TGS 2011: Soul Calibur V

See more impressions afer the jump:

I started playing in Soul Calibur leagues in Madison Wisconsin WAY back in 2003 when Soul Calibur II was all the rage across multiple platforms — kind of a big deal at the time, and included… sigh… a Todd McFarlane character, BUT ALSO Link from Legend of Zelda! The game also started a trend of adding third-party characters, including Darth Vader and Yoda in Soul Calibur IV.

(Speaking of which, Ezio from Assassin’s Creed has been confirmed for Soul Calibur V.)

I’ve been playing ever since, though not as much as in those halcyon days. Characters have grown and changed, but none moreso here where quite a bit of time has passed. Original characters have gotten older or died, and their heirs and proteges are slowly filling their place.

But everyone I’ve talked to said the series peaked with II, and Namco seems to have taken this into account. The gameplay is a bit more like that now-classic (although it hasn’t varied ALL that much in the intervening years), and so far the character list shakeup seems interesting — although I know one person who’s pretty keen on knowing for sure whether or not Talim is still playable.

If you’re interested in honing your skills or see more Soul Calibur V news, head over to the community at 8wayrun.com. If you’re also looking to find people to play with in your area, I’m sure they can hook you up!