Soul-Trained
Namco's Soul Calibur® II has been building up steam for a good long time. Now, after literally years of development, the long-awaited sequel to what many consider the finest fighting game (or game, period) ever to grace the Dreamcast is smashing its way onto your local Xbox. Since Soul Calibur II is releasing simultaneously on all three major platforms, Namco's given each console a unique bonus character in addition to the main cast. And, wouldn't you know it, the Xbox got the best one—that ever-lovin' avenging dead guy, Todd McFarlane's Spawn.
But, Spawn's not the only combatant going at it in this stunning 3-D fighter. There's Necrid, another character designed by McFarlane (but exclusively for this game), along with a host of fighters, new and old, some going all the way back to the original incarnation of the series (the arcade hit Soul Edge). We've put together this guide to help you navigate through a few of the toughest, most-effective weapon-wielding fighters you'll encounter in Soul Calibur II.
He don't need no stinkin' eyeballs.
Spawn
There's no mistaking the late Al Simmons, a government super-agent, betrayed by his superiors and given the chance to seek revenge as hell's general on Earth—the Hellspawn ("Spawn" for short). Todd McFarlane's comic book anti-hero has become a cottage industry, with his own movies and animated cable TV shows, a third-person action-adventure game coming soon to the Xbox, and now a guest-starring appearance in Soul Calibur II.
Spawn has left his amazing necro-powered cape behind, but makes up for it with a mighty big axe that's literally from hell. Spawn has well-balanced power and speed and is definitely one of the easier characters to simply pick up and play with effective results.
Necrid
Necrid is a nasty-looking bruiser designed with McFarlane's trademark style, complete with a big glowing Jewel O' Evil™ mounted in his chest. Necrid is 6'5'' 238 lbs. His age, birthplace and birth date are unknown. His primary weapon is named Maleficus and is a Fragment of the Void. He is self-taught, and does not remember his family. He was a warrior that managed to reach Soul Edge. The energy of the evil blade, however, poisoned him—the warrior's mind and body became something other than human. Now a bloodthirsty abomination, he seeks the one thing that can give him solace: fragments of Soul Edge. It's all he cares about.
"Son, your date's here."
Astaroth
The big thuggish bastitch of the Soul Calibur franchise, Astaroth is your basic hyper-charged brute with an axe the size of an aircraft carrier. Like Necrid, Astaroths' size can work against him, when facing a speedy opponent, but his raw power is usually more than enough to make up for it. And, like Spawn, Astaroth can swing that axe to do just about anything, from bashes to chops to excruciating throws. The nunchuku-packing fighter Maxi considers Astaroth responsible for the death of his shipmates, and the two have met on the field of battle many times.
Nightmare
This quite accurately named fighter was once a warrior named Siegfried, leader of a bandit gang seeking revenge for the death of his father. Siegfried thought he'd found the answer in the mystical sword known as Soul Edge, a massive two-handed blade complete with a creepy secret. The Soul Edge was possessed by the souls of the dead and turned the vengeful fighter Siegfried into the monstrous creature called Nightmare. Now, the weapon possesses the man, and the result is one massive killing machine (and one of the most memorable fighting-game villains in history).
"Did you want extra cataracts with that?"
Maxi
Another character that's been part of the story since the early days, Maxi once lived the life of a seafaring pirate, before he met the wandering warrior Kilik, a man who also sought the mystical sword Soul Edge. A horde of monsters led by Astaroth attacked soon after Maxi met Kilik, slaughtering Maxi's crew and leaving the nunchuku expert thirsting for revenge. Maxi is one of the fastest fighters in the game, so much so, that one of my colleagues has referred to him as a cheat.
Kilik
Another speedy fighter with a devastating blunt weapon, Kilik carries a big stick and knows just how to use it. A former ally of Maxi, who became tainted by darkness on his search for the Soul Edge, Kilik's speed is nearly the equal of the former pirate captain. His staff, Kali Yuga, also has the best range of any weapon in the game (except maybe Soul Edge itself). Kilik favors finesse and keeping the enemy at a distance.
"Seriously, I shaved just this morning."
We've only had room for a sampling of the fighters of Soul Calibur II. Check out the game to see how the intervening years have treated favorites like Raphael, Xinghua, and Cervantes, and stay tuned to Xbox.com for more Soul Calibur IInews.
Soul Calibur II. It's like a dose of Vitamin Boot-to-the-Head, without the painful side effects.
By Ben Barker
