Soulcalibur II is usually regarded by many fans as the best in the series. The game was released back in 2003 for the Xbox, PS2 and Gamecube. All three versions of the game were critically acclaimed and even though more Soulcalibur have been released, many people still love playing this one.
Soulcalibur II garnered a lot of interest back in 2003 because of the special guest fighters that were included. The PS2 got Heihachi from the Tekken series, Xbox owners got comic book anti-hero Spawn while the Gamecube version got Nintendo’s Link from the Legend of Zelda games. Thankfully Soulcalibur II HD includes both Heihachi and Spawn so you can have double the fun. Sadly, only Link is missing since this re-release is only available on the PS3 and Xbox 360.
The fact that Link isn’t available in Soul Calibur II HD Online isn’t a huge blow because this re-release is still very fun to play as the core gameplay has been left untouched. All the modes that you loved in the original game are included so you won’t be missing out on anything. Apart from Link, all of the unlockable characters are here as well as the Museum mode where you can view like character profiles and artwork are still here too. If you were scared this HD version would be watered down, don’t be as this is Soulcalibur II just as you remembered ten years ago.
The major difference that fans will notice is of course the HD graphics. There have been a lot of HD remakes over the years, and some games pretty much look the same. This isn’t the case for Soulcalibur II HD Online as the game looks absolutely stunning in high definition. The colors are very vivid and the character models look highly detailed and appear much smoother in this version too. The stages look lovely too and the widescreen presentation allows you to see more of your surroundings too. This makes it easier for you to avoid getting those dreaded “ring-outs”.
Gameplay wise, Soulcalibur II HD Online is as faithful to the original as possibly can be. The best thing about the game is that it’s fast and the characters use all kinds of different weapons as offense. There aren’t many other weapon-based fighting games made these days so it’s a nice refreshing experience to play one with big swords and the like. The funniest thing about the game is if you’re playing as Heihachi however. He’s the only character that fights without any weapon, but he can still hold his own against all of the other fighters!
Soulcalibur II HD Online isn’t just a game where you can button mash all of the time too. Fights are usually unpredictable mainly because you’ll have to watch your footing at all times. This is because every stage in the game has “ring-outs” and if you’re close to the edge, you’ll fall to your doom. The blocking and parry system in the game is a nice touch too. Since this is a weapon-based fighting game, strategy is key to victory here. Blocking and parrying your opponent at the right time becomes crucial if you want to win in this game. Like I said before, this isn’t a game where mashing buttons can help you win…