• Publisher: Namco
  • Release Date: Oct 25, 2005
User Score
8.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 48 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 48
  3. Negative: 3 out of 48

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  1. BryanM.
    Nov 21, 2006
    4
    If you own soul Calibur II then don't even bother. This game is just a rip off of both 1 and II. But if you do not then wait until it goes down in price.
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  2. PlamenD.
    Oct 20, 2005
    10
    Perfect fighting game.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. AnthonyV.
    Nov 2, 2005
    9
    The only reason this game didn't get a 10 is because Chronicles of the Sword has "afterthought" written all over it. Creating your own character is a neat addition but essentially you're creating a disguise for one of the 42 other characters in the game. As for the positives, the game looks fantastic (minor slowdown here and there but it doesn't hurt the game), there's 42 freakin' characters, the pace is faster, there are about 30 different backgrounds, similar characters such as Lizardman and Cassandra are now more unique, and they got rid of Necrid. This is what the PS2 version of SoulCalibur II should have been. The mere fact that the playable roster is practically doubled is more than enough reason to warrant the purchase of this game. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. JimmiA.
    Dec 28, 2005
    8
    It´s a very good games, but i´m disapointed over the little changes you have from the original to DreamCast back in -99. The control is perfect, the graphic is very good, but not so new and innovative and it´s to far easy. I havent played SC since SC II for 2 yars ago, I finished the game off the first time i Played it ! If you hav SCII, test the game before you buy it, if you dont own either of them i have put my money on SC III. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. MichaelR.
    Oct 24, 2005
    10
    Yayy, its gonna be great. From the demo alone, I've had more fun than a lot of other games I paid in full for, and from what i've seen of the rest of the game, it looks nothing short of spectacular.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  6. Julian
    Oct 29, 2005
    10
    Soul Calibur 3 is what Soul Calibur 2 should have been. SC3 is a complete version. Sure, there are some few things that went wrong (like the AI gone poweful) but if you are a true SC fan, you could beat them without any proplems. With many modes to play with and all the characters in the previous titles returned, how can you not like this game? This game is for everyone, especially for single player. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  7. JacobH.
    Jan 2, 2006
    10
    Purely amazing! The edit mode is huge and the Chronicles of the Sword mode is absolutly perfect!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  8. Sam
    Jan 24, 2006
    9
    I was dissappointed that it didn't have team battle, and the memory glitches in the game sucked alot, but other than that this game is great! Chronicles of Swords was awesome, although it would be even more awesome if you could have a free battle against a friend. Tales of Souls was a little monotonous though, what with every character going by either Zasalamel in the Clock tower, or Tira in the castle, and the Nightmare/Seigfried fight. Battles are awesome though. Great graphics, control, sound and all that. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  9. ChrisE.
    Jan 3, 2006
    10
    The new Chronicles of swords mode is long but interesting. The heart of this game is the character design mode. As long as you have some patience and collect the armour dilligently, you can pretty much make anyone. I made zoro, raiden, and the guy from Kung Fu Hustle. It's fun. Overall, I'm glad I bought this game.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  10. CJ
    Feb 25, 2006
    9
    A good game in all, with several new intriguing modes. As always, it is a game of a high standard, and although it may not be as strong as Soul Calibur II was, the ideas integrated into it make the future look bright. The removal of team battle, though, especially for vs. battle play, was rather disappointing. Hopefully, it will return to the line-up of game modes for Soul Calibur IV.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  11. JL
    Nov 5, 2005
    9
    Wow, SC3 is a BIG improvement in the series. I a welcome to see the return of the earlier characters in the series. an the addition of a custoomized character is nice too. But what I really like are the stronger story lines for each character. And..oh yeah the BIG improvement with the grahics look great on my new 61inch plasma and the phat THX sound explodes on my 800watt home theatre system. ahhh, what more can you ask for =). Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  12. SteveO.
    Oct 27, 2005
    9
    Awesome Game. There is tons and tons of content in this game. I played it for hours last night and barely scratched the surface. Basically if you liked any of the previous Soul Calibur (Soul Edge) games, then you will love the latest installment. Go get it now or you will die of envy.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  13. Jonny
    Aug 29, 2006
    9
    Great game with new modes such as Chronicles of the Sword and the create-a-characther. It's kind of a shame that there's no Team Battle.When Soul Calibur 4, comes out I hope there will be online play and more improvements on Chronicles of the Sword.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  14. PatW.
    Feb 20, 2007
    8
    I enjoyed this game a lot, I play this all the time even after I got all the characters. A minor wish is that Nightmare and Sigfried were different handed. Holla
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  15. JohnnyR.
    Jul 26, 2007
    10
    Nothing has prepaired me for the best fighting game ever! not even the first of the series that was awesome!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  16. EricS.
    Nov 13, 2005
    9
    Aside from my Chronicles of the Sword file deciding to be corrupted, SC3 is the fighting game I've been waiting for since the first Mortal Kombat. Great single player action AND perfect "wail on your friends" game. Create-a-Fighter is sweet. All 10 slots are created. And oh-so-many unlockables.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  17. ApocalypseBrown
    Nov 22, 2005
    8
    Its a shame that a game so great is let down by some truly awful single player modes. The fight has improved vastly but you just can't play it on your own for too long or you'll go mad! Flawed genius, shame on namco so a lazy update. They 'pushed out a title before PS3 comes' just for more money out of our pockets. Bollocks!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  18. JamesHeretic
    Oct 29, 2005
    9
    This game is almost perfect but no arcade mode why NAMCO why!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  19. AlexC.
    Feb 14, 2006
    10
    It is agreat game new modes and new characters also create your own character is great also very fun. I am looking foward to Soul calibur 4.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  20. Alex
    Nov 26, 2005
    9
    the best fighting franchise just got better. SC3 is downright incredible in its own manner, with many new improvements to boot. The single player modes are a little lackluster (especially Tales of Souls. too many of the same fights), and some of the fighters' combos were removed (one being from Nightmare), but that doesn't really take away from the overall experience. i'm not sure why everyone is bashing Chronicles of the Sword mode, i think its downright fun. the improved graphics and loading times are good, and the sheer number of selectable fighters is a nice touch too, although many of the selectable extra characters are simply pre-built characters that you could make yourself in Character Creation mode. the Creation mode is also a welcome addition, as it allows you to create a fighter who you can call your own. overall, SC3 stands as the greatest fighting game of all time. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  21. Apr 23, 2011
    8
    It's far less breathtaking than its two predecessors, but Soulcalibur III is still a worthy fighting game. Pros: Beautiful graphics; excellent controls; variety of characters, weapons, and stages; loads of unlockable content. Cons: Limited character creation and single player modes; some of the stages are a tad bit small; Chronicles of the Sword; still no online play!
  22. May 15, 2012
    10
    The best of the series so far: has great single player contents, massive longevity even without versus mode, and it adds at last the character creator, one of the best I've ever seen in a fighting game. It's hard in here to find flaws though and, in general, the main flaw is probably the absense of online feature, and to "compensate that loss" they made a lot of content for the single player instead. And we can only thank for that. Other flaws maybe are, actually, the chronicles of the sword campaign: it's not a bad addition but it feels like a rushed strategy mode, and so it can be a bit disappointing. The plot in the campaign also isn't anything special but it's decent and, again, it's more content for the single player and a good practice for you (some bosses takes a lot of time, as they are harsh to beat). There is also a GREAT arcade mode, where you also have paths to choose! Yes the ending often is the same, but the ways to go are many and it can always be different if you really want to. The creator also is vast and offers many combinations, and on top of that you can use both the official styles of the main characters AND original styles made for them specifically. They aren't as strong as the standard ones, but it gives variety and everything can be unlocked by buying them with (In-game) gold and playing the campaign mode (a good time where dlc weren't dominating us....). That's it, nothing else to say: this game alone is gonna last a lot of time and, unless you prefer or only like Tekken (like my pals back then), there's almost no reason to skip this game. Except if you don't like fighting games with weapons. Expand
  23. Jun 12, 2011
    8
    Even though it's the same game we've played in 2003, that's not technically a bad thing. Pros: Beautiful graphics; basic controls; variety of characters and combos; lots of unlockables and replay value. Cons: Single-player and multiplayer modes are limited; smaller arenas that result in cheap "ring outs"; Chronicles of the Sword; main menus are difficult to adjust to at first; no online play.
  24. Jun 22, 2011
    8
    It's technically the same game it was in 1999 and 2003, but that's not a bad thing. Pros: Beautiful graphics; excellent control; lots of characters and combos; lots of playable modes and unlockable content. Cons: Bugs; no online play; Chronicles of the Sword; menu screens take time to adjust to; lots of "cheap ring-outs"; Character Creation is limited.
  25. Nov 23, 2011
    8
    An incredible fighting game, with incredible features and incredible craft. But, some things are a MESS, like glitches including lost save files. Other than that, this a recommendation for a fighting game fan and a must have for a SoulCalibur fan!
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 57 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 57
  2. Negative: 0 out of 57
  1. The beefed-up single-player content is worth the asking price on its own, it's still a fantastic multiplayer game (that's maybe not as perfectly balanced as it once was), and yes, it's shame there's no online play, but that's no excuse to pass up on a hugely enjoyable, addictive, rewarding title that'll last months.
  2. For many, the new modes won't be enough to call for another purchase; as a standalone package however, Soul Calibur III offers more than could ever be asked of a fighting game. [Christmas 2005, p.96]
  3. A very pretty game, gorgeous in fact, with plenty to do and see. But ultimately it just doesn't quite seem new enough. It's an example in safe game development and taking the easy path, but while it lasts, it's a fun path.