Tekken’s Weapon-Based Characters Makes Me Miss Soulcalibur

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Tekken 8, one of the highly praised fighting games from last year, has taken an unexpected turn by introducing a cosmetic store that operates with real money only. This shift has made the game’s journey quite a rollercoaster ride for its fans, who likely have mixed feelings about this development.

Instead of pondering over balance tweaks and pricey outfits, my mind keeps wandering to the thought of how fantastic Clive from Final Fantasy XVI would be if he graced the arena in a Soulcalibur game.

It’s not only about Clive; even Noctis, who was introduced in Tekken 7 with some overpowered moves, is a character that fans remember. While he was an exciting addition to the game, many people believed he would have been more fitting in a Street Fighter game. Fortunately, the franchise was still active then, and though fans didn’t get Noctis, they did receive 2B from Nier Automata instead, which isn’t too shabby as a consolation.

Looking back, the absence of Soulcalibur‘s iconic characters like Clive, Raven, Yoshimitsu, and Victor wielding their distinctive weapons in combat is palpable. This 3D weapon-based fighting game was a breath of fresh air, striking a perfect balance between being approachable for newcomers and offering layers of complexity for dedicated fans. While some may argue that later installments delved too deeply into complexity, the ease of picking up these games made them enjoyable for any player. Even now, I find myself revisiting some of those games for simple, primal button-mashing fun.

Supporters of StarCraft (SC) have made the point that, during its time, this game was unique in providing substantial single-player content, especially when such content was not commonplace. For instance, StarCraft 2 incorporated a role-playing game (RPG)-like Weapons Master, while StarCraft 3 offered a tower defense mode and an Arcade ladder with various options. Although StarCraft 4 and 5 were less complex, they still provided Story Mode and other engaging activities to keep players occupied.

In a unique twist compared to other games, Soulcalibur stands out due to its feature that allows you to design your own character. Beginning with SC3, this character creation tool offers players an incredible amount of freedom in crafting their personalized fighters. While the fighting styles are tied to the original roster members, the sheer variety of customization options ensures a thrilling and engaging experience for fans.

In the latest installment of this series, Soulcalibur 6, it was apparent that it may not receive the same level of refinement as Tekken. Despite this, visually, it remains a stunning game. As for content, there are two distinct story modes – one for standard characters and another for custom ones. Unfortunately, Arcade endings were absent, with stories being conveyed through animated images instead of high-quality CGI scenes.

Although Soulcalibur 6 had moderate sales success, Bandai Namco’s primary focus for their fighting games has shifted to Tekken 8 and Dragon Ball FighterZ. Regrettably, it appears that a new Soulcalibur game from the company is unlikely in the near future. While elements of Soulcalibur can be found in Tekken, such as the introduction of weapon-based characters and extensive customization options, it simply doesn’t replicate the same experience.

Perhaps, someday Bandai Namco might expand their perspective and revive the Soulcalibur series. It would be great if they could take notice of Capcom’s approach and contemplate releasing these games as a compilation. To begin with, Tekken wouldn’t hurt; but as long as we get some form of Soulcalibur back, I’m content.

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2025-02-25 16:42