Soulcalibur IV, the latest in Namco Bandai's stellar weapons-based fighting series, has something for everyone. A diverse mix characters, a roster that includes voluptuous ladies, a barnacle crusted pirate and even a JEDI master, offer unique styles of play that'll satisfy newcomers hoping to button mash their way to victory and hardcore fanatics looking to master every facet of the game. No matter which path you choose, you'll enjoy everything this epic 3-D brawler has to offer, from the climactic battles to the gorgeous scenery and special effects.

Fighting games are only as good as their rosters, and in this regard, Soulcalibur IV doesn't disappoint. You have 34 combatants to choose from, each with a signature weapon and personality. Noble warriors, like the samurai sword carrying Mitsurugi and the lance-thrusting newcomer, Hilde, are an excellent contrast to Astaroth's brute force or Maxi's wild nunchuks. In addition, all of the women are voluptuous and sport heaving breasts, so if all you care about are boob physics, Soul Calibur IV is your best friend.

Its biggest additions, however, are The Apprentice from LucasArts' upcoming Star Wars game, The Force Unleashed, JEDI master Yoda (Xbox 360 version) and Sith Lord Darth Vader (PlayStation 3 version, though he will appear in the 360 game via downloadable content). Each combatant offers a unique though imperfect experience, though hardcore Star Wars fanatics won't care. Whereas Yoda is too short to grab other combatants and a cheap fighter overall, Vader is slow and susceptible to quick strikes. It's the Apprentice that is the most balanced of the three, with a solid combination of speed and power. All three characters, however, have a unique Force Gauge that allows them to channel the Force. Powered by the Forces, players strike their foes with lightning and levitate them around the playfield. Since it depletes quickly (and leaves them temporarily vulnerable), it doesn't give these characters an unfair advantage over their adversaries.

No matter whom you choose, you'll thoroughly enjoy the game's brutal combat. Weapons collide, producing sparks and beams of light, punishing grabs result in twisted necks and broken bones, while 360 degrees of movement lets you skillfully avoid attacks and retaliate accordingly, whether that involves a blade to the throat or simply flinging your opponent outside the ring. We're also fond of the Soul Gauge, which prevents players from excessive blocking. The more they defend, the darker the gauge becomes, going from a bright green to a dangerous red. Once that happens, they enter Soul Crush, a weakened state that enables you to break their armor (sorry, none of the women get naked). If you feel especially devious, a one-hit kill Critical Finish is especially satisfying.

Like previous Soulcalibur games, SCIV has a few single player modes that'll keep you busy. Arcade is your standard issue, eight-round event, Story offers unique tales for each of the game's characters and Tower of Souls lets you ascend or descend 60 floors of opponents with varying conditions, such as 1 vs. 4 or 2 vs. 3. These modes, unfortunately, prove to be little more than time wasters. Story reuses many of the same cut scenes while swapping characters, and Tower of Souls gets old after a few battles. You do, however, earn gold as you play, which is used to unlock characters as well artwork in the game's Museum. Excessive playing also nets you goodies to use in Character Creation, by far Soulcalibur IV's most enjoyable mode.

They aren't JEDI, but Darth Vader (PS3 exclusive) has no trouble killing lizards, pirates and Elvis impersonators.

Here, you build your own warrior from the ground up, selecting their fighting style and outfitting them with weapons and clothes, from giant swords to leather boots to creepy masks. Then you take these characters and play through the single and multiplayer modes, battling friends locally or through Xbox Live/PlayStation Network.

Yes, Soulcalibur IV features online play for ranked and unranked matches, and while it's flawed, you'll waste hours challenging people from across the globe and leveling up your fighter with successive victories (and losses at a much slower pace). Seeing other people's creations is cool, and it's always fun laying the smack down on someone. That said, the game's Quick Match feature doesn't search for opponents of equal skill. Several times, our level one character fought against a level 15 and was quickly flattened. At least you can create a custom match for players at level 10 and below.

If anything needs fixing, though, it's the lag. It's not uncommon for the game to pause mid bout for several seconds. All you can do is block or mash buttons and hope you come out as the victor. As with most online games, connection strength on both sides plays a huge factor, and we hope that if there are issues, that Namco Bandai fixes them.

What it can't fix is the juggling, where the computer (or you if you're evil), continue to attack a helpless opponent mid-air. This proves especially frustrating while battling the artificial intelligence, where the final boss, Algol, can kill you in seconds. You must also be on the defensive whenever you have an opponent on the ropes, since the AI loves mounting ridiculous comebacks.

Yoda (Xbox 360 exclusive) is too short to grab and most of his basic attacks do little damage. Use the Force.

On that note, we're willing to excuse most of these complaints, simply because Soulcalibur IV looks amazing. Each character sports phenomenal detail, including Yoda's flowing robe, Ivy's bouncing breasts and Nightmare's battle scarred armor. They square off within the game's gorgeous arenas, a diverse mix of stages that take place on a busted ship, a war room with soldiers riding horses down the mountainside and for Star Wars fans, a Star Destroyer with TIE Fighters screaming past. And for tech junkies, both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions look identical, though the latter installs to the hard drive for speedier load times. A difference of a few seconds, though, makes this a non-issue.

Complimenting this visual feast is the impressive audio, a delightful mixture of sword clashes and a soundtrack that gets our combative juices flowing. The English voices are cheesy, but switching it to the Japanese actors solves that issue. Besides, we love listening to a Japanese Yoda.

All of this combines to form one of the most enjoyable fighting games in history, a punishing romp through the ages where swords and souls collide. Sure, it has flaws, but Soulcalibur IV's thrilling fights, competitive online mode and bounty of extras thrusts it to the very top of our must play list. No matter which version you choose, your soul still burns.

Related Links

Soul Calibur IV Xbox 360 Game Guide

Soul Calibur IV PS3 Game Guide

Our Final ScoreGood

What did you think of this game? Post Your Own Review