Friday
Jun032011
Soul Calibur 5: Gameplay Trailer
BY 
Aris ON Friday, June 3, 2011 at 9:10AM
Aris ON Friday, June 3, 2011 at 9:10AM 
They have somehow managed to get me interested in a game I swore I wouldn't give the benefit of the doubt to. Supers, new GI system, I sure hope they get this one right. I'll know more soon so keep your eyes on the site.
Just around the corner.
Reader Comments (33)
It's the same shit everywhere.
"Make the game SC2!"
*Forgetting the game turned to liquid turtly assholes when it was finally figured out. Does anyone remember how RTD and Mick got BOOED at evo 2k4 because the game made Tekken 4 look flashy by comparison; so they just fucked around in the grand finals? I do.
*Forgetting that the movelists, cancels and Soul Charge features were useless at high level play. Remember how step-g killed 95% of the moves in the game, even supposedly unsteppable ones designed to kill step? Remember how most of the cancels in the game that weren't glitches weren't worth a rat's asshole because nobody was ever standing still to freeze up in the face of a mixup because it was so good to step-g?
"You know what would be great? If It was more like Tekken!".
*Forgetting that the game isn't Tekken.
*Being unable to comprehend that the idea of having to study how to move around correctly using esoteric techniques might not appeal to 100% of the audience. There are games that are like that and games that aren't. The "One True Way" of fighting games is clearly the one you hold, because you shit gold nuggets and design games. Wait....
Nobody will argue that SC3 wasn't trash, but most of the people who disliked 4 confuse shitty community decisions with a bad game. Just because you phrase your commentary in a seemingly rational manner doesn't make it any less ignorant of how the game is actually played or designed over the past 2 games. For the record, I'm not calling you stupid, merely ignorant. Just making sure that slips in there.
SC has always had a light barrier of entry in terms of execution. It's not an execution based game. Asking for it to be goes against the very reason it was so successful in the first place. The lack of execution made the game less focused on elements traditionally considered reactionary, and more on mind games. I'm shocked nobody has complained about the throw system here because you can't break throws 100% with some lab work and you have to make on the spot decisions about them. Boo-Hoo.
This is why I'm glad the people who have Daishi's (and by extension project soul's) ear are no longer disgruntled Tekken players, or SC2 vet's who refuse to believe their game wasn't a flawless diamond.
Flame on.
-Idle
so what you're saying is they should make ivy's tits bigger?
I think it is still early to assume SC5 is bad. Supers?! So there will be meter management for SC5. I guess there will be another option besides a ring out for comebacks lol. Did I see some homing moves like in Tekken6BR? I think the Art direction looks good materials look as they should armor looking shiny and weapons. Hair and clothing look very well done visual and animations. I just want to say how is SC2 not anime like? Look at the concept art of SC2 the art is anime or at least stylized with a heavy influence of anime. I'd like to think that Cervantes, Astaroth, Voldo, Nightmare and the other lesser anime looking characters will give us that balance of hard hitting look in SC5. As far as the engine? I need to see a high level match first to say anything about gameplay. I don't think we are getting SC2 second impact but I hope whatever is new in SC5 adds up to a serious competitive game. In my opinion fighting games today have the one thing in common and that is the comeback mechanic. I have a feeling that Namco will have a comeback mechanic and hopefully that helps with balance. All that said was too much and my opinions and assumptions lol.....still to early for me to give a thumbs up or down.
u must be psychic b/c yes I'm so awesome my shit is actually composed of gold nuggets and I have studied game design (but admittedly, my previous comments were not made on the basis of game design principles)
I'm not saying they should make it SC2 or SC2+. I'm saying they should take the good potential they had set up in SC2 and expand on it. For example, yes 2G was really strong and made the game a turtle-fest, and they simplified that by making you vulnerable to horizontal tracking moves on side step. Now they did the same thing in Tekken with homing moves, BUT Tekken has movement like KBD or electric slide that limits those situations from happening too often, which adds an extra layer of depth to that 50/50 guessing game.
So basically,
SC movement: sidestep pure 50/50 guessing game from homing moves => since weapons and stepping have such long range, majority of the time you will be engaged in this type of guessing game
Tekken movement: sidestep pure 50/50 guessing game from homing moves + advanced movement like KBD or electric slide shit => since limbs are short + stepping has less range than SC, you can utilize movement to more often avoid those pure 50/50s
They shouldn't copy Tekken no shit, but please add more depth to the engine instead of just adding new features or dumbing down old features such that movement, creativity is restricted.
In SC, when you engage in close combat, you feel locked into simple 50/50 games without technical depth to deepen the mindgame. In SC it feels like you sidestep and opponent does horizontal, you gonna EAT that horizontal majority of the time. OK, in Tekken same thing, but without weapons, limbs are shorter and spacing and movement becomes more important and can potentially save you from those pure 50/50 mindgame situations so the movement becomes an added dimension to the overall mindgame.
SC engine is logical but lacks depth. Tekken is logical, but has depth. That's what I'm saying SC engine should aspire to to really become intriguing. They don't have to make movement hella difficult like Tekken, but they can take that technical spirit of Tekken to really make SC have more depth.
And the creativity in SC4 just seems a lot more restricted than SC2. Sure 2G killed a lot of things, but those SC cancels + 2G glitch had potential to be a unique and added layer of technical depth to the mindgame if they fixed some of it. Maybe restrict 2G to a few situations or types of moves instead of an all powerful panacea.
i'm just not feeling the art direction, because I felt the chars in SC2 looked more realistic (bear with me here) instead of the anime-generated art it feels like the current direction is going. I wish they had given the art direction a more edgy look instead of the anime, perfect-looking chars.
I like the parry-esque GI. That's a biiiig change. Possible GI bait strings?
Movement looks slick too.
Can't wait to see more really.
I just want to say that it's way too early to make assessments on what SC5 is going to be like. The game is only at 10%. Give it some more time to see how it turns out, what it will look like, what mechanics are added to the game, etc. I see some people on the internet killing the game already and saying that it's going to play like SC4 just from watching a 1 minute clip of a game that has a long way to go from being finished. How did TTT2 look when we first saw it?
I'm just glad that we got that first look to begin with, and the majority of people like what they see so far. So I can't wait to see what E3 has in store.
true, I gave the benefit of the doubt to TTT2 even after seeing the slow bound
but the difference is that TTT2 is based on a solid, proven game in the community
SC5 is based on what looks like SC4, which is not held in high regard in the fg community
and given two iterations of disappointments, I have a hard time giving the benefit of the doubt to SC5. not saying i'm not giving any, but definitely not much until the game is out and the community has stamped its approval.
not saying I'm gonna tag along with whatever the community feels, but I imagine if enough people in the world enjoy it, there should be something about it worth picking up
Most of the fg community don't know shit when it comes to Soul Calibur. But whatever, wait for the game to come out and try it for yourself.
@w3rdb3rd4 -
In my opinion I don't see how a realistic art direction or semi real direction would make this game look better. I can see how SoulCalibur could look with a realistic style to it, but that seems boring to me. The world of SC is a fantasy genre that includes characters that are capable of unrealistic feats. They should look exaggerated so that when Cervantes launches me up 40 feet in the air teleports up and smacks me down it makes sense. These game is made in Japan not saying all art from Japan is anime at all. Is Namco thinking more about sales in America or Japan, and yes it is possible to think they make more money from the States. I'd like to think whatever country your from you'd like to first sell well at home, and other countries are a plus. So what are kids into in Japan that would help sell SC? I'd say Anime. I've studied game design also but I still think it's early for SC5 to throw it out. On the other side of that coin you studied in America possibly? So I totally understand if you have any bias towards Anime in general. You make good points but there are obvious reasons why Anime influencing is a base for SC5. I'm just trying to add more possible insight to SC5 art direction discussion not trying to knock your opinion.
tis true, but since I know enough about SC I'll know if the community brings up any good points about the game that will in turn cause me to re-evaluate any subconscious biases I might have. in other words, I'll give the game a chance depending on any good points raised by the community and my own experience with the SC series.
let me clarify what I mean by realistic. I was thinking of an edgy, grittier art direction. Nightmare's design in SC2 was hella cool and slick. But in SC3 and SC4, his design has transitioned into something too fantasy-like for my tastes. By all means keep the fantasy in it, but make it look grittier a la Sin City like or something. I think that will give the series an adult-boost that will make the game more enticing.
At the current rate, look at the char face models. They are all perfect-looking and in turn, makes every char look plasticky. For example, in Tekken, you got some ugly ass characters like Jack6, the bears, and Wang (humor me here for a sec lol). I wish SC would give their chars visible flaws that can make them more relatable. It's certainly do-able, but it's all based on the director's vision and what this guy has done for the past two iterations leaves me highly doubtful my thoughts will even be considered.
Another reason why I would like the art direction to make this turn is because of the cheesy fantasy storyline. Tekken has a pretty shitty storyline, but i'ts rooted in more modern, realistic settings that makes it more relatable. I like fantasy storylines, but if it is too over the top where everybody looks like a Greek goddess, it makes the entire experience pretty boring. Everyone is filled with pure anger or revenge or justice. There is no mix of in-between when it comes to personality. Admittedly, I don't know shit about the storyline beyond the few basics (conscious decision), but taking one look at the char design can tell u whether this guy/girl has an interesting history.
So w3rdb3rd5 we saw three good sided characters vs evil characters what would you change? Designing evil characters is easier than designing good. It seems you want everyone to look like a badass.
tis true?! A la Sin City?! lol I think your trolling with these comments you can't be serious. Are you Aris trolling your own message board? SC5 in black and white with occasional colors on certain things to add focal points and interest....sounds lame lol.
Tekken is a great balanced technical game but I don't want SC5 to be Tekken. SC5 should stand on it's own with different mechanics and be just as great or better.
Storyline? Give me one good compelling story from a fighting game. There is none and nor should you expect one.
yes, clearly I want a black & white SC
clearly, I said SC5 should be Tekken
I was referring to what kind of storyline u can deduce from looking at a char design...perhaps this is too abstract for you so I'll just keep it simple and say I wish the char design looked more intriguing
yawn, next
I would mention something that's very important for FG new title presentation that has disappointed us for its two recent titles.
the game graphic...
the graphic looks exactly like SC4 which was SUCK, it doesn't need to compare it with other fg, it's just suck by itself, why?
simply, because all the characters look like each other, no personality, it looks like they all have been made by the (characters creation) of the game.. which kills the personality of the main characters.
for now I wouldn't talk about the game engin because it's early to talk about that now, but still I like wt im seeing so far.
I don't want another SC2, I want a new game that is really competitive between all these strong fighting game now