SoulCalibur V

 Xbox 360
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 56
  3. Negative: 1 out of 56
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  1. Quarter to Three
    Jan 31, 2012
    40
    The new character customization is either much better or much worse, depending on what you're looking for in character customization. If you want to put stickers on your cape or make a short Asteroth, Soulcalibur V is the game for you. But if you want Soulcalibur IV's indepth unlockable stat-based equipment RPG, well, Soulcalibur IV is the game for you. Because Soulcalibur V has none of that. What a disappointing step backwards.

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
49
#49 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 142 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 142
  2. Mixed: 51 out of 142
  3. Negative: 30 out of 142
  1. VermillionHaze
    Feb 1, 2012
    5
    The worst entry in the series to date. It's a bare bones minimalist title that excells at multiplayer at ONLY multiplayer. No characterThe worst entry in the series to date. It's a bare bones minimalist title that excells at multiplayer at ONLY multiplayer. No character endings, cutscenes, or even a vague idea of why most of the cast is even in the game. The campaign is the only storyline in the game and it only features a small portion of the roster and some only have a single line of dialogue. Speaking of the campaign...you would think stripping away every single extra feature or mode would make them focus on making the campaign good right? Sadly it's quite terrible, scribbled drawings with naration and a few 5-second cutcenes here and there. I'm not sure what Team Soul was thinking. This game offers nothing to single player oriented fans, the only thing left to do after the campaign is...collect clothing. Which have no properties as armor and weapon stats are gone as well. This is a RENT. You can litteraly do everything this game has to offer in one nights work.… Full Review »
  2. destructo_dude
    Feb 2, 2012
    7
    I'm confused at most of these reviews. The combat has not improved. It's actually been dumbed down to the point that one of the buttonI'm confused at most of these reviews. The combat has not improved. It's actually been dumbed down to the point that one of the button combinations (horizontal and kick; one of the style-switching combinations) has been removed. I'm not necessarily complaining about the changes in familiar move sets, because that actually makes the learning curve interesting. I'm complaining about the way in which the combat and gameplay have devolved since Soul Calibur 3.

    Soul Calibur 3 took all that was right with SC2, improved it, and supplied a treasure chest of single-player modes including the best campaign a fighting game has ever seen: "Chronicles of the Sword." Soul Calibur 4 dumbed down the combat by dumping the fake-out "jump-delays," removed the campaign, and made story mode brisker. These aren't such bad changes, but remain questionable with the amount of content an HD game should have compared to a PS2 classic. Soul Calibur 5 removed A+K (stunting Ivy's entire move-set), reduced story mode to a single narrative, kicked out the Museum, and transformed mission-mode into "extreme-difficulty arcade-mode."

    Soul Calibur 3: Arcade, Versus, Story, Campaign, Missions, Customs (personality-building, main roster colors), Museum (movies, art, music, battle theater, profiles with full dialogue, demonstrations)
    Soul Calibur 4: Arcade, Versus, Online, Story, Missions (Tower: staged-Ascend and laddered-Descend), Customs (RPG-traits, main roster costumes), Museum (movies, art, overview of series)
    Soul Calibur 5: Arcade, Versus, Online, Story (single narrative), Missions ("Legendary Souls": Europe, Asia, both), Customs (superficially, more stuff)

    There's also the lack of stun-recovery that I find baffling. Usually, you're given a slim chance to avoid a juggle, but this entry has removed it entirely. The parries (Guard Impact) have been changed to work dependently on your power-meter, the thing you're trying to save for your "super combo." It reminds me of how frustrating it was in Mortal Kombat (2011) to have the combo-breaker rely on a "super combo" meter instead of allowing you two chances in a match like previous entries. Parrying has been altered to the benefit of no one. Newcomers will find no reward in practicing and performing it because it now depletes from the action. In the case of parrying, it really should have added to the meter than subtract.These are huge steps in the wrong direction.

    I welcomed the new characters openly, as the two previous games were two cluttered with clones. However, some of the outcomes don't make sense to me. You end up with five random select options once you've unlocked all the hidden characters (two others are just alternate weapon types for the main characters). Older, male characters that ought to be replaced have held out longer than younger females (most devastating: Talim). Mitsurugi makes sense in this regard, Maxi and Raphael (whose intended replacement is nowhere to be seen) do not. The majority of the new characters are more replacements than fresh additions, the exceptions being Viola and ZWEI who each have such unique play styles as to rival that of the SC3 additions.

    I want to give this a lower score, but technically it's still a good fighting game. Any fighting game that gives you a full-range of movement to actually explore its arenas has done something right. I'm also loving the Creation mode, which allows me to move three items wherever I want them (when stickers are simply not enough). Multiplayer is fast and hopefully draws a lot of attention, however I'm still displeased to wait for a single match to finish while myself and a number of others wait patiently. Couldn't it be a couple of matches at the same time in a room of five? Otherwise, the ping hasn't interrupted any of my matches thus far. The addition of Brave Edge and Critical Edge is a welcomed one as each has a specific strength that a mastered player can triumph over the proposed "army of button mashers these games cater to."

    So, 7 seems appropriate for now (SC4: 8, SC3:10) and I do hope stun-recovery is patched into this game because "Legendary Souls" mode (the game's one and only "mission") is such a hassle without it. To be completely honest, this is a good entry game for the series. I just hope that means people will be inclined to purchase Soul Calibur 3, if it ever ends up on PSN or Xbox-Live, or even Soul Calibur 4 for all its content and a much better approach to customs than "we balanced everything out so you can make people in bikinis tough."

    Side-note: For everyone saying the games went downhill after Soul Calibur or Soul Calibur 2, you missed out on two much better games.    … Full Review »
  3. Duncaaaaaan
    Jan 31, 2012
    9
    First of all, I'm going to make it clear from the start of my review: a lot, and I mean the vast majority of reviewers, have given SCV a lowFirst of all, I'm going to make it clear from the start of my review: a lot, and I mean the vast majority of reviewers, have given SCV a low score (for example IGN and gamespot) because they thing the singleplayer is not great. Perhaps it isn't, but attacking it so vehemently is just completely wrong; it's a competitively geared fighting game. It was made to be the most valid entry in the series for tournament play. Anyways, on to my review:

    The graphics, although not a huge leap from SC4, don't have to be. They were already pretty amazing in SC4, and the fact that they are better (and noticeably) means SC5 is is a beautiful, beautiful looking game. Ezio is a more appropriate guest character this time around, compared to Yoda and Vader. It's still too early to say if the game is more balanced. All I know is that Siegfried, my main (who I am pleased to know looks pretty badass this time around), is nerfed a bit. Some of his moves that were safe in SC4 aren't safe anymore.

    The real crowning achievement for SCV, in my opinion, is the absolutely incredible online and lobby mode.The netcode is absolutely excellent. Players can choose their preference for connection quality, and there is regional matchmaking. You can even choose to match up with some japanese gosu if you feel like getting your ass whooped. Of course, there will be lag if you live in America or europe. With the regional matchmaking, you'll get 4/5 bar connection, which means almost no lag at all. SC4 was tainted with lag abuse online... and you'll never see it again here.

    The lobby system is on an entirely different level to other games. Up to 6 people can join into a lobby in player matches, for people watching two others duking it out. What makes it amazing is that players can actually text chat with each other. PC players might scoff at this... but for people who primarily play on consoles, that's pretty damn awesome. It's great to see the "gg"s floating about the lobby. The game also records automatically records your last 8 matches.

    The other feature of SCV which will leave your jaw firmly glued to the floor is the new Create a Soul (CaS). Think of SC4's CaS (if you played it), then multiply it by a factor of 10... now you've got SCV's CaS. The original characters of the series can have their armour/clothing customized ad infinium, as opposed to a single monochrome colour base from before. You can even fiddle around with the colour saturation. Every character has more weapons to use than before. There's a staggering amount of weapon and armour unlocks. The possibilities really are endless this time around. Have a favourite character from a book/film you like? You can create it easily. I created a very accurate replica of Guts from the manga "Berserk" with ease. So there you have it: The best online mode, netcode and lobby probably ever seen so far in a fighting game, absolutely beautiful visuals, and a staggering amount of customization.

    I think many people will be turned off by these so called "professional" reviews that completely fail to focus on the important parts of a fighting game, instead focusing on paltry tings like story mode, and "lack of a tutorial mode (gamespot.... it's called training mode ffs).    … Full Review »
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