Soul Edge. Soul Calibur. And now its sequel. Although a description of the series could easily be summed up in 3 words namely "Tekken with weapons", this would be an immense disservice to the fan base and popularity it has achieved in the few years it has been around. Namco's other take on the fighting genre could be regarded as having actually caught up with and surpassed the original aspirations they took on when releasing the first Tekken game. As this is the first game in the series to be released on all current major platforms of the time, how well have Namco achieved the conversion?

Booting up the disc starts off with the ubiquitous, and in this case lengthy, introductory FMV sequence. Normally this is something that is skipped over or considered superfluous, but here it is actually worth watching. Not only is the picture quality immaculate (with no apparent compression, unlike most Gamecube FMV), it also introduces all the main characters and has a real film like sound quality to it.

In the beginning there are not many options to choose from. Almost all of the rest are unlocked using the conversion exclusive Weapons Master mode, which will be covered in more depth later. Many of the ubiquitous choices you'd expect in a fighting game are present and correct, such as Arcade Mode, Vs Battle, Team Battle and Time Battle. Survival modes come in many flavours, ranging from basic "win a round to continue", up to "no energy refresh" and even "one hit kills". Along the way, performing especially well in certain sections will unlock more features for use. The "extra" option allows the use of bonus weapons that have been either unlocked or bought throughout the game, which can allow each player to tailor their fighting style even more. All of these options are in English so there should be no problem navigation and selection wise. For details on the actual combat system, please refer to the Xbox review of the game also available.

Weapons Master mode is what essentially replaces Conquest mode from the arcade machine, but this is a completely new and different section of the game that can and will test players' proper fighting skills. And their patience from time to time. There are a number of different chapters that progress along with a plot, much like playing through an interactive story (but with all the text sadly in Japanese), with varying numbers of stages within. Often, the object is to defeat the opponent in said stage, but occasionally things aren't quite as they appear. The range of objectives are varied and include one vs many; hot potato (whoever was hit last when the time runs out loses); damage only when in the air; knockdown blasts; must ring out; and must guard parry amongst others. There are also "dungeons", wherein a route must be chosen through a possible maze, fighting along the way until finding the boss at the end. Some of these stages are incredibly unfair from time to time, so cheap tactics are for once actually encouraged in trying to beat them! Completing stages earns both experience points and money, which can be used to finance the purchase of new weapons, extra costumes, weapon kata sequences, extra game modes and locations. Certain chapters are only opened upon completion of certain criteria and to get everything in the game, you will need to beat each stage at least twice. You have the freedom of choice for the character and weapon to use in each stage so a lot of mixing, matching and experimentation can ensue.

Graphically, the game is utterly superb. It is not only as good as the proper arcade machine, it actually surpasses it in many ways. Character models are all high-count polygons, and the textures just seem right and proper with nary a bad colour or map out of place. Given the outstanding range of moves available for each character, this aspect must take up a lot of memory. There are occasional jaggies, but these are practically unnoticeable unless you really look for them. Clipping also occurs when a fighter is backed onto a wall, however in fairness this criticism can be levelled at most fighting games to some degree. Even with all this graphical detail to consider, loading times are incredibly short. The balance and weight of each particular weapon has been captured with real life physics in mind, with the added flash of colour and impact when they are swung or make contact. The fighting arenas are occasionally spartan, but are detailed to the hilt and each requires a slight shift in tactics to take advantage of the features. Areas such as the abandoned cathedral (as Link's stage) and the cherry orchard are sights to behold. Sometimes you only get to notice such attention to detail when watching other people play. Namco has also been wise to include a widescreen option for the display mode for those with compatible TVs, and the ability to align parts of the status display around the screen.

Score wise, each location has its own theme, though especially for the Gamecube version, there is a separate tune for Link, the classic Zelda theme well known and loved. Namco have managed to capture the positive essence of the track which makes it one of the standout pieces in the game. Most of the time the aural soundtrack may be zoned out due to concentration, and it is a small pity that there is no traditional sound test option to hear these well-crafted pieces. Nevertheless, each stage is given character by the music within, such as a more peaceful harmony for the Japanese courtyard or more classic dance for Raphael.

Character voices, sadly, are limited to various screams of pain, exertion or taunting on the loading screen (all in Japanese naturally) but are sufficiently different and wide-ranging to avoid repetition and confusion. Even though some characters are voiced by the same person, each has its own personality and distinct tone. Weapon effects, like the rest of the sound, are suitably polished and professional, each weapon seemingly having its own twang and frequency as it slices through the air. Most noticeably with Maxi as his nunchukas are going all over the place a lot of the time, and is wholly reminiscent of listening to a Bruce Lee film, it's that accurate.

Before getting to the end of the assessment, some words about two potential bugbears that people had before this version of the game was released. Namely Link and the Gamecube pad. Out of any of the "exclusive" fighters available, Link seems to have garnered the most comment and criticism for inclusion. Which is strange as of the three, he is the most applicable for inclusion given he's a known weapon using fighter and (mostly) humanoid to boot. Cynical marketing by Namco? You can decide for yourself. Nonetheless, Link within the game is a competent character to use, with a range of familiar moves tailored to the Soul Calibur engine. Moves such as the spin attack, rising sword and the projectiles are all present and correct. Said projectile moves are not really broken, despite what comment may be said. For the most part, they are fairly easy to dodge and only properly work within the confines of a combo. Actually in conclusion, he is a very good character for beginners to the game to use and master. As for the Gamecube pad, it is also not that bad to use. Full mapping is allowed on the buttons so the layout can be tailored to any combination, with the C stick pre-assigned to activate any of the double button presses and Soul Charge. Getting all the buttons pressed with the thumb isn't too tricky and the guarding is simple enough on the shoulder triggers. Sure, it isn't as ideal or good as a proper arcade stick, but it is usable at least.

So how does it all hang together? The Soul Calibur series has been one that can not only encourage and be friendly towards new players in its easy-to-pick-up nature, but also have the depth and long-term improvement potential that dedicated combatants can pursue. Whilst the sequel here is not such a huge leap over the original, what it sets out to do it does very well. Most characters have had their moves list tidied up a bit, a few tweaks here and there plus a few new surprises thrown into the mix. The five "hidden" characters are welcome additions and whilst some players miss originals such as Lizardman and Rock, there is more than enough choice to keep people practicing for ages to come. The bonus weapons, whilst intentionally providing the same function, do add their own small tweaks to proceedings with some having a wider range, added damage value, or penalising the player energy wise for using them for example.

The computer AI is decent enough given time and practice. On anything below the top couple of levels, it is mostly a pushover to defeat in arcade mode (barring Inferno) but surprisingly harder by comparison in Weapons Master mode. Once the difficulty is pushed right up, the challenge really does begin, as in some ways the computer is able to counter, block and parry far better than any human could ever hope to achieve. A real test of mettle here. Naturally, the most enjoyment from the title is when playing against another human, for there are so many tactics, strategies and tricks a computer could never pull off. No two battles are ever the same, something new always seems to crop up each time. It is the essence of fun, dedication and competition that causes players to continue competing and hoping to get better. Especially the fun part, for new players can try everything out without knowing beforehand what any action is going to produce. The game has the whole package needed to be considered a classic, and the long term depth of perfection to make sure the disc will still be put into the Cube for months to come.

In conclusion, a top quality fighting game for the Cube and not before time either...