Soul Calibur/Soul Series

If Warren Ellis did a Soul Calibur series who do you think he'd like best?. I think Ivy might end up being one of his favorites, being a morally complicated alchemist with a whip based weapon.

Also thinking about it more, would animation be a better medium for a soul calibur adaptation or would live action work just as well?

Edited by windleopard on Dec 3rd 2018 at 3:08:43 AM

Live action could work if it's done well. Wuxia mixed with western styles, and all that.

Animation could also work if its done well, though.

I guess "if it's done well" is the important thing here.

Warren Ellis shouldn't do a Soul Calibur show, or every Video Game adaptation for that matter. He did great with Castlevania, but he is not suited to alot of other games. I don't think he'd either like, or get Soul Calibur.

Indeed there are plenty of other British writers to choose from.

Like Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, or..... Garth Ennis.

Ennis is Irish.

I don't think there's much to "Get" with Soul Calibur. Its story is better done than most fighting games but that's... Not saying much. I feel like a professional writer could do a hell of a lot with the setting and characters given the chance. Always been a fan of Historical Fantasy myself.

And there's so much conflict to tie into! I mean the last years of the 16th century had England and Spain constantly pissing eachother off, the Holy Roman and Ottoman empires locked in a enormously epic and completely pointless struggle, and Japan's sengoku era decisively not coming to a close when their loon in charge decided to invade Korea.

I mean, Nightmare and his court feel like prime Ellis material, even if the protagonist trio aren't exactly his usual sorts. Maybe if he made Maxi slightly more of an entertaining fuckup?

Oh, I'm not saying he should do every video game adaptation. Just considering if Ivy might be the type of character Ellis would like very much.

I didn't realize Ivy hated the church.

Actually, the complete lack of a Religious Bruiser of any sort in this series is a glaring omission considering the time period... Wait, I guess Sophitia counts?

Speaking of Ivy, I think the reason I'm learning to like her playstyle is that it's easier to grasp, no pun intended. Soul Calibur switches which move you do based on whether you press or hold the attack button and Ivy's are pretty universally "Press the button to hit your enemy with your sword as a sword, hold it to hit your enemy with your sword as a whip." which helps when learning her.

Of course she still has a bunch of moves I've barely touched upon learning, like anything she does in/to opponents in midair. And those moves are flashy AF.

I didn't realize Ivy hated the church.

Well, they probably wouldn't be a big fan of hers.

Now I really want to see Ivy and the Bishop from Castlevania meet and see how that reaction goes. Ivy would not like the guy but even she admits that she's no angel herself.

Edited by windleopard on Dec 4th 2018 at 3:32:27 AM

That bishop was on the receiving end of a fantastic "The Reason You Suck" Speech. As a religious person, the most frustrating other religious people to me is hypocrites.

After the second of Castlevania, I'm not so sure I'd trust the same studio to produce a Soulcalibur series. Instead of being a good stand alone story, which would also leave some doors open for further stories, it felt like it was setting things up too much for the third season. It gave way too much focus to Hector and Isaac and the cost of the supposed main trio.

I see nothing wrong that they made an ongoing plot-line of it especially out of a game franchise that generally has no more story than an average fighting game.

It was already stated before that they wanted to keep the show going as long as they can so they are doing what they want.

@windleopard And Morrison’s Scottish.

Edited by slimcoder on Dec 4th 2018 at 1:21:45 AM

I think the issue comes in when the franchise setup comes at the expense of quality. I liked Castlevania Season 2, but that was in spite of the pacing and writing issues that some of the franchise setup led to, among other factors. If we get another Season like Season 2, i'm not going to be as kind to it. It's why with Soul Calibur, you just need to find the right people, the right tone, and the right funding and support to make it happen.

Speaking of Castlevania, I'm going to try and mod my music files so some of the stage themes are from Castlevania, specifically Bloody Tears for the moonlight forest stage.

I think the music is okay for the most part, but I can't really get into the orchestral soundtracks that most of the Soul series uses. There's really only a few throughout the series that stand out to me. Maybe I just have bad taste, but I like the cheesy themes from Soul Blade.

I don't think it lost any quality, and in fact Isaac (and Hector) became one of the most compelling characters to watch going forward. The show had already done almost everything they could with Dracula and the main trio. They didn't need to be on screen just for time.

I know quality is subjective, but... decrying Castlevania season 2 for being too much setup is bizarre when S1 felt like a four episode trailer. And S2 did have, you know, Dracula dying. And a lot of other amazing scenes.

I don't think S2 had too much setup, it had too much focus pulled away from the original cast with new characters. I don't think setup is the issue because they've been used quite a bit in S2. The only issue is if you like their use. But complaining about too much setup is kind of nonsensical.

Frankly, my biggest gripes with S2 are the fact Carmilla is a gigantic idiot and literally did nothing but help the Trio, plus the pacing issues early on. But that's for another thread.

Edited by Larkmarn on Dec 5th 2018 at 10:11:23 AM

Hey come on the Castlevania threads are right there I'm okay with them getting some more activity!

Anyways, about the music. I do consider it just kinda background noise. Which is a shame, because I'm sure it's very good, but I can't hum a single bar of it. I'm too focused on what's happening on screen. I can guarantee the fights would feel incredibly empty and lifeless without it but... Maybe Soul Calibur should switch to a faster pace? Pivot to rock? The addition of electric guitar to pseudohistorical swordfights dripping with over the top style sure as hell worked for Dynasty Warriors.

I think the tracks that stand out the most to me are Raphael's theme from 2 (No Turning Back) and the one from 3 that plays when you fight Siegfried or Nightmare (Forsaken Sanctuary). I guess I'll go through the music page and find ones I like.

The music is probably meant to sound traditional to the time and place, since it is a period piece. Still, with all the fantasy elements and more contemporary designs, some more modern instrumentation and melodies wouldn't be too out of place. The first game's Edge of Soul is very cheesy j-rock, but it still has enough to it to feel like it fits the setting, with the drums and string and wind instruments.

I'm really hoping that more music from the past games becomes DLC, since that is what the whole music menu seems to imply, much like what DOA 5 did. But if not, thank goodness for PC mods.

Also speaking of DLC, I just really want Setsuka back, and I don't think the chances of seeing her again are necessarily bad, however I don't know if they would make so many DLC fighters women. I'm better it's going to be her and/or Hwang that comes. Maybe not Yun Seong. Hilde wouldn't be bad either, but I'd still prefer Setsuka for her look and style.

Edited by StarOutlaw on Dec 5th 2018 at 5:43:09 AM

Music's perfect as is. There's already plenty of rock in other games and fighting games. SC's music is a very welcome change of pace that fits the setting.

Edited by wanderlustwarrior on Dec 5th 2018 at 9:04:12 AM

Ah yes, the Soul Edge opening. The absolute best VG opening song of all time. The only tune that could possibly beat it is Dragon's Dogma's Into Free.

"Love! To Shine! We all need to shine on! To see! How far we've gone on our journey! HOOOOOOW FAAAAAR!"

I would give a pinky toe to hear Kilik, Xinghua and Maxi singing that while goofing off in a tavern or something.

Most of the stage music in this game is kinda boring. It's telling the best tracks are rearrangements of older ones.

The music dlc can't come soon enough.

Oh, no good new tracks? That's a shame. When I meant the music was great, I see SC 2/3 as the highlight. And yes, I'm aware that many tracks in 3 were updated tracks from 1.

I won't say there's none, and I was talking about the stage music in particular. The music outside of that isn't bad, character select music is the best in the series for example. The gallery music is a nice arrangement of the SC 2 one.

Edited by Vertigo_High on Dec 8th 2018 at 12:23:34 PM

I'd say the best tracks in 6 are the one on Sophitia's stage and the ones you have to unlock.