SoulCalibur Review: A Superb Port- Though Pricey and Limited

App Name:	SOULCALIBUR
Platforms:	iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch
Publisher(s):	NamcoBandai Games
Version Reviewed:	1.0.0
Genre(s):	fighting
Release Date:	January 19, 2012
Price:	$11.99
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So you love Street Fighter 4 (Review) and King of Fighters (Review), but you’re wondering what’s next in your iPhone combat career… Well, if you’ve got deep enough pockets and can overlook a missing multiplayer mode, then you’ve got your answer.

SoulCalibur has sauntered into the App Store arena in a big way, offering a beautiful 3D fighting experience that can really take you to another place. Having debuted on consoles with the Sega Dreamcast, the developers managed a pretty seamless transition in bringing it to the iPhone. That means we not only get a game that looks great, but also one that controls in such a way that it’s very easy to forget you’re using a touchscreen device with a screen size under four inches.

One of the biggest complaints arising from SoulCalibur’s early days in the App Store is the inexplicable absence of a multiplayer mode. But instead of harping on that point, let’s move on to what modes ARE available in this port. Whether or not you’re familiar with the franchise, I recommend starting with arcade mode. It’s here where you can pick a fighter and get comfortable with the control scheme. You’ll also be introduced to the rest of the cast as you tinker around (it’s pretty easy on the default difficulty), and from there you’ll have a better idea of which fighter to choose as you move on into modes like time attack, survival, extra survival, or just practice.

If you’ve played other iOS fighters, then you know what to expect when it comes to controls. A virtual stick is positioned in the lower left corner of the screen, while your attack/guard buttons are on the right. Some slight tweaks (positioning/transparency) can be made to this arrangement in the controller settings… While nothing about the controls is terribly innovative, it’s their responsiveness that earns high marks.

So you’ve picked a fighter and you know what you’re doing in the ring, now lets talk about where these fights will take place. SoulCalibur doesn’t just boast great-looking player models, but it also comes with a host of fully realized environments that are, in some cases, jaw dropping. Nothing is held back in terms of visuals, and I’m continually impressed with how smoothly the whole thing performs.

… But back to that unfortunate multiplayer issue. SoulCalibur is one of those games that is—without a doubt—best enjoyed with a friend. The fact that it’s linked in with Game Center and the developer has promised more game modes in the future makes it a near certainty that multiplayer is on the way, but paying $11.99 sans that option will be hard to swallow for some. Maybe look at this pre-multiplayer era as your time to train and prepare for the intense battles that are to come. That’s the best justification I can offer—because what’s here is too good to write off.

The only other detraction to note is in the user interface elements. While navigating menus and making selections, you’ll too often find that the type is too small and the distinctions between what you’re tapping are imperceptible. Maybe my fingers are getting fat, or maybe this is a pretty obvious flaw that somehow snuck past the developers in version 1.0.

If SoulCalibur hit the App Store a number of years ago, every iOS gamer would be paying $11.99 for this excellent 3D fighter, no questions asked.  But it’s 2012, and there are several great fighters already existence, some of which offer even more features than SoulCalibur—and at a far lower price… Be that as it may, this is a gorgeous game with fluid controls and a decent foundation of gameplay modes. That’s not bad at all. It will just take an update or two before we can encourage you to make the hefty purchase with no caveats whatsoever.

Our Score: 4 Out of 5

About the Author

Devin Wieland

 

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