SOULCALIBUR III review

Of course, just because SC3 boasts a metric ton of gameplay doesn't mean that none of it is dead weight. The story mode is great at first. Why more fighting games don't steal Soul Calibur 's method of mixing up matches, with the player dealing with things like high winds, quicksand, poison, and so on, we'll never know. But even this wears thin after repeatedly playing through it to unlock more goodies. You seem to be given some storyline choices, but they don’t really affect that much - it all feels pretty linear.

But honestly? Screw the plot. The actual fighting is as fluid and finely tuned as a 50-gallon barrel of water and a new Ferrari, respectively. Especially against human opponents, the bloody brawling is as fun as it ever was, and it doesn’t hurt that the graphics have been kicked up to 11. This is easily one of the most impressive-looking games on the PS2, with eye-popping backgrounds and characters who move as smoothly as Olympic gymnasts and dress like they're in a Mardi Gras parade.