SoulCalibur III PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Namco
  • Release Date: Oct 25, 2005
User Score
8.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 58 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 58
  3. Negative: 5 out of 58

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  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. JacobH.
    Jan 2, 2006
    10
    Purely amazing! The edit mode is huge and the Chronicles of the Sword mode is absolutly perfect!
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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!
  10. 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.
  11. JamesHeretic
    Oct 29, 2005
    9
    This game is almost perfect but no arcade mode why NAMCO why!
  12. 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.
  13. 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
  14. vahn
    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.… Collapse
  15. Zilcell
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    It isn't perfect, but the many game modes and mechanics make it definitely recommendable. You can even customize your own characters! A great fighter that requires patience and strategy.
  16. PlamenD.
    Oct 20, 2005
    10
    Perfect fighting game.
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. gorelequint
    May 2, 2013
    10
    Overall, the game is just amazing to play. Before it's release, SCII was my favorite game, so it had alot to live up to in my eyes.

    Gameplay/Movesets:
    I guess I was a little annoyed my favorite character Ivy had lost some of her best moves, but most of them have been improved. The Alexandra sisters are still a little similar but on the whole, the rest of them are very varied and fun to     use. Not too difficult to master either if you put your mind to it. Still, not as difficult as Tekken, and more asthetically pleasing. The different weapons each character has really allows for greater diversity than in most games. The fact even the custom characters you create have their own movesets as well makes it even more fun and long lasting.

    Length:
    Well, compared to most fighting games, this is packed. I guess its the Chronicles of the Sword that does it. It's basically got so much stuff in it, it's got the life of some RPG's, possibly longer. I play it every spare moment and I've had it for a month, still not unlocked everything. It's the kind of game its hard to stop playing, and one you will probably be playing for years. The varying story paths for each of the characters also keeps you going and going. Serious value for money!

    Graphics/Music:
    The graphics are so amazingly detailed and stunning. Playing other games straight after it will really let you apprieciate SCIII's quality. The stages you fight in are all very detailed, with smashing floors and walls, mice, fire and falling pictures. Really is beautiful, the characters look pretty danm good too. Much of the music is very well suited to each area and character, it just adds to the overall feel.

    Characters/Stories:
    Personally, I adore the stories and personalities of all the characters in this game. Some seem a little pointless, like Cassandra who is basically a helpless sister of one of the other characters. However, she is still very enjoyable to use. The alternative story endings you can get for your characters adds a dimension other games don't have. A great deal of choice and another level of information and interest for the player. The characters do vary quite a bit, ages and nationalities, even species (well there are monsters too...) All makes for an entertaining game!

    Modes:
    The soul arena, with the varying tasks is fun, but there really isn't enough. It was far more fun before. HOWEVER Chronicles of the sword kind of takes over from weapon master mode from SCII. This is the mode where you create your own characters and direct them through another seperate story from the main game. It's strategy crossed with fighting, I really enjoyed this mode more than I expected. It's really more about the battles than the strategy, which made it much less daunting. Creating the characters too is almost entertaining enough to buy the game. I know that seems a bit ott but they are SO customisable you can be tweaking your characters for ages! Then Tales of Souls. The basic story modes. With the interactive cut scenes and varying endings. It's probably my favorite game because of this alone, it really is diverse and fun to play again and again.

    These are just the main features. The amount of unlockable things and purchasable things is huge. It's really entertaining for a genre thats usually considered quite 2d, this is in the next dimension entirely.

    Really worth the money and outdoing all the competition a million to one. Truely a brilliant game.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 57 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 57
  3. Negative: 0 out of 57
  1. Eurogamer
    80
    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.
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  2. games(TM)
    80
    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. Boomtown
    70
    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.
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