'SoulCalibur 6' First Impressions: New Mechanics Enhance Tried-and-Tested Gameplay
"SoulCalibur 6" is coming, and Bandai Namco is letting everyone know by letting fans and media outlets have a go at their early build of the game. Fans of the series would be happy to know that the new "SoulCalibur" game is an unexpectedly balanced mix of old and new.
It has been years since the last big "SoulCalibur" game, as Gamespot reminds its readers. "SoulCalibur 5" rolled out in 2012, and Bandai Namco has since moved to developing its other titles since then.
The recent announcement of "SoulCalibur 6," then, came across as much as a revival of a forgotten series as well as a continuation of the current "SoulCalibur" games. A new team has taken over the design and development of the game, but so far, they have done a great job keeping the core gameplay intact while introducing fresh ideas.
"SoulCalibur" fans could be wary of "SoulCalibur 6," and rightly so. The spin-off games that followed "SoulCalibur 5" has not exactly been top-notch, as Trusted Reviews pointed out.
"SoulCalibur 6," however, as the new mainline continuation of the series, has more than enough polish to put those fears to rest. Even with the early build, "SoulCalibur" veterans were instantly at home even with newer consoles, and each hit and attach chain land with satisfying impact.
With this preview, two characters have been confirmed so far — Sophitia and Mitsurugi. These two have been mainstays of the series and provide a good base for what has stayed the same and what's new in the game.
Likewise, classic "SoulCalibur" stages make their return for the new installment of the series. Each familiar stage has been carefully remastered to current visual standards expected on the new consoles, although reviewers note that, perhaps, the "SoulCalibur 6" team was too faithful in the remake.
"SoulCalibur 6" is set to launch in 2018 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, with a more specific release date expected to be announced next year.