Soulcalibur IV

1UP

Where SC4 really shines, however, is in its character-creation mode. The more you use your custom characters, the more options you unlock -- with a wealth of weapons and armor pieces offering boosts to strength, impact, speed, and more, while certain stat modifiers improve your chances to escape throws or reverse counters.

ZTGameDomain

Soulcalibur IV is the definition of how to make a sequel to a beloved franchise. Everything is dialed up and the amount of content will keep gamers occupied for months to come. The fighting engine is deep enough for hardcores to take pleasure in while easy enough for casuals to simply pick up and enjoy.

MEGamers

Graphically the game is simply jaw dropping. Even with all the graphical masterpieces we have seen recently, Soul Calibur IV stands out on its own.

Play UK

An amazingly deep and beautiful fi ghting experience, marred by a couple of unnecessary characters, but essential nonetheless. If the online modes simulate the feeling of a traditional one-onone battle, we’ll be in combat heaven.

Gamer 2.0

It has an excellent game system that's been honed considerably for this release. It offers plenty of game modes, online play for those that want it, and it also looks and sounds great. Whatever system you get it for, you won’t be disappointed.

Gaming Age

Well Soulcalibur IV has done both, it has wowed me and evolved all in one fell swoop. In four words…Buy Soulcalibur IV today!

Jolt Online Gaming UK

It's not just a classic game, it's an essential purchase – no matter which version you decide to get it for.

Playstation Official Magazine UK

It builds into a complex battle of patience and wills. [Sept 2008, p.90]

PTGamers

SoulCalibur IV brings out all the best in the series, and at the same time polishes it with some pertinent additions that make it truly shine.

Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)

A well-produced, polished 3D fighter that no PS3 owner should be without, and is definitely one of the system's must-have party games. [Oct 2008, p.78]

Gamer's Hell

In the end, whether it's your first time touching a Soul game or not, it's hard to not appreciate what's been done here: beautiful, crisp and bouncy graphics mix well with a fighter heavy on a classic formula of strategy, timing and execution, with it all backed by inviting-yet-deep character customization and creation.

AceGamez

The fighting is fluid and well-paced, the characters are all interesting and the game wields an eccentric style that sets it apart from all other 3D fighters.

GamerNode

No matter how you slice it, Soulcalibur IV is a great game--even for those who don't consider themselves hardcore fans of the fighting genre.

Kombo

SCIV takes the existing winning formula and carefully adds new elements to make this edition the best edition ever.

Gamervision

The additions that have been added work in the game’s favor and make it the best fighting game this generation. The customization, online play, and great game mechanics make this title a must-purchase for any fan of the series.

GameSpy

Soulcalibur has never been broken, and while there is certainly room for some novel approaches in the fighting genre, I would argue that no game has of yet come close in terms of subtlety and inventiveness.

Gamer.nl

Soul Calibur IV just oozes quality. It is a very polished game that is crammed with a variety of different play modes. The game is an absolute must-have for every fan of the genre. Because it is easy to pick up and play, Soul Calibur IV is also suited for those unfamiliar with these games.

Games Master UK

It's exactly what fighting games needed - a plateful of stupid with a side-order of smarts. [Sept 2008, p.64]

GameTrailers

One of the strongest aspects of Soul Calibur 4 is its sense of style. Meticulously detailed mechanical gnomes, lizard-people wielding oversized tableware, and titanic, lasciviously rendered breasts may not be to everyone’s liking, but there’s no denying it all makes an impact.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

As for total newcomers, welcome to what is, in my opinion, the most fun, fully 3D fighter on the market. [Sept 2008, p.76]

Pelit (Finland)

The soul still burns! Yes, it's very familiar and the changes that were made like the critical finnish aren't 100% successful, but the game still puts up a great fight both for novice and advanced players. Beautiful HD graphics, internet play and a versatile character editor add value to the update. [Sept 2008]

Game Informer

Frame-counters and other savants will probably have issues with some aspects of Soulcalibur IV’s gameplay, but the average player or fighting game enthusiast is well served by this title’s array of game types and tight weapon-based duels. I know I’m more than satisfied.

PSX Extreme

In the end, Soul Calibur IV is a great title to have in your collection, and as we said before, you really don't need to be a fighting expert.

NZGamer

It’s much easier to get into than Tekken or Virtua Fighter, and the characters are generally – in my opinion at least – much more interesting.

Cheat Code Central

A great addition to the franchise. There's a good amount of play modes, excellent character customization options, a strong character roster, smooth (though intricate) controls, and exciting online play.

Extreme Gamer

Soul Calibur IV is a beautiful looking fighting game that pushes the long running franchise into some new ground while keeping the core gameplay near the same level.

IGN

The game runs well, looks beautiful, sports great music and obviously has enjoyable combat. The PS3 and 360 versions are just about identical (barring the differing guest characters), though I felt that the optional install on the PS3 made things feel even quicker and more polished.

Worth Playing

Even though SoulCalibur IV has a lot of graphical and gameplay polish, it's still nowhere near a perfect game. A stunted Story mode and the completely unfair Apprentice character detract greatly from the single-player experience, and as it is, the online multiplayer is literally broken.

Computer Games Online RO

Even if it's not as complex as Tekken, and it doesn't have the online component of Virtua Fighter 5, with its top-notch graphic, captivating feeling and characters and fighting style diversity, Soul Calibur IV is without a doubt one of the best 3D fighters around.

Gamers' Temple

Even with the differences between the two versions, one thing is for certain among all hardcore fighting game fans in need of another Soul Calibur - you do not own Soul Calibur IV, Soul Calibur IV owns you and all of your spare time once it enters your house.

Playstation Universe

Soul Calibur IV isn’t a revolution, but it’s one hell of an evolution. Although it does little to redefine the fighting genre, it manages to further advance the franchise with improvements across the board on an already fantastic foundation.

BigPond GameArena

Ultimately however the extra fruit is aimed at making you stick with the game longer (logically enough). And while I wouldn't go as far as to say SC4 has reached the exalted heights of Virtua Fighter it does pretty good in it's own right.

Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

Soul Calibur IV it is still one of the best of its genre, but we can’t help to feel the absence of strong innovations. The online multiplayer is the lasting appeal lifesaver. [Sept 2008]

Game Over Online

Soulcalibur IV is exactly what the fans expected it to be, and a bit more.

GamingTrend

While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it does handle almost everything right.

Gameplanet

A hugely improved fighting title that harks back to the excitement of the original. If you're a fan of this genre, you absolutely have to pick up Soul Calibur 4.

GameZone

SoulCalibur IV doesn’t stir up the pot too much, offering mostly the same gameplay as previous entries. Fortunately, the franchise has it down to a science, and the addition of online play further sweetens the deal.

PSM3 Magazine UK

Not quite the technical equal of "Virtua Fighter" but still brilliant. [Sept 2008, p.64]

GameSpot

The question, then, isn't whether or not you should play Soulcalibur IV, it's which version you should play.

Console Monster

If you like beat 'em ups you can't go wrong with Soul Calibur IV.

Game Chronicles

As I have stated before I am a huge Mortal Kombat fan and was not excited at all about reviewing this game. After playing for about an hour I quickly forgot about my feelings and become a huge fan.

GameShark

Soul Calibur IV is one of the best fighters currently available on the PS3 and is certainly the best weapons fighter. The core fighting system is still there and the additions of online play and the Character Creation mechanic really bring more fun to the game as a whole.

Game Revolution

SCIV certainly doesn’t break any new ground, but it continues to do what it does best by providing us with some of the best weapons-based fighting action in town. The character customization is worth the price of admission, and the online game will keep you coming back for more.

My Gamer

It’s worth picking up, though. Even if it doesn’t pan out to be a great tourney title, there’s plenty of fun to be had in the meantime.

Thunderbolt

With the story mode, Tails of Swords, create a character and online modes, there are plenty of reasons to keep playing if you have no friends locally to play.

LEVEL (Czech Republic)

Possibly the best fighting game on the market. The fourth installment compiles every good aspect from previous games brings a couple of new improvements and –as usual- comes in stunning graphics. Multiplayer modes guarantee immortality for this title (or at least until the next episode). [Sept 2008]

games(TM)

This is easily the best Soul Calibur package to date, though there is a niggling feeling that things may not have moved on enough. [Sept 2008, p.114]

Console Gameworld

While it isn't the best fighter to come out in 2008, it does a lot of things well enough to keep fans happy and intrigue new-comers.

Armchair Empire

Even with all the positives running for the game, I still felt a little bit underwhelmed by SCIV, it’s definitely still a solid entry to the series and finally being able to play online is worth the buy. If you are new to the series, I do not think you’ll be disappointed.

DailyGame

Soul Calibur IV is a fighter with as much a depth as players are willing to invest. We were hoping for a bit more innovation in this go-round, but at the end of the day, we can settle for more of the same good Soul Calibur gameplay.

Level7.nu

This fourth entry in the series offers a great production value with a slower tempo, allowing you to perfect your techniques. The character creation mode is the stand out feature offering gamers a jam packed mode with a slew of options for creating unique characters. New features such as Soul Gauge and Critical Attacks go unnoticed though. Despite this, and a somewhat uneven balance in the character roster, Soul Calibur IV is a great value for your money. This is fighting games at it's best.

Hardcore Gamer Magazine

As it stands, I personally rank this a good bit below the Dreamcast original in terms of quality, but above all other installments.

Kikizo

A good title, but not great.

Video Game Talk

Soul Calibur IV brings the supremely balanced fantasy fighting to the next gen systems, with great success. There are a few drawbacks, such as the spotty online and the woefully inadequate storylines, but the pros far outweigh the cons.

Edge Magazine

It's a tale of swords and souls in which everyone keeps their dignity until you knock off their cuirass and make them fight in their bra. [Sept 2008, p.84]

Gaming Target

It's accessible, packs deep character customization, has much needed online play, not to mention it looks great and runs smoothly.

VideoGamer

In reality, this is a reserved effort from Namco Bandai, and feels almost as if Project Soul has merely dipped its toe in the next-gen water for fear of causing too big a splash. It's gorgeous, and an essential purchase for any fighting game fan who likes aggressive counters and weapon clashes, but it's no fighting game revolution.

PALGN

Soul Calibur IV provides the same great quality of fighting gameplay and presentation as you'd expect. Just don't be surprised if it doesn't leave the same impression as the previous titles.

G4 TV

Despite the minor step backwards in single player depth, SoulCalibur IV remains a gorgeous, fast-paced, accessible fighter that also has enough depth for expert level play. While online is more of a novelty than a functional feature, players looking for a next-gen upgrade to the on-the-couch weapons clasher of the Dreamcast days will find the same addicting gameplay here.

GamePro

It's fundamentally the same game as "Soul Calibur III", only with more fighters, an online mode, and more create-a-character customizations. It's remarkably well produced and visually sumptuous, but its appeal remains limited to hardcore fighting veterans and casual button-mashers. This is a good game, but not a great one.

Total Video Games

Despite the new gameplay features failing to change Soulcalibur's gameplay, Soulcalibur IV still manages to provide one of the most engaging and rewarding fighters around - plus Darth and Yoda aren't entirely that bad.

GameDaily

Punishing artificial intelligence, unbalanced online play and annoying lag will have you chucking your controller. Those small issues aside, Soulcalibur IV is razor sharp.

Boomtown

Yes, there's plenty to do here, but you're really going to have to put in some effort to get the best experience back, and the game doesn't incentivise it beyond the hope of improving your skills.

GameCritics

My verdict is that Soul Calibur IV looks great, but isn't especially accessible to newcomers.

Giant Bomb

Overall, it's sort of hard to recommend Soulcalibur IV to anyone who isn't already a big fan of the series. It felt like everything I liked about the game (the actual fighting) was countered by something else (the meaningless story mode, equipment stats, Ivy's creepy-looking boobs) that made me want to take the disc out and put it away forever.