iPad Review: SOULCALIBUR

The heart of a sword is its soul, but one sword has been corrupted and now you must embark on a quest to rid the world of evil. That’s your goal in SOULCALIBUR, which has been remade for the iOS devices. Rejoice!

Do you remember Soul Calibur? It’s only one of the most popular series in Japan - I remember playing the games on Xbox. Oh, fun times. And why not? There’s an arcade version and a story mode in the Xbox versions, but sadly enough, the arcade version is the one that made it to the iOS. Not to worry, though, you also have Time Attack, Survival, Extra Survival, Museum, and Practice modes. It’s enough to keep you engaged for quite some time.

In the Arcade Mode, it’s exactly what the console versions were like. You choose a character, then you go through a series of battles against the computerized opponents and you must defeat each one if you have any hopes of advancing to the next stage. With your handy and beloved character, swing and kick your way through using basic attacks and special combination techniques (something that I haven’t really figured out yet, but I have to reason to believe that they are the same combos from the console version). You have 19 characters to choose from and two outfits for each character to wear. You can also unlock characters and other content, which is fantastic indeed.

I must say, the graphics were better than what I expected. After all, when I first reported the news here, I hated the graphics - they looked terrible. But first looks can be deceiving. It’s a smooth transition from the console to the iOS and no flaws of any sort can be found. The characters speak in Japanese so it keeps that authentic feel.

However, you’re really going to have to get used to the touch controls. Whereas the controller is small and tiny and can easily fit in your hands, allowing you to grasp it more easily, playing with a touch tablet wasn’t all that fun. There’s no real way for you to hold the tablet without it feeling uncomfortable. Also, button mashing (which I am known for in my family when I play with Sophitia or Cassandra) is a little harder because the buttons don’t respond at times (ugh!). I guess the good part is that you can set your iPad down and use two fingers for button mashing (if you don’t remember the combinations) instead of the one finger furiously switching between buttons.

Overall, I enjoyed the game. It’s currently enjoying a 20% off sale, so it sits in the App Store for $11.99. A bit pricey, but I’m sure it will be well worth it when Namco Bandai comes out with more options. It better be.

Interesting in wanting to know more or to purchase the game? Click here.