[eXo]

I have taken the time to compile as much information regarding Soul Calibur IV as possible as a covenience to my fellow PSOW members as well as myself i sincerely hope that you find this thread informative as well as resourceful. As Soul Calibur IV draws closer to release this thread will be updated with more information as it becomes available I strongly encourage all of you to contribute your Soul Calibur IV information to my thread or PM it directly to me if you wish. But in doing so my only request is that you please adhere to the PSOW Forum Rules and that you keep all post and information on topic so that those of us that are fans of the series will have a spam free enviorment to discuss the game and hopefully upon release advanced strategies & tactics. Thank you very much in advance for your cooperation it's greatly appreciated. ~ eXo ~

Developed By: Project Souls
Published By: Namco Bandai
Genre: Fighter
Number of Players: 1-2
Online: Yes
Release Date: July 29th, 2008
Resolution: 720p
PS 3 HDD Install: 2.6GB (2MB Save File)

Box Art:


GENERAL INFORMATION :

Technical Info:

As said previously, Soul Calibur IV be locked at 60fps & 720p (60fps was their goal so they weren't going to sacrifice it for resolution).


New Additions / Improvements Info:

• Based on the 'design flow' of Soul Calibur II
  
• Stages will be much larger than before and be more interactive
  
• Ring Outs will be less common as this is something the developers want to cut down on
  
• Tower of Caliaga challenges players to customize their characters to take on new quests and enemies of different capabilites
• New features to the battle system, Active Matching Battle (AMB) introduces life points in the place of winning rounds. While Critical strikes allow players to pull off huge devastating finishing moves to round out new system offerings.
• All new and enhanced character creation mode that allows the player to build their own custom fighters by choosing weapon style and costume types. Each item chosen now provides specific attributes to further the customization and add strategy in the battles.
  
• New and Improved 'Create a Soul / Character'
  
• Customizations will have an effect on gameplay
• Created Characters can be traded online
• Chronicles of the Sword mode will not be included but will be replaced with a new mode
• Health Gauge will be changed
• 'Guard Impact' is back
• Features huge movesets unique to each character's individual fighting style with some having as many as 4 stances and up to 10 weapon variations
• When asked about other Star Wars characters making it into the game, a LucasArts rep said 'Quite Possibly'.
• Every character has 2 selectable outfits besides Vader (he only has his trademark outfit).
• Armor can be broken off at 3 different levels (High, Mid, Low).
• Broken armor can be kicked around (thanks to the Havok physics system).
• The 'Armor' system makes use of a 'Soul Gauge.
• The 'Soul' gauge was implemented to force players to play 'aggresively'.
• 'Soul' gauge changes color over time after successful hits.
• When the 'Soul' gauge turns Red, you are able to execute a 'Critical Finish'.
• If 'Critical Finish' connects, will cause an 'Instant Death' regardless of opponent's health.
• 'Critical Finish' is executed by a 'simple' 'Up, Down, and Kick combo'.
• 'Critical Finish' is delivered in a 'devastating cutscene animation'.

Online Details

• Online will be handled by the same team that worked on Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection's online component. T5DR was a test round for both Soul Calibur IV and Tekken 6 to help produce a lag-free experience for both titles
• Uses a 'Active Matching BattleSystem' (AMB).
• AMB works as a kind of 'King of the Hill'.
• Gauge at bottom of the screen will tell you who is up to fight
• You begin with 199 seconds on the timer.
• When an opponent is defeated, they are kicked to the back of the gauge.
• Timer keeps ticking down limiting their chance to get another go.
• Staying in is going to be tough as you don't replenish health when a new opponent enters.
  Will replenish health if you've knocked out enough people (isn't entirely clear as to how many or if it's when you start back at person 1).
• You will be begin the next round where you were on the previous (on the edge for instance) which can have the next opponent ring you out.

Darth Vader Details:

• Vader will be playable from the start.
• Vader has a second bar under his Health Gauge the represents his 'Force' power.
• Force is regained by landing successful hits on your opponent.
• If Vader uses the Force when his 'Force' gauge is empty, he'll do damage to himself.
• Lightsaber is supposed to automatically block attacks if positioned correctly.
• Vader is an exception to having armor broken off (no smacking off his helmet)

Yoda Details

• Yoda will be playable from the start.
• Yoda has a second bar under his Health Gauge the represents his 'Force' power.
• Force is regained by landing successful hits on your opponent.
• If Yoda uses the Force when his 'Force' gauge is empty, he'll do damage to himself.
• Lightsaber is supposed to automatically block attacks if positioned correctly.

RETURNING CHARACTERS

AMY


ASTAROTH


CASSANDRA


CERVANTES


IVY

-----
Ivy Isabella Valentine is from London, England. Her father was the
bloodthirsty pirate Cervantes, possessed by the Soul Edge. Learning the
cause of her foster parents' deaths, Ivy vowed to destroy the sword, but
was shocked when she learned that the blood of the thing she hated most
flowed within her own veins. Soon after this revelation, Ivy was
attacked and defeated by Cervantes. But in the moments before death,
just before her soul was absorbed, she conducted an alchemist's spell to
delay her impending demise. Using what little time she has left, she
must accomplish all she has set out to do...

KILIK


LIZARDMAN


MAXI


MITSURUGI

-----
Heishiro Mitsurugi is a 29 year-old fighter from Japan. Hailing from
samurai stock, he favors the katana as his weapon of choice.
Mitsurugi's character is wild and simple-minded; he loves to hone his
fighting skills, so much so that he has the reputation of the "rude
samurai." He seeks only to become stronger and lives to do battle -
traveling the globe, looking for a capable adversary and a good fight.
Now that there is reportedly someone capable of wielding the mighty Soul
Edge in Europe, Mitsurugi has returned from a self-imposed hiatus for
the chance to face a formidable and worthy foe. The time has come!

NIGHTMARE

-----
Nightmare's origins are long lost in the mists of time. He has existed
since ancient days as the cursed sword Soul Edge. Barely human, he is
brutal and emotionless and takes his form the ghost of a dark knight:
the final embodiment of the Soul Edge. As the sword, he has cut through
countless opponents and won many battles. He has absorbed much blood
and even more hate, eventually becoming the cursed sword that swallows
souls. Now he thirsts for even more souls to consume. The legendary
sword, Soul Edge, should itself be the best lure possible to attract
warriors to the trap...

RAPHAEL


ROCK


SEONG MI-NA


SETSUKA


SIEGFRIED

-----
Originallyy from the Holy Roman Empire, Siegfried Schtauffen's mere 23
years belie his strong sense of duty and purposeful mission to right his
previous wrongdoings. Once the wielder of the Soul Edge, he wreaked
havoc throughout the world as Nightmare, possessed by the sword. Now,
as atonement for his sins, he lives only to destroy the resurrected
Nightmare and Soul Edge. Guided by the Soul Calibur, Siegfried senses
the presence of the Soul Edge in the city of Ostreinsburg. So he heads
there. This is his battle. No one can get in his way.

SOPHITIA


TAKI


TALIM


TIRA


VOLDO


XIANGHUA


YOSHIMITSU


YUN-SEONG


ZASALAMEL

NEW CHARACTERS

ANGOL FIA *NEW*


ASHLOTTE *NEW*


HILDE *NEW*


KAMIKIRIMUSI *NEW*


SCHEHERAZADE *NEW*


SHURA *NEW*






GUEST CHARACTERS


DARTH VADER *PS3 Exclusive*


-----
Darth Vader, who converted to Sith from Jedi is a warrior well versed in
the use of lightsabers. Even after he cheated death with the aid of
mechanic limbs and life-support systems, his skills as a swordsman did
not diminish. The image of him weilding his red lightsaber, indicative
of the Sith, is a prominent symbol of the empire's terror regime.



YODA



George Lucas has intentionally kept the name of Yoda's race a secret. (Yoda, Yaddle, and Vandar Tokare are sometimes erroneously referred to as Whills, despite Lucas' insistence that they are not.) In fact, very little is reported of Yoda's life before the events of The Phantom Menace. It is speculated from the Expanded Universe that he achieved the status of Jedi Knight at the age of 50 and the rank of Jedi Master at 100.

STARKILLER

VIDEOS

Teaser
E3 2007 Trailer
CES 2008 Trailer
Extended Teaser Trailer
Namco-Bandai Editor's Day Trailer
PlayStation 3 Trailer
Japan Expo 2008 Gameplay

IMAGES

Soul Calibur Universe - Character Illustrations (Hi-Res)
Soul Calibur Universe - Screenshots (Hi-Res)
1UP Image Page
IGN Image Page
Gamespot Image Page
Famitsu Scans (7/5)
Famitsu Scan (8/9)
Gamersyde (8/16)
Games Radar
Gamersyde (5/23)



ARTICLES

Soul Calibur IV Details

While Soul Calibur Legends is the main event in this week's Famitsu, the magazine also has a teaser look at Soul Calibur IV, the Xbox 360 and PS3 sequel that will keep the focus on fighting.
SCIV is being directed by Katsuoshi Sasaki. The magazine lists the lead programmer as Masaki Hoshino. These two shared a few comments about what we can expect from the game.
The main concept of the game, Sasaki revealed, is to perfect the "cool action" for which the series is known. Sasaki and his team hope to push the boundaries in visuals, animation, sound and programming technology.
Hoshino fielded a question about 1080p support for the game. Bandai Namco is currently looking into including support for the high resolution mode. However, Hoshino feels that one area of the visuals must be maintained: sixty frames per second animation.
Legends and IV will take place in different areas of the Soul timeline Legends takes place between Soul Blade and Soul Calibur. SCIV will take place later on the time scale, focusing on the story of a father who uses the Soul Edge to become a hero. He ends up killing his own son who has taken the Soul Edge and put it to use for evil purposes. This is the focus of IV's story.
Compared to Legends, IV will have a larger cast of characters, but this is to be expected given the focus on pure combat. As for who is included in that cast, Bandai Namco has released a CG shot of just one character: Ivy.


Soul Calibur IV Goes Online

Despite online multiplayer's growth, the fighting genre has notoriously resisted embracing the feature. The Mortal Kombat series was an early pioneer, but the old dismissal that online networking isn't fast enough for the split-second timing seems to be failing -- or companies have come to terms with it. Either way, the latest issue of EGM spills the beans: Soul Calibur IV will have online networking when it arrives on PlayStation 3 in 2008.
"What's changed this time round is that the next-gen platforms have network infrastructure already in place," says Soulcalibur IV Director Katsutoshi Sasaki. "We've heard from fans that they really want the game to be online, so we figured that, with the current environment, we really couldn't make SC4 without online play."
Score one for gamers. But, with the introduction of create-a-character in Soul Calibur III and its assured revamping in Soulcalibur IV, will these customizations go to waste? "We definitely want to allow users to fight with their customized characters during online play. But we're unsure whether or not you'll be able to trade characters with friends."



Developer Hints at New Gameplay Element

Soul Calibur IV will contain a brand new feature for the bap-heavy battling series, enabling fighters to claim a win without battering down their rival's health bar.
"Now there's a gameplay element that will let you win that doesn't involve the health gauge," lead programmer Masaaki Hoshino has revealed during a feature in this month's issue of the Official PlayStation Magazine.
The mag posits one possibility as Bushido Blade-style instant kills - which sounds like a superb idea, though we agree with OPM that it could cause long-term fans muchos grief.
Hoshino tells OPM that the first screenshots, featured in the mag, give away some clues. Which has OPM suggesting that weapon-breaks, ala Soul Edge, could return. What are your guesses? Why not spurt them out on the forum?
Grab the latest issue of OPM for the Soul Calibur IV feature, on sale right now. Or, if you want another Soul Calibur fix right now, why not peruse our high-brow examination of the series' feminine competitors? There are pictures...

Soul Calibur IV Interview

We recently sat down with the Soul Calibur IV development team, had a chat about the game, and discovered that its main programmer has been with the team since the very first game, allaying any fears we may have had about whether the latest game in the series was in good hands. We spoke at length about how the new game will compare to the team's previous efforts such as Soul Calibur III -- which while popular, was generally received as an unbalanced effort -- and what players can look forward to as we learn more about IV leading up to its release next year. Bits of this interview appeared in EGM previously, but now you can enjoy the full transcript online.
======
1UP: Can you tell us about SCIV's play style? Is it more like Soul Calibur III's design, or back to the old-school, hardcore mechanics of SCII?
Katsutoshi Sasaki, director: We have returned to the design flow of SCII. SCII is the most popular and well-known, so we returned to that style here.
1UP: What's going on with SCIV's storyline now?
KS: Nightmare and Siegfried play a key role in the story this time. Both characters have absorbed the power of their blades, Soul Calibur and Soul Edge, so they're near their final forms. The spotlight is on these two characters.

TGS2007 - Soul Calibur IV Trailer and Gameplay Impressions


September 19, 2007 - The Soul Calibur franchise has provided a ton of fast paced action with its memorable characters, numerous plotlines and balanced weapon systems. At Namco's Pre-TGS press event, the latest Soul Calibur IV trailer taken direct from the game's engine was shown, which showcased new information on the upcoming title. Starting off at a giant tower, a number of familiar faces were shown, including Mitsurugi, Ivy and Taki. However, we also saw a brand new female character, covered head to toe in body armor, who admonished the characters by saying that it was their fault that calamity was being caused in the world.

This new character, Hilda, was a striking departure from the standard Soul Calibur female warriors because of the lack of skin showing in her character model. In fact, with the exception of her mouth and chin, she shows no skin whatsoever, which is a stark contrast to Ivy's busty and scanty outfits. Hilda also stands out from other characters because she wields a short sword and spear at the same time, making her adept at both long range strikes and short range combos. Of course, Cervantes has been another fighter that has dual wielded weapons before, but Hilda constantly balances her moves between distance and close quarter attacks. In fact, we noticed a number of preliminary strikes that she used to then set up quick slashes from her sword.

We found out that each weapon for Hilda is assigned to different buttons on the controller, and can be combined for different vertical and horizontal strikes, giving players a certain amount of flexibility as to how they play the character. It was still early, and many of her moves hadn't been completely included, but she seemed to be able to hold her own against many of the classic characters, who demonstrated many of their familiar attacks. Similarly, we were told that the lighting was still rather temporary and should be much more dynamic, but it still cast impressive shadows with the environmental objects and fighters. Since many of the environments will feature breakable objects like gigantic vases, it'll be interesting to see what the final elements will look like. This is especially true since many other stage details, such as rushing water in some stages, appeared to be complete.

While we were told that Hilda was the only character that the team was willing to announce at this time, there would be a number of other newcomers to the franchise, extending the battle significantly. When we asked about the possibility of exclusive characters for either the PS3 or 360, as the Soul Calibur team had done with Soul Calibur II, we were told that the team hadn't decided on doing such a move again, but that it was an interesting idea that they'd been considering. Finally, the trailer quickly came to an end after Nightmare appeared to project a massive fireball towards the screen. As the generally expected release date of sometime in 2008 came on screen, Nightmare could be overheard to growl, "The nightmare will not end."
Whether that's alluding to plans for a future title or a simple comment for his storyline wasn't clear, but it was rather apparent that with the inclusion of Hilda and other new characters, the completion of the tale of souls and swords should be rather deep. Combined with new game modes that the team wasn't willing to go into, 2008's release should provide another strong entry for the franchise. We'll have more on Soul Calibur IV as it's released.

[Syanaide]

Holy shit. I know sex sells and all, but really,*all* of the revealed new characters so far are women? Seems like there's a new girl for every fetish in this game.

[Toadthroat]

Can't wait 'till the doujins start popping up.

Also, eXo. It might help to put some of that into spoiler boxes. LARGE POST IS LARGE.

[eXo]

Yes their are a ton of female fighters this time around i personally think that this is a result of home consoles gaming formats being able to hold so much data now. But i must admit im looking forward to beating on them with Ivy

[CupOfCoffee]

Man, in spite of the complete nonsense that is including Star Wars characters (although now that I think about it, the Link/Tekken Guy/etc business didn't make much sense either), that game looks amazingly awesome. I played the absolute heck out of Soul Calibur 2, and now I'm sorta wishing I had a next-gen console.

[SpikeOtacon]

Now THAT'S an OP.

I only have a 360 but i'm planning on getting a PS3 down the road. I'm not a big fighting game person but Soul Caliber 1 on the Dreamcast was a hell of a lot of fun and I skipped out on plenty of Soul Caliber games so I might just invest in this.

[eXo]

Yes i must admit that the starwars characters are a little over the top the only character included into this series that made any sense was LINK heihachi kinda fit into the mix but the stawars thing is just way over the top i most likly will never touch either of them.

[Toadthroat]

Its not the Star Wars characters that get to me. Its all the female characters with HUGE TITS and LARGE ANIME EYES, and the weird costume designs.

[eXo]

I dont find them that appalling the influx of female characters was somewhat needed it helps to balance out the gender ratio. Right now the roster sits at 16 male characters & 16 female.

[Zorafim]

Holy hell, that's a large amount of boobies. Every character portrait have them flying out at the camera. Considering this game has one of the neatest female cast I've seen, it's funny how little they modesty they have for them.
is Sung Mina really going to have that much exposed?

I'd look forward to this game if I had a system that could run it. It looks like a pretty decent upgrade from the previous games. It's nice to see Ami back as a playable character, too.