but I have a problem with this line:


What the hell are they talking about? PS2 image quality? :eek: :confused: :mad:

Yeah, if you really want people to anticipate the graphics, I think you want leave the words PS2 image quality out of the discussion.

Xaminor
05-08-2002, 09:28 PM
These are all PS2 screens, do you have any Xbox screens? Thanks.

Aceisno1
05-08-2002, 11:20 PM
sweeeeet.....can't wait

mil
05-08-2002, 11:55 PM
Originally posted by Lynxfx
Looks great but I have a problem with this line:


What the hell are they talking about? PS2 image quality? :eek: :confused: :mad:

I think they're trying to say only Namco can get that kind of image quality out of the usually poor image quality having PS2. They're going on and on about the graphics, when graphically DOA3 leaves this game in the dust, funny how it wasn't even mentioned.

I'm really excited about this game for the gameplay, I loved the original, but this isn't the kind of visual statement the original made on the DC, or the progressive scan enabled DOA3 makes on the Xbox. Plus these screens are from the Sys246 Arcade board, which is a slightly more powerful version of the PS2 and runs games in a higher resolution. Also, Tekken 4 will be the 1st PS2 game to run in progressive scan and the 1st Tekken to be arcade perfect in every way including resolution, so on a HDTV that game will be twice as sharp and much cleaner than any other PS2 game, including SC2(unless it features it as well). Hopefully the Xbox version will feature pro scan and 5:1 DD audio.

DVDGNZ
05-09-2002, 12:17 AM
Originally posted by mil


I think they're trying to say only Namco can get that kind of image quality out of the usually poor image quality having PS2. They're going on and on about the graphics, when graphically DOA3 leaves this game in the dust, funny how it wasn't even mentioned.



Well they did specify that it will be the best graphics of any 3D fighter in the ARCADE automatically disqualifying DOA3(it was never in arcades). Pretty sneaky:rolleyes:

Unreal
05-09-2002, 07:24 AM
Originally posted by mil


I think they're trying to say only Namco can get that kind of image quality out of the usually poor image quality having PS2. They're going on and on about the graphics, when graphically DOA3 leaves this game in the dust, funny how it wasn't even mentioned.

I'm really excited about this game for the gameplay, I loved the original, but this isn't the kind of visual statement the original made on the DC, or the progressive scan enabled DOA3 makes on the Xbox. Plus these screens are from the Sys246 Arcade board, which is a slightly more powerful version of the PS2 and runs games in a higher resolution. Also, Tekken 4 will be the 1st PS2 game to run in progressive scan and the 1st Tekken to be arcade perfect in every way including resolution, so on a HDTV that game will be twice as sharp and much cleaner than any other PS2 game, including SC2(unless it features it as well). Hopefully the Xbox version will feature pro scan and 5:1 DD audio.
I agree with your whole post. I guess we will have to see what Namco does for the Xbox version. On a side note, where is my Sueng Mina :mad:

Liquid Gears
05-09-2002, 09:23 AM
I love fighting games. Soul Calibur 2 I think will be the Halo of Fighting games. Well, runner up to Street Fighter Alpha 3. Still, I'm gonna try to get this game on release day. The pics and movies of SC2 I've seen on sites look amazing. Yeah, I'm getting this game for sure.

Oh and, like I'm gonna read that whole thing.