SoulCalibur 4: Yoda and Vader

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BD2003

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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Alright, yoda isnt as bad as I thought, in both ways. He doesnt entirely break the game - high (not mid) horizontal swings do go over his head, so you'd be best advised to not even try them against him. But he is incredibly slow, and he has a very short reach. And many of his attacks cause him to jump up, so he is still somewhat vulnerable to high attacks. A good player could keep him out of range for most of the match. Still, he doesnt feel like he entirely belongs thematically, but he's done so well that you cant help but enjoy his presence.

I havent encountered the apprentice in arcade mode, so the SW characters arent completely on the sidelines, but I havent seen them in story or tower mode.

I'd also like to reiterate the almost uselessness of the online mode. Its an *entirely* different game, because even with a perfect, almost lag free connection, you wont be able to respond to attacks that youve blocked faster than your opponent can whip out another quick attack. So its seriously button mashing beyond belief, a lot of throwing, a lot of the same move over and over etc - its somewhat amusing, but its really not all the fun because the game becomes just one "wtf!" moment over and over. Its not as if they didnt program it well, the lag is minimal, they did as good a job as realistically can be done over the internet, but it needed to be non-existent for this game to work properly.

The customization only affects stats in story mode and tower mode. In arcade mode, its purely cosmetic, and online, you have the choice of whether or not its cosmetic or functional. So yes, you can fight with a naked ivy online and not be at a disadvantage - I've already seen it twice. You also cant customize any of the "guest" characters - the star wars and anime ones. And speaking of out of place - yoda and the apprentice mesh mostly well, but angol fear looks completely out of place.

Theres a ton to unlock, but its not entirely clear how to unlock it all, so hopefully some faqs come out soon. Most of the characters you can get really easily, you just buy them for 4000G - you start with 20000G so you can buy 5 extras off the bat, and each win in story mode gets you another 10k. Not sure how to unlock the apprentice yet, but as far as I can tell, theres a space in the character select screen thats unaccounted for right between yoda and the apprentice, so its even more obvious that vader will be DLC. Hopefully, there will be other DLC characters as well.
 

RandomFool

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2001
3,913
0
71
www.loofmodnar.com
I picked it up at lunch and messed around with it a little when the server went down. I haven't played much of the previous SC games just the occasional round with friends who have SC and SC2.

It's pretty fun so far, it feel pretty much like any other SC game I've played. Online was a bit annoying; not really laggy but not as smooth as I'd like. It took me awhile to join a game because I kept getting "Game is full" messages. Not sure if it's my connection or not because I was dropping off live too.
 

RandomFool

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2001
3,913
0
71
www.loofmodnar.com
Originally posted by: randay
i would like to know which version to get, x360 or ps3?

Pick the version your friends will be playing. From what I've read there's almost no difference between the PS3 and 360 version other than vader and yoda which will probably be DLC anyway. The PS3 can install to the HD to load a little faster, and the 360 can't yet but will in a few months. Load times on the 360 were pretty quick anyway.
 

BD2003

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
16,815
1
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Well, I seriously doubt youll be playing it much with your friends online, the graphics are insane either way, and vader/yoda will be DLC, and load times are minimal either way. So you really cant go wrong either way.
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
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lol @ people upset by lightsabers.

I will be picking this up tonight. My friends and I were obsessed with SC II in college, we completely beat story mode a few times (thanks, Lizardman!), and had god only knows how many head to head fights. Never really god into SC III....excited for this one though
 
Oct 19, 2000
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Originally posted by: Kev
I got the PS3 version because I hate the 360's dpad.

That's one of my hold-ups on this game. The 360 d-pad sucks hard. Are there any good arcade sticks for the 360, or will we have to wait for SF4 for those to appear?
 

randay

Lifer
May 30, 2006
11,018
216
106
Originally posted by: RandomFool
Originally posted by: randay
i would like to know which version to get, x360 or ps3?

Pick the version your friends will be playing. From what I've read there's almost no difference between the PS3 and 360 version other than vader and yoda which will probably be DLC anyway. The PS3 can install to the HD to load a little faster, and the 360 can't yet but will in a few months. Load times on the 360 were pretty quick anyway.

hrmm, yeah i think ill wait and see the verdict on how psn compares to live. that may determine it. does anyone have info on how vader plays? load times dont really concern me.
 

randay

Lifer
May 30, 2006
11,018
216
106
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Kev
I got the PS3 version because I hate the 360's dpad.

That's one of my hold-ups on this game. The 360 d-pad sucks hard. Are there any good arcade sticks for the 360, or will we have to wait for SF4 for those to appear?

last night started soldering a ps3 controller to convert my old xbox stick. lifting traces ftl :( i think i can save it though. i know there are good commercial sticks called hori sticks. maybe check those out?
 

Imported

Lifer
Sep 2, 2000
14,679
23
81
From my experience, the 360 doesn't have as many good arcade sticks as the PS3 does.
 

JackBurton

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
15,993
14
81
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Kev
I got the PS3 version because I hate the 360's dpad.

That's one of my hold-ups on this game. The 360 d-pad sucks hard. Are there any good arcade sticks for the 360, or will we have to wait for SF4 for those to appear?

Please see post above.^^^^^^^
 

KaOTiK

Lifer
Feb 5, 2001
10,877
8
81
Just finished a hard day at work of playing this for 5 hours straight on the PS3. Awesome game, even though I don't have the room for it and it would be a hassel due to the wire I am very tempted to order one of these
 

Imported

Lifer
Sep 2, 2000
14,679
23
81
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Originally posted by: Imported
From my experience, the 360 doesn't have as many good arcade sticks as the PS3 does.

No, it has the best. ;)

:Q For that price it better be the best. I remember only seeing that Hori Fighting EX II stick available for the 360 and wasn't impressed by it.
 

JackBurton

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
15,993
14
81
Originally posted by: Imported
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Originally posted by: Imported
From my experience, the 360 doesn't have as many good arcade sticks as the PS3 does.

No, it has the best. ;)

:Q For that price it better be the best. I remember only seeing that Hori Fighting EX II stick available for the 360 and wasn't impressed by it.

Hey, you can get the "cheaper one" for $200. :)
 

randay

Lifer
May 30, 2006
11,018
216
106
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Originally posted by: Imported
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Originally posted by: Imported
From my experience, the 360 doesn't have as many good arcade sticks as the PS3 does.

No, it has the best. ;)

:Q For that price it better be the best. I remember only seeing that Hori Fighting EX II stick available for the 360 and wasn't impressed by it.

Hey, you can get the "cheaper one" for $200. :)

from what ive read HAPP buttons and p360 sticks arent the best, or the most popular at least. shit for $275 id gladly build and sell sticks... hrmmm.
 

BD2003

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
16,815
1
81
Man, playing online is so incredibly frustrating....its such a completely different game, completely lacking any finesse. I suppose there is a certain skill involved since there are people with high win rates, but of those that I've encountered, they tend to be people that pick the really quick characters and exploit moves that are very difficult to deal with due to the lag. I'm losing terribly because I'm actually trying to play normal soul calibur - you just cant. Learn to love the button mash.

Oh and I take back what I said about yoda, he's the most fucking annoying character ever to exist. You cant throw the bastard, and he lends himself so perfectly to the cheap style that works well in online play, that I'm just disconnecting from now on every time someone picks him.
 

Kev

Lifer
Dec 17, 2001
16,367
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Summary of my experience playing this game online:

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Fun times
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: JackBurton
Originally posted by: Imported
From my experience, the 360 doesn't have as many good arcade sticks as the PS3 does.

No, it has the best. ;)

Yikes. I'm not anywhear near hardcore enough to spend that much on an arcade stick for a console fighter. I was thinking something like $40-$50 :eek:. No way I could justify more than that when I'd only use it on two games at the moment (SC4 and SF4).
 

RandomFool

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2001
3,913
0
71
www.loofmodnar.com
My biggest complaint so far apart from the online experience is how the bonus characters are all mushed into one box. There's plenty of room on the screen to separate them out into individual boxes.
 

bl4ckfl4g

Diamond Member
Feb 13, 2007
3,669
0
0
This game is awesome. I'm using a crap hori stick cuz that is all I got for the 360 but it is still good enough.