Soul Calibur/Soul Series

So, less than a day before Namco Bandai's teaser site goes live. Given Daishi　Odashima said he would announce something in mid-May, and "beginning of the new chapter" reminds me of "Welcome to the new stage of history" from SC 3, we can safely say this is SC 5.

http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/cs/list/beginning_of_the_new_chapter/index.html

Also from the director's twitter, boob chart.

http://twitpic.com/4vvlbz/full

Wonder why Hilde is crossed out?

Now: Who does everyone want as guest characters?

Obviously Link (And Marth?) should appear if there is a version on the new Nintendo console, but I think Pratty would be cool (To my understanding Namco Bandai own Banpresto who owns the ex-Flight Stuff, though could be wrong)

edited 10th May '11 10:10:29 AM by deuxhero

Who cares about Marth? I want Ike!

But SC's two most prominent characters (then yet another if custom CAS styles return) are alreddy 2 handed sword users.

You mean Siegfried and Nightmare? I wouldn't call that chunk of metal a 'sword', really. Also, Ike uses his two-handed sword with only one hand.

Now, if your talking character overlap, I'd say there's a bigger problem concerning Marth vs. Rafael.

Please note that I haven't touched a SC game since SC 2.

Hmm, I think the Falchion (which is really a Tsurugi) would handle more like Xianghua if SSB is anything to go by, though still an overlapy thing.

Well I don't think anyone else fights with drills. :)

edited 10th May '11 10:31:38 AM by deuxhero

Didn't Voldo have a pair of Drills as alternate weapons?

Which don't get used anything like Pratty uses them, because he's Voldo.

I have nothing against guest characters (unless they're broken a la Necrid), but I'd like to know where the story is headed before focusing on stuff like that. Daichi said that Siegfried wouldn't be the main character this time around (Big Bad in II as Nightmare, The Hero in III and IV), so I'm curious as to who the next game will revolve around.

"New Chapter"? A reboot in the vein of the new Mortal Kombat perhaps?

edited 10th May '11 12:36:23 PM by BetaRay

I doubt it. I think it's supposed to be the whole "new focal point" thing I mentioned above.

If there's going to be a big shakeup, my bet's more on a Time Skip to introduce some new characters. I'm sure Ivy will still be hot though. I doubt the "New chapter" will mean anything more than a sequel, though. Which is good. Soul calibur's story is sparse, and there's no reason for a reboot. It's not like any fan favorites have been killed off or the narrative has become overly convoluted or anything.

edited 10th May '11 12:42:41 PM by ShirowShirow

Yeah, I guess your right. Hoping for the entire cast to be new characters, though it's doubtful with that boob chart. Not to mention the fanbase would throw a fit.

Soul Calibur Two is the pinnacle of the series, despite the three horrible guest characters.

^ Horrible? I can understand Spawn not fitting, but the PS 2 guy is from what is explicitly the future of the SC world and Link fits well enough (though being Link in a fighting game, preforms badly tier wise)

Given one of the first things confirmed was there would be no retconing, reboot is impossible.

Most combos consist of hitting four times. Link could barely get three hits. Heihachi has, three standard ten hit combos and can hit even more. Link, he's never been fully grown, but he's significantly shorter and skinnier than everything, older Links have never been that small. Link shows no emotion outside of determination and anger. Super Smash Bros is much better in all there areas, size, moves and emotions. Even Necrid emotes more. Link's costumes are recolors, no fierce diety, no shadow Link, no surprises. The only good things is that he can shoot people in the foot and Namco brought back his charging impaler.

What more needs to be said about Hiehachi besides that he isn't even using a weapon in a weapon fighting game? Couldn't his default have spikes? Couldn't namco just choose someone who uses a stick? Spawn is the best of the three, since he speaks and was given an axe, but its pathetically short range for someone so slow and his demonic powers are laughable. Necrid was the only good guest character, enough to redeem the game.

Necrid was a horrible, horrible "character" who was so horrendously OP that he deserves to die in a wildfire. You, my good sir, are probably one of the few people that tolerates him, let alone likes him. It doesn't help that he was only there due to a collaboration between Todd McFarlane and Namco to have the former produce figures of the Soul cast. Easily the worst idea ever implemented into the series.

And it's f***ing Heihachi. He doesn't need a weapon.

Also, I can't see Link being such a bad choice, considering that the Gamecube version outsold all of the other versions handily. Link was almost singlehandedly responsible for introducing this series to a good number of gamers. Sure, his tier-problems followed him from Super Smash Bros., but his ringout abilities were handy for Weapon Master Mode.

Honestly, you're just nitpicking about Heihachi and Link.

edited 10th May '11 2:30:55 PM by X2X

I loved using Link's instant ring-out grab. My friends hate me for using it.

Good thing is the twitter feed says Necrid isn't coming back.

Meet the only other person who liked Necrid.

"This shall only serve to anger me. SOULS!"

Not saying they shouldn't have used Link, though I find Heihachi questionable, I'm saying Link had already been done better in another fighting game. Namco had the chance to do something special with an icon and dropped the ball.

He's got better combos in Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, and those weren't afraid to give him more variation in his clothing, or facial expressions. Also the penultimate matches are all Raphael. Link-Nightmare, Heihachi-Yoshimitsu, Spawn-Taki would have been more satisfying. Necrid has a good weapon, beneficial moves, an alternate costume, a good destined battle, something resembling characterization and decent back story. No other guest had that much. Game Breaker, maybe, but compared to the others who are mostly niche, two of which aren't even using the same combo system? He's the best.

You're complaining NB kept him true to Oo T/MM?

Sure thing...

edited 10th May '11 4:48:34 PM by deuxhero

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that it was supposed to be TOoT!Link. Twilight Princess wasn't even out (or in development, natch), and I don't think that Nintendo wanted to bank on WW!Link when Ocarina!Link was vastly more iconic.

What , said. You're nitpicking because things that didn't exist at the time weren't included in the game.

I've only played SC 4, and I loved it. I wouldn't mind breast reduction surgery for Ivy, though, I'm a teenage dude and I felt like it was just a smidge too much.