SoulCalibur meets Star Wars

[Glockstar]

Press release:

THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH SOULCALIBUR IV
Namco Bandai Games and LucasArts Announce Landmark Partnership

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, (January 9, 2008) – Swords and Lightsabers will be drawn as Namco Bandai Games America Inc. and LucasArts today announced that iconic Star Wars characters will appear in Soulcalibur IV for the Playstation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. As part of this monumental collaboration, the Sith Lord Darth Vader will appear as a guest character in the Playstation 3 system version of the title, and Jedi Master Yoda will be available for the Xbox 360. Delivering a robust offering of new gameplay modes and enhanced features, Soulcalibur IV will raise the bar of excellence for all next-generation fighting games when it is released in Summer 2008.

“It is quite rare that two publishers of this caliber are able to collaborate on this level to create a top notch entertainment experience for next-generation platforms.” said Makoto Iwai, executive vice president and COO at Namco Bandai Games America Inc. “In the entertainment industry, LucasArts possesses some of the most recognizable characters and franchises in the world. We’re thrilled to integrate their historic characters into one of our most treasured brands”

“We’re very excited to work with Namco Bandai and be a part of their efforts to take Soulcalibur to the next level,” said Kevin Kurtz, director of marketing at LucasArts. “Adding our iconic Star Wars characters to Namco Bandai’s great game franchise is a match made in heaven, and we think Darth Vader and Yoda will be formidable opponents in the game.”

In Soulcalibur IV, the epic struggle between the spirit sword, Soul Calibur, and the cursed sword, Soul Edge, continues with revelations about this ongoing story as fighters from across the galaxy seek the powerful swords for their own goals and to face the ultimate judgment. Propelling the franchise into the next-generation, Soulcalibur IV flexes its graphical muscles to shows its visual brilliance with a new look for both allies and enemies.

Shown in true high-definition graphics, Soulcalibur IV offers an entirely new battle system that promises to revolutionize the fighting game genre. Featuring an expanded customization mode, Soulcalibur IV allows players to personalize a character to look and perform as they desire. Also, for the first time in the franchise, customized characters or original favorites can be taken online to challenge others for the top spot of this timeless series. Developed by Project Soul, the legendary team behind Soul Blade® and Soulcalibur I-III, Soulcalibur IV is set to reinvent the brand and reintroduce the fighting genre to new and existing fans alike.

http://www.namcobandaigames.com/news/press/press/270


Link to the Official SoulCalibur website (http://www.soulcalibur.com/)... See the new trailer!

Gotta admit... pretty sweet.


I almost put this in the News & Rumors Forum, but realized this was truly a System Wars worthy article... because of the differences between the two versions. And I have to say, chalk one up for the PS3: Darth Vader. I like Yoda, but come on. Darth Vader!

http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox360/games/news/images/155888-1-1.jpg

[silversparrow]

Namco did the same last gen with SC2, making one character exclusive to each platform. I wonder why they do this? Are they hoping some SC fanatics who have a PS3 and 360 buy each port?

[Zilla Man]

Press release:

THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH SOULCALIBUR IV
Namco Bandai Games and LucasArts Announce Landmark Partnership

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, (January 9, 2008) – Swords and Lightsabers will be drawn as Namco Bandai Games America Inc. and LucasArts today announced that iconic Star Wars characters will appear in Soulcalibur IV for the Playstation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. As part of this monumental collaboration, the Sith Lord Darth Vader will appear as a guest character in the Playstation 3 system version of the title, and Jedi Master Yoda will be available for the Xbox 360. Delivering a robust offering of new gameplay modes and enhanced features, Soulcalibur IV will raise the bar of excellence for all next-generation fighting games when it is released in Summer 2008.

“It is quite rare that two publishers of this caliber are able to collaborate on this level to create a top notch entertainment experience for next-generation platforms.” said Makoto Iwai, executive vice president and COO at Namco Bandai Games America Inc. “In the entertainment industry, LucasArts possesses some of the most recognizable characters and franchises in the world. We’re thrilled to integrate their historic characters into one of our most treasured brands”

“We’re very excited to work with Namco Bandai and be a part of their efforts to take Soulcalibur to the next level,” said Kevin Kurtz, director of marketing at LucasArts. “Adding our iconic Star Wars characters to Namco Bandai’s great game franchise is a match made in heaven, and we think Darth Vader and Yoda will be formidable opponents in the game.”

In Soulcalibur IV, the epic struggle between the spirit sword, Soul Calibur, and the cursed sword, Soul Edge, continues with revelations about this ongoing story as fighters from across the galaxy seek the powerful swords for their own goals and to face the ultimate judgment. Propelling the franchise into the next-generation, Soulcalibur IV flexes its graphical muscles to shows its visual brilliance with a new look for both allies and enemies.

Shown in true high-definition graphics, Soulcalibur IV offers an entirely new battle system that promises to revolutionize the fighting game genre. Featuring an expanded customization mode, Soulcalibur IV allows players to personalize a character to look and perform as they desire. Also, for the first time in the franchise, customized characters or original favorites can be taken online to challenge others for the top spot of this timeless series. Developed by Project Soul, the legendary team behind Soul Blade® and Soulcalibur I-III, Soulcalibur IV is set to reinvent the brand and reintroduce the fighting genre to new and existing fans alike.

http://www.namcobandaigames.com/news/press/press/270


Link to the Official SoulCalibur website (http://www.soulcalibur.com/)... See the new trailer!

Gotta admit... pretty sweet.


I almost put this in the News & Rumors Forum, but realized this was truly a System Wars worthy article... because of the differences between the two versions. And I have to say, chalk one up for the PS3: Darth Vader. I like Yoda, but come on. Darth Vader!

http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox360/games/news/images/155888-1-1.jpg

Informative post, Glock. I was hoping it'd be a new SW fighting game. STAR WARS: MASTERS OF TERAS KASAI (or whatever it's called) done right. :p


But I'm gonna have to flip the bird to LucasArts. NOT having Darth Vader in all versions of the game is just plain stupid. :mad:

[Mochan]

I don't think it's Lucas Arts, fault, it's Namco's.

[DrunkenThumbmaster]

UHMM I'd think playing as yoda would be more fun. Especially super quick Episode 2 Yoda. But how can you give up playing with Vader??? I'd like to see the other character be available as DLC on each platform. Vader on on marketplace and yoda on the playstation store.

I won't buy both.

[Cuddly Knife]

But millions of Star Wars fans will, Thumbness. Personally, I would've like to have seen console-exclusive characters make a return. Maybe Hyabusa for the 360 and Kratos for the PS3?

Star Wars just ain't my groove, man.

[slade]

Man, this game is being whored out more then Nintendo's SSBB.

[Glockstar]

Namco did the same last gen with SC2, making one character exclusive to each platform. I wonder why they do this? Are they hoping some SC fanatics who have a PS3 and 360 buy each port?

And what was that like I wonder?

I skipped the game (all versions of the game) because a) I'm not much into fighting games in the first how, and b) none of the special characters meant jack to me.

But I know a lot of people here did buy them. Some even bought more than one version, if I remember correctly. So I ask them: How did you like the special characters? Were they a favorite? Did you use them frequently? Or did they not fit in? Were they gimmicky?


-


Informative post, Glock. I was hoping it'd be a new SW fighting game. STAR WARS: MASTERS OF TERAS KASAI (or whatever it's called) done right.

But I'm gonna have to flip the bird to LucasArts. NOT having Darth Vader in all versions of the game is just plain stupid.

And here we have our first shocking post of the year. Zilla Man replies on the subject... and makes no mention of 'my little green friend'?! I thought you'd be all over that angle. :eek: :wink5:


-


UHMM I'd think playing as yoda would be more fun. Especially super quick Episode 2 Yoda. ...

Exactamundo!

At first I was down about the apparent favoritism that Sony was getting. And while I would still prefer to have Darth Vader (if I can have only one), I was thinking today that having Yoda might be cool after all. Because I was thinking exactly what you were thinking! What if they make him lightning fast, jumpy Yoda[i]?! I don't know what the "A" button is used for SC games (never played a SC game before, ever) but for Yoda they should make it the jump button. And you know how in a lot of games there's the jump, then a double-jump when you press the jump button twice? Well for SoulCalibur Yoda, when you press the jump button once he does a [i]quadruple jump, and when you double-press it he jumps 7 times - and does a triple-Lindy at the end! That would be cool.

[ilnadmy]

Link was actually a great character to play as on the GameCube version. I wouldn't call him gimmicky, he definitely was a well fleshed-out character.

I just hope they keep Xianghua in this one. Best character ever.

[Mochan]

But millions of Star Wars fans will, Thumbness. Personally, I would've like to have seen console-exclusive characters make a return. Maybe Hyabusa for the 360 and Kratos for the PS3?

Star Wars just ain't my groove, man.

I don't like Star Wars either so this isn't anything special for me. I was happier to get Heihachi.

[Mochan]

I don't see why Xianghua would be removed she's been there for a while now.

Although I hate Star Wars so this doesn't really do much for me but I will probably have fun using Vader anyway. Yodo with a jump button would be utterly stupid though, not because of the awesome factor attached to it, but because of how it won't work in gameplay logistics. Soul Calibur does not play like Super Smash Brothers. Instead he will probably have attacks and combos that naturally have him jumping in the animation.

[folken001]

Man, this game is being whored out more then Nintendo's SSBB.
completely agree.

I thought SC2 already showed them it was a bad idea. i guess they just never learned.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I'd rather see neither of these characters in Soul Calibur 4. Much like the console exclusive characters in SC2, these Jedi just don't fit in the SC universe.

I was already considering the PS3 version, though. I guess I could just avoid using Vader and use my favorite characters.

[Gamer From '78]

But millions of Star Wars fans will, Thumbness. Personally, I would've like to have seen console-exclusive characters make a return. Maybe Hyabusa for the 360 and Kratos for the PS3?

Star Wars just ain't my groove, man.

You know, I love Star Wars and all, but this is just stupid. Let's look at Soul Calibur 2.

The PS2 version had Heihachi. Ok...this isn't out of the realm of possibility. Heihachi steps through a portal and is transported to the SC time period. Since he is also a Namco fighter character and Yoshimitsu appeared in both series, I had no problem with this and in fact, the PS2 version was my favorite.

The Xbox version had Spawn. Having read Spawn for several years, their have been "Spawns" for millenia. Not a big problem and he had a cool axe.

The Gamecube version had Link. You could say roughly the same time period, but Link while fun to play-just seemed a bit out of place because he is a "good" Nintendo character in the SC universe while Spawn and Heihachi in comparison are both a better fit because they are "edgier." But still, it's all good.

Now we have Star Wars characters? Why? They in no way fit into the Soul Calibur universe. They are from "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." and all that. Further, dividing two characters from the same universe into two different games is retarded. If they are going to whore the franchise out so badly, at least let gamers have these two rivals fight each other.

To me, this is nothing more than a quick money grab and a test-bed for a future Namco Star Wars fighter. Which in itself would be good. A Star Wars fighter based on the Namco fighting system with fancy next-gen graphics? This could be what Teras-Kasi or whatever it was called SHOULD have been.

But for Soul Calibur, this is dumb as hell. And hell is pretty dumb since billions of people are afraid of it and it doesn't even exist. :rolleyes:

[Dancer O_o]

They should have used the SC engine to create a ground up Star Wars fighter, General Grevious, Vader, Obi Wan, Anakin, Palpatine, Dooku, Windu, Qui Gon, scarred up dwarf big eared jedi, Yoda, and about 15 more I can think of off the top of my head that would do well. There is no shortage of knife and sword fighters in the SW universe. Using Force powers as fatality moves and healing for Jedi, use personal shields and toss thermal dets. for non Force users. Hell, you could even put Jango in there with gauntlet blades a wielding and flame throwing. Namco's sellout limits them to the SC universes fighting style (which is wholly different than SW fighting mainly). To me the SC series hasn't improved that much from the Dreamcast days. Besides, no metal sword can block a lightsaber, so it looks out of place and is a shameful sellout of the SC series overall.

[Mochan]

We saw those "super metal" swords in KOTOR blocking light sabers just fine. I still find that utterly stupid I mean what's the point of having a light saber if ancient low-tech synth metal can block it.

[Dancer O_o]

We saw those "super metal" swords in KOTOR blocking light sabers just fine. I still find that utterly stupid I mean what's the point of having a light saber if ancient low-tech synth metal can block it.

and even that felt totally screwy, and they were weak Katana looking things

[slade]

At first I was down about the apparent favoritism that Sony was getting. And while I would still prefer to have Darth Vader (if I can have only one), I was thinking today that having Yoda might be cool after all. Because I was thinking exactly what you were thinking! What if they make him lightning fast, jumpy Yoda[i]?! I don't know what the "A" button is used for SC games (never played a SC game before, ever) but for Yoda they should make it the jump button. And you know how in a lot of games there's the jump, then a double-jump when you press the jump button twice? Well for SoulCalibur Yoda, when you press the jump button once he does a [i]quadruple jump, and when you double-press it he jumps 7 times - and does a triple-Lindy at the end! That would be cool.

That would completely ruin the balance in the 360 game, especially if they take it online. If you want every match online to be Yoda vs. Yoda, then I suppose it's not a bad idea.

Anyway, Mochan's right. The only thing they are going to do with Yoda is give him special attack moves that replicate the jumping animation from the movies.

[Glockstar]

To me, this is nothing more than a quick money grab and a test-bed for a future Namco Star Wars fighter. Which in itself would be good. A Star Wars fighter based on the Namco fighting system with fancy next-gen graphics?

They should have used the SC engine to create a ground up Star Wars fighter, General Grevious, Vader, Obi Wan, Anakin, Palpatine, Dooku, Windu, Qui Gon, scarred up dwarf big eared jedi, Yoda, and about 15 more I can think of off the top of my head that would do well. There is no shortage of knife and sword fighters in the SW universe. Using Force powers as fatality moves and healing for Jedi, use personal shields and toss thermal dets. for non Force users. Hell, you could even put Jango in there with gauntlet blades a wielding and flame throwing.

Ooooh! I like the way you two think!


-

Besides, no metal sword can block a lightsaber...

Doh, you're right!

Maybe you guys are right, maybe this is kind of stupid.


-


We saw those "super metal" swords in KOTOR blocking light sabers just fine. I still find that utterly stupid I mean what's the point of having a light saber if ancient low-tech synth metal can block it.

and even that felt totally screwy, and they were weak Katana looking things

That's true; there were those "vibroblades" from the KOTORs.

But I know the SoulCalibur swords, etc., the SC regulars are wielding are not vibroblades. Thus it's stupid (to have Star Wars characters in the SC universe - particularly lightsaber wielding ones).


One thing about the feasibility and practicality of the vibroblades from the KOTOR games: They were useful weapons, and with them you could actually stand up to and fight a Jedi/Sith. But with a lightsaber you can do so much more than hack, slash, and fence. For example: You can chop down large metal thingies, burn your way thru blast doors, absorb force powers, and of course the biggie: deflect laser bullets. Kudos to the man who has a vibroblade and knows how to use it... but it's no lightsaber.


-


Now you guys got me thinking: a SoulCaliber-esqe swordfighting game based on the Star Wars universe, and featuring Jedi and Sith would probably be ghey too. Because you ain't gonna get any multi-hit combos, or juggle anybody, with a lightsaber - not if the game were based on any kind of Star Wars-true reality. With a lightsaber, it's one hit and done. You get hit by one of those and you're pretty much sliced in two. You're at least losing a body part.

Actually, now that I think about it, the whole damn SoulCalibur universe is ghey.(!) What are they using Nerf swords? Aren't they sharp?! How can you repeatedly whack at somebody and they not die - or at least get cut up?! Stupid.


-


But enough about these fantasy worlds; let's get back to ours. And in ours, I think a lot of people are going to go ga ga over the inclusion of Star Wars characters in SC IV. Especially Darth Vader. (Maybe not you guys. But I always knew you guys were weird.)

SoulCalibur II made a killing. Each of the three versions placed in the NPD Top 5 in it's initial month of sales. And all three remained in the Top 10 for the next month too. And even after that, they continued to sell (extremely) well.

But what did SC III do? (It didn't have any special character, and) It barely made the PS2-specific Top 10 in either of it's first two months.(!) (Placing 10th exactly both months.)

Conclusion: the special characters are a real draw for gamers. (Even if not for SC purists - who will get the game regardless and probably just ignore that Darth Vader/Yoda are even in it.) You watch, sales of SC IV are going to be HUGE - again.

And oh btw, Darth Vader is way more of a special character than Yoda. So putting our System Warrior caps back on... this is a coup for the PS3. And just the sort of thing the system needs to get it's momentum going. A few more moves like this and #1 may not be out of the question after all.

[Glockstar]

Yodo with a jump button would be utterly stupid though, not because of the awesome factor attached to it, but because of how it won't work in gameplay logistics. Soul Calibur does not play like Super Smash Brothers. Instead he will probably have attacks and combos that naturally have him jumping in the animation.

That would completely ruin the balance in the 360 game, especially if they take it online. If you want every match online to be Yoda vs. Yoda, then I suppose it's not a bad idea.

Anyway, Mochan's right. The only thing they are going to do with Yoda is give him special attack moves that replicate the jumping animation from the movies.

Oh, okay.

I hope you guys are right tho': I hope Project Soul does him right and gives us the uber-quick, jumpy Yoda that we expect.

[NEO-360]

I'd rather see neither of these characters in Soul Calibur 4. Much like the console exclusive characters in SC2, these Jedi just don't fit in the SC universe.

I was already considering the PS3 version, though. I guess I could just avoid using Vader and use my favorite characters.

Star Wars characters in a Soul Calibur game? Truly makes no sense. Besides, who in the blue hell wants to play with Yoda? I rather play with Darth Maul instead. I mean with his skill and a double edge lightsaber he would've kicked some major ass! But Darth & Yoda? They can keep them both. Its crap like this that makes me think twice about buying SC IV. What was done on SC II was one thing. But this? Totally doesnt wash well for me. :(

[Mochan]

Kudos to the man who has a vibroblade and knows how to use it... but it's no lightsaber.

Strictly speaking I don't see why a jedi with force attunement can't use a vibroblade to deflect stuff et al. If it can withstand a lightsaber, it can surely withstand beam rifle fire. The way they described the tech was the vibrating phasing metal or something to that effect, sounds ilke it could cut through anything. I mean if it can withstand a lightsaber and be its equal surely it can cut through the same stuff.

Because you ain't gonna get any multi-hit combos, or juggle anybody, with a lightsaber - not if the game were based on any kind of Star Wars-true reality. With a lightsaber, it's one hit and done. You get hit by one of those and you're pretty much sliced in two. You're at least losing a body part.

Star Wars fighting game should follow in the steps of Bushido Blade.



SoulCalibur II made a killing. Each of the three versions placed in the NPD Top 5 in it's initial month of sales. And all three remained in the Top 10 for the next month too. And even after that, they continued to sell (extremely) well.

But what did SC III do? (It didn't have any special character, and) It barely made the PS2-specific Top 10 in either of it's first two months.(!) (Placing 10th exactly both months.)

Conclusion: the special characters are a real draw for gamers.

I agree that they are a big draw. But I think you may be jumping the cause and effect logic a bit here.

I will say this: I don't think it was the special characters that made the difference for SC2 and SC3. It was more the memory of the previous game. What do I mean? SC1 was a GREAT game. Graphics were unheard of at the time, great music, great action/motion capture, tons of characters, tons of extras (I loved the sound test modes and getting your characters to speak with their mouths moving), it was a genre-defining game. With those kinds of expectations, of course everyone's going to be hyped up about SC2.

Enter SC2 with graphics that overshadowed by DOA3, basically not a reinvention of the game but just a less-inspired "add more characters tweak a few movesets etc. etc." The impact of SC2 was not as good as SC1's, even counting the special characters (whose impact again is dampened by spreading them across 3 platforms).

So now enter SC3, but the enthusiasm of fans is dampened a bit because SC2 wasn't anywhere near as mindblowing as SC1. While SC2 and was a great game, it didn't have anywhere near the kind of impact SC1 had. I would say this might have tempered the expectations for SC3. This is just my theory though I do not really know what caused the sales discrepancy.

[Glockstar]

I will say this: I don't think it was the special characters that made the difference for SC2 and SC3. It was more the memory of the previous game. What do I mean? SC1 was a GREAT game. Graphics were unheard of at the time, great music, great action/motion capture, tons of characters, tons of extras (I loved the sound test modes and getting your characters to speak with their mouths moving), it was a genre-defining game. With those kinds of expectations, of course everyone's going to be hyped up about SC2.

Enter SC2 with graphics that overshadowed by DOA3, basically not a reinvention of the game but just a less-inspired "add more characters tweak a few movesets etc. etc." The impact of SC2 was not as good as SC1's, even counting the special characters (whose impact again is dampened by spreading them across 3 platforms).

So now enter SC3, but the enthusiasm of fans is dampened a bit because SC2 wasn't anywhere near as mindblowing as SC1. While SC2 and was a great game, it didn't have anywhere near the kind of impact SC1 had. I would say this might have tempered the expectations for SC3. This is just my theory though I do not really know what caused the sales discrepancy.

SoulCalibur was a GREAT game. (Well that's what the consensus is; I never played it... so who am I to argue?) But, it was a niche title on a system with an incredibly small installed base. Meaning that while it was indeed great, there weren't that many people that knew that firsthand. SC I sold 1 million copies... worldwide.

SoulCalibur II sold over 500,000 in the US in it's first month alone. And it was the GameCube version - the one with Link - that sold the most of the three. The Xbox version with Spawn came in second.

The game released in August (of 2003) and by the end of the year - in just barely three months time - it had outsold it's predecessor's lifetime numbers by a good margin. And again, we're just talking sales for one region here for SC II; the SC I numbers are worldwide! End of the year (2003) US numbers: Namco says it sold 500,000 copies of SC II for the GC; 447,000 units for PS2; and 320,000 units for Xbox.

SC II sales numbers blow SC I's away. But of course the most compelling stat there is the sales success of the GC version.

Surely you can see my logic now? I didn't jump nuthin'.

[Dancer O_o]

Now you guys got me thinking: a SoulCaliber-esqe swordfighting game based on the Star Wars universe, and featuring Jedi and Sith would probably be ghey too. Because you ain't gonna get any multi-hit combos, or juggle anybody, with a lightsaber - not if the game were based on any kind of Star Wars-true reality. With a lightsaber, it's one hit and done. You get hit by one of those and you're pretty much sliced in two. You're at least losing a body part.

You remember a PSX game (actually 2 games) Bushido Blade? One well placed hit and you are dead. A hit to the right arm and it becomes pretty much useless and a hit to the leg made that leg drag...I adored both 1 and 2 and still have them 10 years later. The game even had a first person point of view if that was your thing.

[ilnadmy]

I remember that game Dancer. It was fun, but I was never any good at it. Guess it takes a special kind of person to slog it through a game like that.

[Cuddly Knife]

It was an awesome game, but the 2nd part on the PS2 was step back. Still fun though. The newest one for the 360 was dung.