SoulCalibur V

 Xbox 360
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
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  1. Thaeonblade
    Mar 7, 2014
    5
    On further inspection and after 2 years, I take back my initial review for several reasons that I'll state here.

    As a fighting game, SCV is functional at best and if you're the type of gamer who will thrive on the changes made to the mechanics, you'll like the game. If you don't mind the lack of offline-content, the lazily cobbled-together roster, the harsh emphasis on aggressive combat    On further inspection and after 2 years, I take back my initial review for several reasons that I'll state here.

    As a fighting game, SCV is functional at best and if you're the type of gamer who will thrive on the changes made to the mechanics, you'll like the game. If you don't mind the lack of offline-content, the lazily cobbled-together roster, the harsh emphasis on aggressive combat to the detriment of all other combat types and the terrible and admittedly incomplete story mode, you'll enjoy character customization and online.

    Otherwise, SC fans and fighting game fans looking something more involved are better off skipping this game or buying it for cheap if you don't just rent it.    … Expand
  2. ShouldbeStudyin
    Mar 23, 2012
    6
    I still have many fond memories of playing Soul Calibur II, and to a much lesser extent Soul Calibur IV. All that being said, Soul Calibur V is a decent sequel to the franchise. The new critical edge system feels good and is as fun to use. The character designer is as fun to mess around with as ever. Ezio is a good guest character who meshes well with the SCV cast. Lizard Man has a moreI still have many fond memories of playing Soul Calibur II, and to a much lesser extent Soul Calibur IV. All that being said, Soul Calibur V is a decent sequel to the franchise. The new critical edge system feels good and is as fun to use. The character designer is as fun to mess around with as ever. Ezio is a good guest character who meshes well with the SCV cast. Lizard Man has a more unique move-set, Viola is interesting play, and ZWEI, well he's ZWEI. That's the good, now here's the bad. The game feels rushed. Some characters have been changed in ways that make little sense (Astaroth comes to mind), and the game has three mimic characters. The story mode is not nearly as deep as SCII or even SCIV, and focuses on only three characters. Cut-scenes are pictures with voice acting. Bottom line is the game is entertaining and die-hard fans of Soul Calibur should be entertained with it until the next, hopefully less rushed, Soul Calibur game. New comers are not likely to get much out of this game.
    True Rating: 6.2    … Expand
  3. 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 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 wayI'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.    … Expand
  4. 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 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 theThe 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.… Expand
  5. Redfordsto
    Feb 1, 2012
    5
    I have played through the SoulCalibur series since the Sega Dreamcast. It's been getting progressively better over the various sequels. Until now, of course. While there are tons of ways to create and customize your own characters with tattoos and skimpy clothing, the other features are lacking. First, the single player seems more like a fast and repetitive tutorial rather than theI have played through the SoulCalibur series since the Sega Dreamcast. It's been getting progressively better over the various sequels. Until now, of course. While there are tons of ways to create and customize your own characters with tattoos and skimpy clothing, the other features are lacking. First, the single player seems more like a fast and repetitive tutorial rather than the intricate individual stories I was expecting. Plus, there are fewer single player options than the previous game. It seems as though they want to push the multiplayer component. As someone who isn't a professional and doesn't enjoy being beat down repeatedly by those who are, the emphasis on online multiplayer is disappointing. Finally, there is a slight change to the fighting mechanic and power of the characters that must be experienced that I know will upset the hardcore fans who are used to the older mechanics. It's something that the must be felt to understand. Moves are definately added, but there's a slight change to how your old favorites will move. If you planned on singleplayer fun; this is not the game for you. If you enjoy hours of online multiplayer; check this out.… Expand
  6. MonkofMajere
    Feb 1, 2012
    5
    As a long time fan of the Soul Calibur series, I picked up the collectors edition thinking this would be another incredible chapter in the series. What I've found, however, is a very mixed view of the game.

    On one side, the character creation is absolutely fabulous. It is a huge improvement on SC3 and 4's Character Creation in every way possible. This is probably the best feature of this    As a long time fan of the Soul Calibur series, I picked up the collectors edition thinking this would be another incredible chapter in the series. What I've found, however, is a very mixed view of the game.

    On one side, the character creation is absolutely fabulous. It is a huge improvement on SC3 and 4's Character Creation in every way possible. This is probably the best feature of this game. There are so many possibilities it's astounding! On the other hand, however, there is the lack of beloved characters, the three mimic characters (mimic meaning they do not have their own style, but use others instead), the very disappointing story mode, and the general unpolished feeling the game has. Starting with the first point, though. While characters being taken out of the series is inevitable, those that were taken out are a little ridiculous. Some of the series best characters have lost their spots in this game, and those that were replaced are shadows of their former selves. And even some of those that returned are nothing to be excited over. Kilik, a longtime veteran of the Soul Calibur games, is nothing more then a mimic. Talim, a very popular character in the series in general, does not even appear. And the way each character is designed makes it feel like the developers just didn't put the effort into the game that they should have.

    And then there's the storyline. Now, I've read more then a few reviews where people have defended this feature by saying it is not supposed to be the main attraction of the game. While this is true, if you put a feature in a game you put effort into the feature. Period. Otherwise you may as well just leave it out. After reading about how the Dev's had specifically said they were taking inspiration from the new Mortal Kombat game, I was somewhat excited. While the story line in MK isn't the best, it was well designed and well put together. Soul Calibur V's storyline is terrible. You play as three characters who, for the most part, just continuously fight each other. While there is some animation, most of the cut scenes are nothing more then concept art. And while I'm sure some people would defend this by saying it is an artistic style, to me it just comes off as laziness. The game itself also just feels unpolished. And while this is to be expected (to an extent) from a brand new release, no Soul Calibur game has felt so incomplete. From the balancing issues with several of the characters to the way the characters move all feels unfinished. And unlike the story line, this does affect what this game is intended for. All in all I would suggest holding off on this purchase, even to long time fans of the series. I have loved every single Soul Calibur game to date, even dating back to pre-"Calibur", but this game needs a lot of work before it can even be considered good.    … Expand
  7. Flimsyman25
    Feb 2, 2012
    5
    Extremely disappointing compared to previous entries in the series. The bare basics of combat are basically the same as in previous games, but the mechanics of deeper strategy and tactics of previous games are lacking.

    The Soul Gauge and Critical Finishes of SC IV were very well-done, and gone in this new entry, but the best example is probably the Guard Impact system. In previous    Extremely disappointing compared to previous entries in the series. The bare basics of combat are basically the same as in previous games, but the mechanics of deeper strategy and tactics of previous games are lacking.

    The Soul Gauge and Critical Finishes of SC IV were very well-done, and gone in this new entry, but the best example is probably the Guard Impact system. In previous games, the Guard Impact let a player punish a predictable opponent, forcing a player to constantly vary their timing and even program their opponent to leave an opening. In SC V, Guard Impacts require half of the meter, thus can only even be attempted a few times a round. The meter mechanics overall feel a lot like Soul Calibur is trying to emulate Street Fighter or King of Fighters. I and my gaming group always appreciated Soul Calibur developing deeper, more strategic mechanics than that.

    If nothing else, the lack of story in the game frustrates me. With 17 years having passed since the previous game, the status of most character's stories is up in the air, yet there's literally zero story content on most of the characters in the game. An absolutely bizarre exclusion (to say nothing of the overall extreme lack of single-player content).    … Expand
  8. ludd_gang
    Feb 1, 2012
    7
    Gameplay feels more fluid. Costumes no longer alter combat, which allows you more freedom in character creation. Single player mode acknowledges that the tower challenges and storyline were always just arcade mode anyway: Pretty much arcade is the single player experience. The storyline mode now is restricted to a few characters and adds marginal art to the blank text of SCIV. At last, aGameplay feels more fluid. Costumes no longer alter combat, which allows you more freedom in character creation. Single player mode acknowledges that the tower challenges and storyline were always just arcade mode anyway: Pretty much arcade is the single player experience. The storyline mode now is restricted to a few characters and adds marginal art to the blank text of SCIV. At last, a ABK button translator chart accompanies the move list. There is less T&A in this version.… Expand
  9. RonaldOVOXO
    Feb 5, 2012
    5
    This Series is a classic. And i hope this is the last one because it's becoming more repetitive by every game. I like this game but it gets boring since i played every soul caliber
  10. TheFishMan
    Feb 7, 2012
    7
    Its Soul Calibur It has Swords and big men with hammers what more do you need ?
    Best in the Series so far , has the button mashing for the noobs and has some nice new touches that make it a professional fighting game if you wanna get indepth. Hater are Gonna Hate nothing you can do about that.
  11. Venatis
    Jun 7, 2012
    6
    Soulcalibur V is one hell of a fighting game, but its not without its flaws. From whiny and annoying characters to the over powered character Nightmare (who is also ridiculously fast too!) And they have rid us all of some of the best characters in the SC series! There is no longer a Talim to play as, Taki or a summing summing -mina! (Cant spell her name! The woman who was like Kilik withSoulcalibur V is one hell of a fighting game, but its not without its flaws. From whiny and annoying characters to the over powered character Nightmare (who is also ridiculously fast too!) And they have rid us all of some of the best characters in the SC series! There is no longer a Talim to play as, Taki or a summing summing -mina! (Cant spell her name! The woman who was like Kilik with the bladed pole thingy!) The CPU's spam their moves quite a bit also. But apart from removing a couple of the best characters they have introduced new ones! Ezio the assassin from Assassin's Creed is a special character available to play in SCV. Ezio is a good character, not the best introduced in V but a good one! (I mean who doesn't like Ezio? He kills with tiny blades and shoots a cross-bow! I think they just stole the job i do for a living!) Then their another bunch of people with names i cant spell, but im going to give it a go! Potrokolus, the main character, theirs actually two versions of him. But he is an awful character just like his sister (who is also a character and has two character version/types) They both whine and cry about their poor little lives. So have fun with them! Theirs Devil Jin the man from Tekken. But they have actually introduced two decent characters! One man by the name of Z.W.E.I (Odd name I know, don't get me started!) His character design is pretty cool (Apart from the giant moon tattoo on his chest) and his fighting style is very interesting. He fight with a wolf that he summons from time to time. His moves a pretty weak but if you know how to play as him you can use him to a rather good extent. He is a combo powerhouse! And the other character is a woman by the name of Viola. Another interestingly designed character, she used a glowing orb to fight, but her moves too are very weak. But once again if you can play as her she is pretty damn good! Now the character customization in this game is amazing! I myself have spent a few hours creating characters. One i was perticually proud of was my Morrigan creation (Dragon Age Origins) in the style of Viola! You can pretty much create anything and any one! If you wanted too you could create a horse man/woman. Not that you want to but you know, its nice to be given the option. Show they care in kind of a weird way. Although the game is quite dreadful in a way, it also has a way of just pulling you back in to play it again. It's like it has absorbed your soul and you just have to play it one more hour. So if you like SoulCalibur then i would say buy it. Its not the best one but it is very fun to play! Plus you can play as your favorite characters! Oh, wait, they probably took them out...… Expand
  12. rapscallion1980
    Feb 10, 2012
    7
    I'm gonna make this short, as a longtime fan of the series I am a little let down. The verses fighting is very polished, and a few of new fighters are very nice additions to the game. However the single player was so short, and not challenging that I find myself quickly getting bored with this game, this was not the case with any other SC game.
  13. RavenAngelxX
    Feb 6, 2012
    7
    I just bought this and I must say I'm not terribly thrilled, but I like it okay. I just don't understand why they took out a bunch of characters and added a bunch more. Xiba is alright, but Kilik was better. And there are no profiles, endings, or real cutscenes on the game. Granted that the older characters never really change, I would still really like to know more about the newer characters.
  14. SCHMOOPITIZE
    May 13, 2012
    7
    I love three things in the video game world, RPG's customization and fighting games. This delivers on two of the three. As far as story goes it's probably one of the worst i have ever played, as the most interesting characters Z.W.E.I is almost completely untouched. Also, it's boring and short, i beat it in almost 2 hours. The fighting itself is great, fluid and superbly animated.I love three things in the video game world, RPG's customization and fighting games. This delivers on two of the three. As far as story goes it's probably one of the worst i have ever played, as the most interesting characters Z.W.E.I is almost completely untouched. Also, it's boring and short, i beat it in almost 2 hours. The fighting itself is great, fluid and superbly animated. However, attacks are too strong. Playing as nightmare you can end the game in four strikes easily. The character creator is amazing and is most likely the best one i have ever seen.Which bumps this up. Now being the technical sixth game in the series it's inevitable that it is compared to the others and it nowhere even comes close to the awesomeness of soul Calibur 2 which is why i'm disappointing in this game.… Expand
  15. AzureFlames
    Jan 17, 2013
    5
    How did we come to this? Soul Calibur 4 was one of my favorite fighting games this gen. To me, it felt like it had the perfect balance to it. It had some similar characters, like Rock and Astaroth, who shared slightly similar moves but ultimately felt like their own characters. Soul Calibur 5 "removed" these "clone" characters, merging two or more characters into a single one to presumablyHow did we come to this? Soul Calibur 4 was one of my favorite fighting games this gen. To me, it felt like it had the perfect balance to it. It had some similar characters, like Rock and Astaroth, who shared slightly similar moves but ultimately felt like their own characters. Soul Calibur 5 "removed" these "clone" characters, merging two or more characters into a single one to presumably avoid clutter on the screen, with the exception of Talim, Zasalamel, and Yun Seong, whose styles were just thrown away. Who do we have in their place? 4 random character slots, 3 needless variants of sword/shield style, and for some reason a shallow Tekken style. The removal of guard impacts and addition of Street Fighter style "Critical Edge" attacks personally dampened the thrill the older titles in the series had. I really should have just sold this and played Soul Calibur 3 again.… Expand
  16. Epik_Ninnja
    May 22, 2015
    7
    Soulcalibur V is not one of the best fighters out there but it's still worth playing. Any fan of fighters can appreciate something about this game (unless they're a blind hater). The gameplay is solid and the character creator is deep and just plain awesome. There are a lot of hours of fun you can have between player vs. player and custom character modes. Aside from this, there's anSoulcalibur V is not one of the best fighters out there but it's still worth playing. Any fan of fighters can appreciate something about this game (unless they're a blind hater). The gameplay is solid and the character creator is deep and just plain awesome. There are a lot of hours of fun you can have between player vs. player and custom character modes. Aside from this, there's an arcade mode, a practice, mode, and single player. Single player is kind of a joke; the cutscenes are still colorless pictures and the story isn't all that interesting (or all that long). This game prevails as a fun fighter with good graphics and controls and a great custom character feature but it's not a must-have.… Expand
  17. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    7
    After all, a good soulcalibur game. My boy cervantes not looking that sassy. Not good.

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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
  1. GameCritics
    Mar 29, 2012
    60
    Unfortunately for those returning after an absence (like me) or who are brand new to the series, Soul Calibur V does little to bring a player up to speed with the new characters and mechanics beyond throwing them into the fight and letting them wade through as best they can. Factor in the scarcity of offline single-player content, and this means that multiplayer is the only thing granting Soul Calibur V any longevity; players looking for long-term offline play will be better served with Soul Calibur IV.
    Read full review
  2. GamesBeat
    Mar 12, 2012
    80
    Critics praised this series for its unique campaigns like Weapon Master that feature a variety of challenges and weapons with different properties, but SC5's offerings feel limited and rushed.
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  3. Armchair Empire
    Mar 7, 2012
    80
    While there's nothing revolutionary in the gameplay of SoulCalibur V from its predecessors, fans of the franchise will enjoy once again the blade battling that looks just as good as it plays.
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