Soul Calibur II released --- MY first impression:

Zero · March 26, 2003, 18:28

First of all, I didnt get my copy today, because the guy said I didnt deposit pre payment for pre-order

, but since he's so nice to me, he told me to come by when store opens and he will hold onto a copy for me. :angel:

And before I forget, let me post this link.
http://ryochan.free.fr/video/intro_soul2.mpg
For those of you who dont know what SC2 is, maybe this will impress you and get you to buy it when the game comes to US in Agust 27th, 2003. And for those wh oare already a fan of it, what the Intro... NOW! :doitnow:

But this is my impression of the game, from what I hear and what I saw.

Game is superb... The amount of extra features numbering 83 and counting (This does not count the 200+ weapons you can unlock!). Almost all of the SC1 characters are back, and there are still rumors of Hwang and Rock being available. In fact, most of the features in SC1 have made a comeback (Survival, Extra survival, Art gallery, Museum mode, Katas, etc etc etc)

SC2's new Mission battle mode works like a hybrid between edge master mode and weapon master mode seen in Soul blade and SC1. Just like in SC2, you can pick any character to beat the Missions (unlike Soul blade where specific char had specific missions) and you get gold for successfully finishing the missions. With the gold you can purchase arts just like in SC1, or purchase extra features. Ability to purchase features become unlocked when you accomplish specific missions so you cant just buy everything without completing all the missions. Also just like in Soul blade, Weapons can be found while your completing mission battle mode, but some can be found in shops as well.

You don't fight agst main SC casts anymore like in SB or SC1. Instead of fighting agst the heros, SC2 takes an existing character and swaps their skin to create a feeling of fighting a henchmen or coomon soldier etc. For example, during missions you might encounter an AI that fights like mitsurugi but they will look like generic samurai, or you will encounter hwang but they look like assassins... etc. (this is how many beleive hwang and rock is in the game because we have seen many AIs with styles of hwang/rock). I am not so sure if you ever fight with the main heros/villains anymore, but if its so, its very rare and must be important story plot wise (unlike SC1 and SB where heros fought for like no reason or stupid ones.

)

Some of the secret characters like Mina and sophitia are almost straight off copy of SC1, meaning there arent any improvements. Whiel thats a bit of a downer, its better than not having them alone.

Heihachi is incredibly fun to play.. His dash attacks are sick!
Necrid is interesting, but he seems a bit broken. Maybe it will take some getting used to in order to use multiple character's skill together, but I found him weak. What's annoying is you tend to think of necrid as a Large Astaroth/Nightmare like character, but he uses alot of moves from smaller character like talim/taki instead, which I found odd and disorienting.

I'll post more later. And eventually when I get the game tomorrow I'll post more stuff like vids and screenshots.

If you're still reading this and havent download the intro... WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GO GET IT! :doitnow:

mactbone · March 26, 2003, 22:45

So you're saying that the opening movie you've got linked is different from whatever's in the Arcade?

I mainly just want to know what's different between the arcade version and the console. Does it feel akward on the PS2? Or did you buy one of those special arcade joystick peripherals?

CapitanGarlic · March 27, 2003, 01:29

woot! must buy!

FrustratedPoet · March 27, 2003, 07:18

Sounds excellent.

I can't wait to play this game, although we'll have to wait several months before we get it in the UK.

Zero · March 27, 2003, 23:24

Quote:

Originally posted by MacTBone
So you're saying that the opening movie you've got linked is different from whatever's in the Arcade?

I mainly just want to know what's different between the arcade version and the console. Does it feel akward on the PS2? Or did you buy one of those special arcade joystick peripherals?

Arcade intro and Console intro is DIFFERENT. The FMV wasnt in the arcade version.

As for the feel of the game, I cant really tell because game feel is so different from the first one. I havent played enough arcade to grasp the enitre feeling of how arcade EXACTLY was, but from my experience, its an exact replica of arcade with more featured.

Some say it feels faster, but I think its actually slower. Its faster in a different way. The animation is more smoother, but i think gameplay is slowed down compared to sc1 (but ur mind is constantly thinking faster).

I bought 2 officiall SC2 arcade sticks, so peripheral is near perfect, but when I tried it on ps2 controller just for the heck of it, I was surpised just how comfortable it was. It almost made me think about returning the sticks (almost.. arcade sticks still do give some edge

).

I'm currently half way thru weapon master mode. That is playing basically continously (until now.. resting ps2) as soon as I got the game. So thats alot of hours. Some of them were wasted by trying to understand the objectives of mission (text is in japanese.. thank god i took 1.5 yrs of japanese), but there was plenty of play time. And Im only half way... and we're talking just the missions, not rest of the game!

BTW, I;d like to announce that Yoshimitsu's badass level gauge has been jacked up. His kicks do such a ridiculous stun times that it really is too effective. I can just spin around like tazmanian devil and mix up a interrupt with a rising knee kick and there is basically nothing you can do about it (as long as I play smart). I'm alittle disappointed that there is a slight imbalance that allows one character have an edge, but at least its yoshimitsu who gets it.

More reasons to fear my yoshimitsu now guys..

Zero · March 27, 2003, 23:25

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
Sounds excellent.

I can't wait to play this game, although we'll have to wait several months before we get it in the UK.

you too can get ur ps2 modded (if u have a chinatown equivalent town) and join us priviledged people who are enojoying the japanese copy of sc2!

Drake Tungsten · March 27, 2003, 23:42

Quote:

More reasons to fear my yoshimitsu now guys..

0 + 1 = only one reason to fear Yoshimitsu...

Zero · March 27, 2003, 23:52

hahhahaha, it sounds like you have never seen a yoshimitsu player drake... The crazy fool should have been downgraded for console, not upgraded.. what was namco thinking?

EDIT: They also upgraded nightmare. Is namco crazy? or are they bent on unblanacing the game? I really dont care because they are BOTH my characters HAHAHAHAHAH!

anyways, i found a site listing the secret they found so far. I have only unlocked about 70, (counting some of the 200 weapons in game) and this list is EXCLUDING weapons. here are secrets we know that are in game so far.

1. Sophitia unlocked
2. Mina unlocked
3. Yoshimitsu unlocked
4. Hwang unlocked
5. Cervantes unlocked

6. Raphael's personal file
7. Raphael's embu
8. Raphael's 3P

9. Talim's Personal File
10. Talim's Embu
11. Talim's 3P

12. Yung Sung's Personal File
13. Yung Sung's Embu

14. Cassandra's Personal File
15. Cassandra's Embu
16. Cassandra's 3P

17. Mitsurugi's Personal File
18. Mitsurugi's Embu
19. Mitsurugi's 3P

20. Taki's Personal File
21. Taki's Embu
22. Taki's 3P

23. Siegfried's (?) Personal File
24. Siegfried's (?) Embu
25. Siegfried's (?) 3P

26. Nightmare's Personal File
27. Nightmare's Embu
28. Nightmare's 3P

29. Astaroth's Personal File
30. Astaroth's Embu
31. Astaroth's 3P

32. Ivy's Personal File
33. Ivy's Embu
34. Ivy's 3P

35. Kilik's Personal File
36. Kilik's Embu

37. Xianghua's Personal File
38. Xianghua's Embu
39. Xianghua's 3P

40. Maxi's Personal File
41. Maxi's Embu

42. Voldo's (?) Personal File
43. Voldo's (?) Embu

44. Heihachi's Personal File
45. Heihachi's Embu

46. Sophitia's Personal File
47. Sophitia's Embu
48. Sophitia's 3P

49. Seung Mina's Personal File
50. Seung Mina's Embu
51. Seung Mina's 3P

52. Yoshimitsu's Personal File
53. Yoshimitsu's Embu

54. Hwang's Personal File
55. Hwang's Embu

56. Cervantes' Personal File
57. Cervantes' Embu

58. Extra Arcade (Extra) unlocked
59. Extra VS Battle (Extra) unlocked
60. Extra Time Attack (Standard, Extra) unlocked
61. Extra Time Attack (Alternative, Extra) unlocked
62. Extra Time Attack (Extreme, Extra) unlocked
63. Extra Survival (Standard, Extra) unlocked
64. Extra Survival (Death Match, Extra) unlocked
65. Extra Survival (No recovery, Extra) unlocked
66. Extra Team Battle (Extra) unlocked
67. Extra Team VS Battle (Extra) unlocked
68. Extra Practice (Extra) unlocked

69. Art Gallery (Hi End) unlocked
70. Art Gallery (Illustrations) unlocked
71. Art Gallery (Special) unlocked

72. Battle Theater unlocked
73. Weapon Gallery unlocked

74. Weapon Master Opening unlocked
75. Weapon Master Ending unlocked
76. ? unlocked
77. Opening (arcade) unlocked
78. Ending (arcade) unlocked

79. New Stage unlocked
80. New Stage unlocked
81. New Stage unlocked
82. New Stage unlocked
83. New Stage unlocked

add 200 weapon we know that exist so far, and thats 283... so far! who knows how many more secret dwells in this 4GB disc game.... :excited:

CapitanGarlic · March 28, 2003, 01:06

Embu? Am I missing something, or am I just stupid?

Zero · March 28, 2003, 01:15

i think whoever wrote up the list was referring to exhibition mode (dont ask me why he abbreviated it to embu...)

DinoDoc · March 28, 2003, 13:20

3P?

Drake Tungsten · March 28, 2003, 21:27

Quote:

3P?

3rd costume...

CapitanGarlic · March 29, 2003, 00:57

I care not how much they beef Nightmare and Yoshi, I shall train with Voldo and serve up a great deal of 'ass-kick'! Hoo-Ha!

Seriously, though, I've been getting a lot better with him at the arcade. Creepy guy...good...

DinoDoc · March 29, 2003, 01:29

Quote:

Originally posted by CapitanGarlic
I care not how much they beef Nightmare and Yoshi, I shall train with Voldo and serve up a great deal of 'ass-kick'! Hoo-Ha!

I've not seen a Voldo yet that didn't fall before the might of my Nightmare.

Drake: If it means 3rd constume, why abbreviate it 3P?

Zero · March 29, 2003, 18:28

DinoDoc I can see that you're not from an arcade playing generation.... 1P 2P 3P is named this way because it means 1st player 2nd player or 3rd player... Then again, alot of console game still use the "P" so its not like its all that confusing.

Quote:

Originally posted by CapitanGarlic
I care not how much they beef Nightmare and Yoshi, I shall train with Voldo and serve up a great deal of 'ass-kick'! Hoo-Ha!

Seriously, though, I've been getting a lot better with him at the arcade. Creepy guy...good...

Voldo.... KICKS ASSS!!!! THE LANDFISH ATTACK MOVES ARE SOOOO COOL. I can probably play him 24/7 in his 3P costume. (The alien helmet with black spike suit)..

Wish you were here... (playing sc2 import with me)

DinoDoc · March 29, 2003, 19:03

What is Heihachi's ending like?

Zero · March 29, 2003, 19:50

hei's ending is pretty lame. And Im having hard time translating because of the nature of japanese text. Im illiterate when it comes to kanji(chinese characters).

Quote:

I've not seen a Voldo yet that didn't fall before the might of my Nightmare

Nightmare seems like he's been improved from the arcade. I cant really tell yet because my friends arent pushing my nightmare's skill to the limit. But I did notice some subtle difference.

Zero · March 30, 2003, 00:11

I figured out some functions on the weapons. There are some similarities in the characters weapons that you gather.

All of them have a soul edge version of their weapon. (Yoshimitsu's soul edge version being my favorite... Its a katana with an eye on the flag and veins growing all over it). It's incredibly powerful, but it drains your health over time (evil power corrupts I suppose).

Everyone has a soul calibur version of their own weapon. It heals you over time. The damage seems to be same or maybe slightly weaker.

Everyone has a weapon thats twice the size of the original. The purpose of these weapons are obvious.

Everyone has a weapon thats a total joke. For example, Nightmare has a bat that makes elephant noise when you swing them. Mina uses a mop.. etc... these weapons do virtually no damage and has no function other than for entertainment purpose or to humilate your opponent by beating them w/ it.

There are other weapons that have their own unique properties just like they did in SB. The damage rate of each is yet unidentified because there is no meters like they had in SB. So even if I translated the description of the weapon, I cant tell how good it is (even though it would say "powerful weapon") Until I use them and test all the weapons and measure them using the same attacks. And thats just power. which weapons are the fastest, gives you more defense still needs to be determined as well.

Age Old Question: Does Hei have weapon? Yes he changes his gautlets. He can acquire all sorts of gautlets including the ones I stated above which applies to him. I havent found his twice the range and joke version of his gautlets yet. But Im guessing that he will acquire something that extends his fist (kinda like voldo but no blade) for his range ones and a bare fist for the ultimate joke one.

CapitanGarlic · March 30, 2003, 00:57

What sort of 'joke weapon' does Voldo use, if I may dare to ask?

Also, I've found what I believe to be his funniest moves -- go into the Caliostro Rush (236) and do a throw. It's great just seeing him leap onto the other person's head.

I notice, when I use him at the arcade, that I use his Lunatic Wheel too much though. I'll have to break that habit...

And is the PS2 version the only one you've played yet?

Drake Tungsten · March 30, 2003, 03:47

Quote:

And Im having hard time translating because of the nature of japanese text. Im illiterate when it comes to kanji(chinese characters).

Not knowing any kanji would make it hard to read Japanese...

DinoDoc · March 30, 2003, 11:33

Quote:

Originally posted by Calc II
Everyone has a weapon thats twice the size of the original. The purpose of these weapons are obvious.

Nightmare has a weapon that gives him double the range?!?! Excellent!

Quote:

All of them have a soul edge version of their weapon.

What about the characters that already have the Soul Edge?

Zero · March 30, 2003, 22:18

Quote:

Originally posted by DinoDoc

Nightmare has a weapon that gives him double the range?!?! Excellent!

Kilik's is the worst. as well as Ivy's. They shouldnt have 2x range weapon. (Hei's makes barely any difference

)

Quote:

All of them have a soul edge version of their weapon.

What about the characters that already have the Soul Edge?

They play the SF game with words. Ya kno, how evil characters in SF have the "Shin" version? Nightmare gets the Shin soul edge... I guess it COULD make sense story plot wise because in sc2, his sword's power has been weakened....

Zero · March 30, 2003, 22:21

MacT, I'd like to request to take down those old crappy videos and host new ones. I will go play SC2 w/ my friends and record some smokin' battle actions and perhaps demonstrate my new CRAZY~ taki and yoshimitsu. Also, I made a music video on SC2 and Im uploading it right now, if your interested in checking it out. If you could, I'd like to ask you to host that one too.

DinoDoc · March 30, 2003, 22:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Calc II
I will go play SC2 w/ my friends and record some smokin' battle actions and perhaps demonstrate my new CRAZY~ taki and yoshimitsu.

Can you do Nightmare as well?

DinoDoc · March 30, 2003, 22:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Calc II
I guess it COULD make sense story plot wise because in sc2, his sword's power has been weakened....

How do you explain Cervantes then?

Drake Tungsten · March 30, 2003, 22:45

I want to see Mitsurugi!

Zero · March 31, 2003, 01:09

I plan to show a few things in my next upcoming vids:

My Yoshi, Taki and Nightmare (they are my main)... Taki will focus on her crazy posession charges (PORC) and Im gonna try to demonstarate how to use nightmares stance changes.. yoshi will be just yoshi.. need I say more?

(I'll show you some of his Tekken exclusive moves, where he mimics tekken characters in SC2)

My revised Mitsurugi and cervantes, based on changes in SC2. Mitsurugi seems a bit weaker, but he's still got his main ingredient. Cervantes also feels like he's toned down too, but still is a solid character.

And New Voldo tricks in SC2. I consider him one of the leet characters now.

CapitanGarlic · March 31, 2003, 01:11

I've been creeped out of my wits just recently.

Anyone with an IQ higher than a houseplant knows by now that I'm a Voldo freak. Well, I was looking at his bio at Soulcalibur.com earlier and found a few things that scare me:

-he's as tall as me
-he weighs as much as me
-he has the same blood type as me
and
-he has the same birthday as me

I'm just going to hide in the corner whimpering now...

Zero · March 31, 2003, 01:12

Quote:

Originally posted by DinoDoc

How do you explain Cervantes then?

cervantes doesnt have the soul edge. He has a fragment of a soul edge which is keeping his soul alive and is using to give birth to a new soul edge. (much like nightmare trying to revive his dying sword)

Zero · March 31, 2003, 01:13

Quote:

Originally posted by CapitanGarlic
I've been creeped out of my wits just recently.

Anyone with an IQ higher than a houseplant knows by now that I'm a Voldo freak. Well, I was looking at his bio at Soulcalibur.com earlier and found a few things that scare me:

-he's as tall as me
-he weighs as much as me
-he has the same blood type as me
and
-he has the same birthday as me

I'm just going to hide in the corner whimpering now...

You must be super cool then... but hated by guys because your fashion sense inst on par with normal males.