IG @aztecstudiosla
The Soul Calibur (that’s right, words separated..) series has been around for 20-years, and, here, Bandai Namco’s blade brawler is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with the release of SoulCalibur VI (yeah, this time words together; don’t ask..). I consider the longstanding fighting series the little brother to Tekken, and it has evolved in a similar way, the game is continuing its story with competitors in pursuit of the soul edge blade. The main the story of SC6 follows Kilik’s journey for that very soul edge to help battle — what else? — his inner darkness. The main story mode that also focuses around the rest of the main cast is dubbed Soul Chronicle.
The combat system is great; instead of pressing back on the D-pad to block, you hold X (PlayStation) or A (Xbox). Low and high attacks make a difference between landing a powerful blow and chaining combos together. And unlike the rage gauge in Tekken 7, in SC6 players have a gauge meter that fills up and can change the outcome of a match with the right execution. Of course, every character has their own special techniques. Also, if you and your opponent happen to press the same button you’ll perform a slow down attack that can change the match by striking low or high. You also have super attacks called Critical Edges.
There is also a customization mode that allows you to create your own character and go on your own journey through the SC world; this includes RPG elements, as players can also skill up to get more powerful and consume food to get boosts. Each fight has different objectives from slippery surfaces or your opponents being vulnerable to certain attacks. This campaign is called the Libra of Soul.
The online gameplay is great either casual or ranked; match-making is fast and the online competition is fun and competitive. The SC series continues on with the addition of guest characters with Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher) and more to come in the upcoming DLC. Geralt’s mini story also features a bit of Witcher content. Also Yoshimitsu from the Tekken series, here as well, has been a good part of Soul Calibur for years. For $35 this holiday season, don’t hesitate to play it. 4/5 Bibles.
-Artez Bailey
@TravMoody
As if gamers already didn’t have enough options at their disposal, here lay another twin-pairing of Bandai Namco fighters to choose from this holiday season (which make for great breaks in between marathon sessions of Red Dead 2 and AC Odyssey, mind you). And since Artez compared the excellent SC6 up above to Tekken 7‘s release, I’ll compare this arena brawler to a game based on the only anime arguably more popular than it: Dragon Ball FighterZ. Yet while My Hero One’s Justice has just as spicy visuals and a slightly more novice control scheme (normal/counter/power), it lacks in overall depth.
Sure, there’s no silly Mario Rabbids looking avatar thingies to navigate around to like DBfZ, and the visual novel approach in Story mode (which ranges from S02-S03; see “Vs. Hero Killer”) is an easy study–especially for fans of the MHA anime and manga. But what about n00bz and non-weebs? For hardcores, The League of Villains are here, and there are even “filler” episodes/matches you can play out that help strengthen the chief narrative. Missions mode is even better, as trios attempt to hop from map to map of 6 without losing the whole squad in a sesh. There’s a suitable number of fun customization options and cosmetics to acquire in your ventures to help separate the game from the anime is so closely represents. With Missions, you can rock costumes of students not available in MHOJ, a fun touch.
Much like the anime, superhero/villain Quirks are the best part of the game and perhaps the chief reason this wound up a fighter and not another Persona (kidding: we all know it’s the budget). Who doesn’t love seeing Uraraka “swing for the pillars” with the epically disastrous Comet Homer? Her Plus Ultra Meteor Shower is killer, too. As expected, Todoroki has that fire ‘n ice to go along with the paper/rock/scissors battle schemes, while All Might and Kirishima are brutes at their student-tossing best. While there is no Ultra building destruction despite environments just begging you to do so, players can stuff opponent’s faces into walls and use the arena to their advantage.
Ultimately, your liking of My Hero One’s Justice will depend soley on how big of a fan you are of the franchise, how technical you like your combat, and maybe, just maybe how over DBfZ and Tekken and really into swordfights (eyyyoo) you are. In addition, this fighter might be too amature for those used to investing hours and hours of combo skill. For those who just want to pick up ‘n play and see some cool shit on the screen, this is nonetheless a Black Friday weekend brawler worth considering. 3.25/5 Bibles.
-Travis Moody