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My Personal Thoughts on Soul Calibur III :-D

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have now owned Soul Calibur 3 for several months. I have found it to be an excellent game, very exciting and it has some superb original ideas. The only thing wrong with it, in my opinion, is that when you have completed the game, you get an empty feeling,as if inside you were really living it out!

The Character Creation part is great: you can create your own amazing anime warrior within seconds, being able to alter everything from their facial features to their socks and shoes!

Chronicles of the Sword mode is really cool: I love having a small army of determined warriors at my fingertips =-D

Tales of Souls is a very deep and personal game mode, as you can learn lots about your character just by playing them. My favourite characters are Tira, Ivy and Kilik. I like Kilik because he is very emotional and feeling towards Xianghua, who he clearly adores, not to mention the fact that he is a good fighter. Ivy, I like because she is very secretive and independent as her biological father, Cervantes had her adopted by Count Valentine and his wife. Tira is my overall favourite player as her background is very sad and draws you closer to her as you play the game. Her ending is very emotional because you will either end up murdering one of Sophitia's children or you will be taken over by Soul Edge yourself, depending on whether you press the buttons or not.

All in all, Soul Calibur III is by far the best PS2 game I own, and I will soon be hunting down any Soul Calibur products!!

The squel that didn't meet its hype.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: December 04, 2005
Author: Amazon User

As much as I love the soul calibur series, I have to say this was a disappiontment compared with SC2. First of all, the exculsion of "Weapons Master" and replacing it with a horrible RPG like single-player mode was a bad move. In fact, I didn't like any of the new modes. "Chronicles of the Sword" was tragically flawed because there's really no solid storyline and NO STRATEGY what-so-ever. It's pretty much run, capture the enemy fort and dont die. The AI is unreal sometimes in battle and the mode pits you against oh lets say, since you're a level 14....we'll have you fight a level 60. Great. Have fun with that. I find myself button mashing to stay alive. The other new modes are pretty useless also unless you want to unlock the billion things there are in this game. Character creation was cool at first but without online play, there's no piont in making characters.
On the positive side, I loved the battle arenas and the new characters and outfits. Soul Calibur never fails to impress me with their unique style, characters, and fighting styles. I loved playing with Tira.
Alas, the bad out weighs the good. Clunky controls, a command list that doesnt even show you the move you are trying to make, and poor single-player additions make this game a rent, not a buy. If you have the game....sell it and go buy Resident Evil 4. If you don't, go buy Soul Calibur 2.

Namco loves Sony

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: February 03, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Notice my overall score is higher than the fun department.

Oops, did I make a mistake?

No sir I didn't.

This game is the follow up of the possibly greatest fighting franchise the game industry has yet to seen, and for the most of the parts it lived up to its name.

...yet it is somewhat disappointing in a way, but not because the game failed to deliver.

The soulcalibur team in Namco is considered to be one of the most technically acclaimed game developers in the world, and for their reputation's sake this game was nothing but the best in most parts.

The CG intro is one of the best I've seen. Graphics in game is probably to the limit of the PS2 system. Music is played by a real orchestra and is epic and breath taking. The core gameplay is still unchanged and in this case, a very good thing.

However, I find computer opponents irritating. Unlike in its prequel, in this game if you raise up the difficulty, the computers put on guard at the same time you attack, and then drop guard as soon as you let go of the guard. You perform a low attack, the computers react to it at the same time. To me, this isn't what hard difficulty means. It's humanly impossible to predict all the movements of your opponents, and because the computer acts in the way that is humanly impossible, you can never be engaged in gameplay because it is so obvious that you are not facing an opponent that is relatable to you. Even on lower difficulty, the computers pursuit the same tactic over and over again. They put on guard, and as soon as they block the first attack of your combo, they attack you. You might think thats how it is supposed to be. Please do me a favor and take out your old SC2 copy and compare them please. You'll see a difference. In this game it is always

block one hit -> attack as soon as possible

Repeat Repeat. Did I mention they try to grab you like once every 10 seconds? On harder levels you will be grabbed about 2-3 times per match on average, and even though you can neutralize the attempt by pressing an attack button at the precise moment, the opponent's lack of creativity and annoying repetitions don't serve purpose of "enjoyable experience."

Because of this obvious pattern that the computers follow, you might think fighting them will be easy, but the truth be told they are now a lot harder than ever before. For example, while I could defeat the computers on hard level in SoulCalibur2 with almost no trouble, I have more trouble fighting the computers in normal difficulty in SoulCalibur3. So I tried on easy mode one time to see, and it was as if I was in a practice mode fighting dummies. So while the easy mode is actually easier than in SoulCalibur2, the difficulty jumps up too drastically in normal mode, and it actually has 3 more difficult modes to play on.

The real issue is that while you can change settings to adjust the computers' difficulty, in main modes of the game it is set to a pre-determined difficulty, which I assume is either normal or hard. I had a lot of trouble unlocking features in the game, so I just gave up on the whole.

I was not enjoying this game one bit because it is too frustrating, mainly because I couldn't play the computers because it was either the choice of fighting retarded dummies or fighting opponents that predict my movements in humanly impossible ways, so now I don't even give an attempt to play the computers anymore. Now I only play this whenever I have company. But sometimes I wish I could enjoy playing the computers because it would be nice to unlock some bonus features after all.

It is obvious to me that the developers did not put in much effort into creating good computer AI. I am curious how could they have done that to disappoint me after doing everything else so perfect.

And last but not least, Namco should be ashamed for making this exclusive to PS2. No matter what the fan boys say, PS controller is the worst. Although I never regretted getting a free PS2 because the exclusive titles I just couldn't miss, if there are multi-platform games that I want, I always buy them for gamecube because the GC controller is way more comfortable than PS2's counterpart.

So there you have it. 4 stars for staying worthy to the best fighting franchise to date, but not 5 because AI is horrible and it is only for PS2.

Great way to kill time!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 20
Date: October 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The graphics are great, and the control is about as good as it gets for any game I've played on the PS2. I've been playing since Soulblade for the original PlayStation, and there've only been imporvements made here. You can unlock just about any of the previous characters from the old games. There's also a strategy/rpg element added in as a side game. Over all I found to be very worth owning and would recommend it for killing time by one's self or with a friend.

No amount of "skill" makes this game playable

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 6 / 17
Date: November 26, 2005
Author: Amazon User

SC3 is one of the most frustrating games I've ever seen in my life! The difficulty is INSANE!! I've had easier (and far more enjoyable) experiences with Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts and Contra! Chronicles of the Sword (very original name I might add) is flawed, way too hard, and sooooo boring. The best strategy is actually to just lose, over and over! You'll actually get MORE experience points by losing! All you get for winning a campaign is about 50,000 gold, and that MIGHT just by 3 or 4 items. And with hundreds of things to buy, you're going to be unlocking stuff until 2015. That really stinks because the AI is so cheesy and the game is so difficult that you won't want to play it more than 2-3 days at the most. Most battles go like this: Round 1, AI destroys you in under 5 seconds without even allowing you a chance to move. Round 2, you frantically mash square, square, square, square, square and win in 10 seconds without getting hit. Round 3, you try to play for real this time, but alas, you lose, because it seems the point is to just mash square if you want to win... So, if you want to get any enjoyment out of SC3, just mash square repeatedly and watch the pretty colors on the screen. Atleast I guess that's what you're supposed to do, because the AI will not give you time to do any real moves... It only gets 2 stars because of the ability to create-a-fighter. Only problem is I don't want to spend 15+ years unlocking everything just to make a decent looking character. Plus you can't even use the characters you make in anything other than the extremely crappy "quick play" and the impossible Chronicles of the Sword.

Fun yet Frustrating

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: December 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The amount of unlockables, the graphics, characters, and the in-depth creation mode for this game are amazing, but if anyone thinks they can just shoot through the quest or chronicles mode or even set the difficulty level lower...you're going to get blocked and pummeled while you're still on the ground. Some fights in this game are impossible for the average gamer, and even in chronicles when you can sic four of your players against a single AI, whose level will far outweigh yours, or be in a castle that completely demolishes your offense, you still get stomped. Chronicles is addictive, but be prepared to launch the controller around the room and curse...A LOT...Because you never know what AI you're going to be up against. One fight you don't land a hit. The next it's the complete opposite. I'm a junky for unlockables, so this game has grabbed my interest enough to endure the frustration, but you don't want to spend the countless hours mastering technique, cause there's no way to play aggressive and win, I'd say just give this a rent and reminisce about how much better SC2 was. Or sucker someone into buying SC3 for you. My advice is, if you want your money's worth and like characters with swords, get Dragon Quest 8.

A fighting game that gives you a reason to keep fighting.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: November 03, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Parents: I fully agree with the "T" for teen rating on this one. It has a couple of characters that would freak out younger kids and the controll in this game requires a bit of skill, but other than that this game is very wholesome and entertaining. No language problems, no blood. It also has an amazingly amount of replay value if you have more than one kid around the ages of 12-13.

Anyways...

I bought this game many because I heard on the grapevine that it had an awsome new feature that allowed you to create your one characters if you didn't like the ones they provided for you. As far as I know, this is the only other fighting game that has had this feature other than "Fighter Maker 2" and an almost unknown N64 game called "Deadly Arts" so such a rare feature had me instantly after this game. As it turns out, the ability to create your own fighters was of far better quality than ether of the games I previously mentioned, in fact I saw very few things that they could have improved with it. It was true that you could not design your moves from scratch like in "Fighter Maker 2" but there was enough of a veriety to choose from that it didn't really matter. In every other aspect (such as armor customisation, ect.) this allows the most custmization that I've ever seen and you can unlock even more options as you play through the game.

Unlocking goodies is a huge part of the game as well. Hidden characters, mission, job classes, weapons, armor,modes of play, levels, extras features,ect. are all stuffed into this game. Some say this is a plus, some say it's a minus. But I honestly cannot see the minus, expectially since it's one of the features that intregue you enough to keep playing.

The game starts pretty bare bones with almost nothing except four main modes of play. A Story Mode for the premade characters, a create a character story mode, a tournement mode and a mission mode. The VS modes have to be unlocked, but since it only took me five minutes to unlock most of them I wasn't bothered that they were there right away.

Tales of Souls (Story mode)

This is your basic one player mode, but with a new twist. The players can make choices between fights that decide the battles they will fight next. Sort of a choose your own adventure type thing. If you takes certian routes with different characters, you can unlock quite a bit in this mode, usually other main characters and levels.

Chronicoles of the Sword (Create a Character Story mode)

This mode is brand spanking new to anyone who has ever play a fighting game. To be blunt it is such an amazingly new and fun concept, that I can't imagine why nobody came up with this sooner. In essence it's a fusion between a basic tatics game and a fighter game. You started out by designing a main character and picking a job class that determines your character's initial fighting style. After your done you get a little story about how your a soldier in a war to save blah blah kingdom. From there you can can pick a unit type for your character that determains how he of she levels up in states as you continue later on. You can also create a subordinate if you want to or just use the ones the story provides. After you think your all set select "sortie" and you start a battle.

Now, if you never seen or played a tactics game like "Ogre Battle" before you will be a bit stumped in the begining. You'll be thinking things like: Why is everybody tiny on a map? This isn't an RPG! But don't worry the fighting is deffinatly there. That's why this mode is so unique, is has a little bit of everything for everybody. Like a tactics game you have to deffeat the enemy's stonghold boss and all his minion while protecting your own (The Tactics part). But whenever your units bump into other units or distroy the bases with units inside you have the option to fight them and vice versa (The Fighting part). Whenever you when, you'll get experience points that will gradually get you even stronger stats as a fighter and if you manage to be down the Stronghold boss and beat the level you'll get gold and unlock new techique and weapons you can buy at the shop to further improve your fighter before you continue to the next level to continue the story(The RPG part). If you like to play video games of all kinds this will blow you away with pleasure. However if your not good at ether fighting games or have the charaistic impatients of JUST a hard core fighter, this might take some getting used too...but it is fun for everbody in the end. The mode is also the fastist way to unlock stuff.


Soul Arena (Mission Mode/1 Player Survival Mode)

In this area there are goals you must do to actually when the fight. If you've ever played Super Smash Bros you'll know what I'm talking about. They're will be odd twists and challenge you have to do while you fight. It's an odd mode, but loads of fun.You can also enter a survival type game where you fight till you drop.

World Competition (Tourniment Mode)

You can set up tourniments in this mode. There is a VS version and a one player version. It's kind of basic.

VS mode

This is unlockable, but initially it's not there. Don't freak out though, it's easy to unlock so you'll be bashing you freind's heads in before you know it. This mode is a basic for multiplayer action.
------------

Anyway, There still whole buch of stuff me and my family have unlocked yet that are still hidden away, but these are your basic features the you get almost immediently. I strongly recommmend this game to anybody and everybody that is old enough to handel it's complexity. This game is absolutally amazing.

Critics Reviews-----Ahh Screw em This Game is amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 7
Date: October 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game a few days ago on the 25th when it came out. I usually get games that get about a 9 outta 10 from critics. This one got about an 8.5 in all average.
WELL THATS A LIE.
This game is at least a 9.5
Everything about it is great and the new modes are entertaining and addictive.
Everyone gave soul calibur 2 a great review. When i got it it got old after a few days. Single and Multiplayer is boring.

SOUL CALIBUR 3 is a completely different story. There is so many characters and items to unlike. Trailers for different games, demos. All that stuff.
Well most importantly the new modes are great.
The story mode (TAle of souls) is very in depth and isnt just an arcade mode like most other games. It has different scenes where you can choose whatever you want to do.
The new modes are Chronicle of swords which is what the devolopers obviously focused most on.
To be honest it does not look great, require much strategy and doesnt have much a purpose but "OH IT IS ENTERTAINING". Whenever i have the time to play it keeps me busy all the way through. Its a crappy verson of final fantasy tactics, except with real fighting battles. You get a whole squad of people and your main character in WHICH YOU GET TO CREATE. JUST LIKE IN A SPORTS GAme!
The character creation mode has just about everything you could want. The only and serious flaws it has is that you can not adjust the height and Weight for the characters. It is already set for you and you can not change it around. You have several classes you want them to be such as a clown ninja and barbarian and about 5 more that i dont remember. It is great though and If it becomes more detailed than it will become even better.

THERE are tons of unlockables, more than neccessary such as cinematics, other game trailers and all that stuff. Special items, weapons, game demos and all that stuff.

ANYWAYS IM TIRED SO ILL WRAP THIS UP.
IF YOU LIKe fighting or action games than this is a must buy.

Graphics-9/10
Sound-9.5/10
Gameplay-9.5/10
Value-9.5/10

OVERALL THIS IS A 9.5! BUY It

PEACE THIS IS A JWILLIE REVIEW

A Fan since Soul Blade.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 7
Date: November 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I bought Soul Calibur 3 because I am a fan of the series. I am so glad it has gone exculsive on PS2 (my fave console system)!!

The game is fantastic; to being able to create your own characters with hundreds of various outfits and accessories, to choosing your own way in the story mode and even to bringing your custom character to become the ultimate swordsman.

As usual - sorry Yaoi and Bishonen fans, the girls are still disguisting and revealing all skin they can (especially the shop girls). It was a huge disappointment for me and not only that but it disguisted me as well.

But what makes up for it? Seeing Siegfried make his grand and gorgeous return!! *fans self* god that blond is hot!

The good thing is, creating your own character, you can make any Bishonen wear a dress or nothing at all and go into a battle with his undies showing with any movement. Though the boys don't even come close to some of things the girls are seen to wear, but you can ignore them.

The gameplay is smooth. The annoying thing is the loading time, but its forgivable for such a great game.

If you like beat-em-ups and love extras, Soul Calibur 3 is the way to go. Not only does it have a Warcraft like game but it also contains different beat-em-up missions that involve doing different things (eg. like collecting coins).

You can buy Items (Illustrations, Movies, Demos, Extra Options), Armor (Clothing for your Custom Character) and Weapons (For your Custom Character and Main Characters).

The best fighting game ever made.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: January 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Simply put this is the best fighting game on any platform to date. Just as Tekken has gone vastly downhill and is a dying franchise soul calibur has taken its time to release only 4 games (one was a saturn port), yet each has been better than the last. It has rightly gotten great reviews, and sold past the magic million mark easily.

The main character stories have been even more improved and are now called tales of the soul. You travel on a world map and can make different choices depending on who you meet and what you do. There are also fully animated cutscene endings for all the characters, along with different outcomes depending on how you do and if you take certain actions. E.g A character in a scene might launch a giant cog at you and up flashes the button press you need to make to avoid it (like resident evil 4). The whole experience is very polished and its only part of the whole package. Superb.

There is a challenge section where you can face giant greek gods or race to collect coins. I won't spoil them as some are very inventive and they never feel like "space fillers".

A major part of soul calibur 3 is the chronicles of the sword mode mode. This is like an rpg with weapon and armour collection and party members. You play a young recruit in a vast army who though his/her actions can shape the world and history. It's very well made and there is lots to do in it. You can attack the enemy strongholds in groups or switch to vs mode and fight enemies in traditional soul calibur matches. You issue orders to knights, ninjas, infantry etc and many famous SC characters make an appearance. It's a big improvement on the weapon master mode of part 2. Top class. Did I mention that you create your own character with so much variety it puts most PC rpgs to shame, you can chose their class, their wardrobe (hundreds of items), their weapons, even down to eye colour and hundreds of shades to pick.

There's a great tutorial, a large tournament mode for various trophies as well as the excellent shops to buy weapons, armour and items from (all stafed by very attractive women!). An art gallery, exibition theater.....etc..etc. This will last you months and months.

9/10

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