I'm not sure that "Fresh" is the best way to describe it, but it's certainly a dammn good game. The Create a Character mode is a little rough around the edges, and the new RTS-style game mode is pretty boring, but the core gameplay is still some of the best around. Plus they get extra points for giving Yoshimitsu a flying stance.
It's really just SC 2 with some new content, but that's all I wanted.
I'm also quite amazed at how far developers have been able to push the PS2. Between this and Shadow of the Colossus, I've been enjoying plenty of eye-candy.
I think it's more a slight evolution of how Soul Calibur 2 plays.
We play Soul Calibur (on the Dreamcast) and SC3 at work and, sadly, make comparisons. We'd throw SC2 in the mix, but we don't have any copies available on hand.
Soul Calibur feels slow in comparison to SC3. The pacing is different... it just feels more responsive and quick. Soul Calibur on the DC has the old 8-way run system. And going back to it, it feels really frustrating.
It isn't consistent in the movement controlls in that pressing down makes the character crouch. Rather than move towards the camera.
The seperation of Siegfried and Nightmare was great, I thought. They're no longer simple model swaps. Siegfried plays like the old Siegried. Nightmare is now more in-your-face and agressive. Less stances, and more i'm-going-to-pound-you-into-the-ground-or-ring-you-out.
I really wish they kept some of the old outfits from SC2 as cool unlockables. Volod's purple and black outfit in 2 was the best looking Voldo outfit in the series. http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/2003/news/05/09/namcoe3/ps2xbgc_soulcalibur2_screen006.jpg
Seriously, don't tell me that isn't cool.
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EDIT: Oh and does it force you to use that godawful d-pad?
It's really just SC 2 with some new content, but that's all I wanted.
I'm also quite amazed at how far developers have been able to push the PS2. Between this and Shadow of the Colossus, I've been enjoying plenty of eye-candy.
We play Soul Calibur (on the Dreamcast) and SC3 at work and, sadly, make comparisons. We'd throw SC2 in the mix, but we don't have any copies available on hand.
Soul Calibur feels slow in comparison to SC3. The pacing is different... it just feels more responsive and quick. Soul Calibur on the DC has the old 8-way run system. And going back to it, it feels really frustrating.
It isn't consistent in the movement controlls in that pressing down makes the character crouch. Rather than move towards the camera.
The seperation of Siegfried and Nightmare was great, I thought. They're no longer simple model swaps. Siegfried plays like the old Siegried. Nightmare is now more in-your-face and agressive. Less stances, and more i'm-going-to-pound-you-into-the-ground-or-ring-you-out.
I really wish they kept some of the old outfits from SC2 as cool unlockables. Volod's purple and black outfit in 2 was the best looking Voldo outfit in the series.
http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/2003/news/05/09/namcoe3/ps2xbgc_soulcalibur2_screen006.jpg
Seriously, don't tell me that isn't cool.
It's really a lot like Soul Calibur 2.5.