This is where we can discuss the game and its characters and arrange for online matches against one another!
If you are like me, you have waited a loooooong time to play this game online! I specifically want to play it
on xboxlive , but the ps3 has onling gameplay as well .

I have included some resources here in this forum to help us stay informed with the latest news about the game.
I also have a picture gallery and will start my gameblog and recorded video posts from youtube , to be post here as well. With that all said, lets view the latest information about the game.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mHPe5xWjUk[/youtube]


GAME DISCRIPTION

Developer(s) Project Soul
Publisher(s) Namco Bandai
Series Soul series
Platform(s) PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release date NA July 29, 2008

EUR July 31, 2008
JP Summer 2008

Genre(s) Fighting
Mode(s) Single player, Multiplayer
Media Blu-ray Disc, DVD-DL
Input methods Gamepad

the sixth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games, due for release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on July 29, 2008. For the first time in the series history, the game will have competitive online play. This will be the second game in the series to not have an arcade release before the console release.


Gameplay

Critical Finisher
Soulcalibur IV will feature an all-new Critical Finisher system. This time there will be another gauge under the characters' Health Meter, known as the Soul Gauge. This meter will fill up when attacking and decrease when guarding. When the meter is empty, the opponent can do a strike that breaks off a part from the character's armor, altering their appearance and making them weaker for the remainder of the match. There are also three green boxes below the gauges, reflecting the state of the characters armor: high, mid, or low.

If the character manages to empty out the opponent's Soul Gauge again, they will get a short chance to perform a powerful Critical Finisher, which will kill the opponent instantly. Each character has their own personal Critical Finisher. Namco says that they developed the Soul Gauge to decrease the benefits from constant guarding, thus giving the game a faster tempo. It subsequently would make the matches more offensive, as well.
Returning characters

Amy
Astaroth
Cassandra
Cervantes
Ivy
Kilik
Lizardman
Maxi
Mitsurugi
Nightmare
Raphael
Rock
Seong Mi-na
Siegfried
Sophitia
Taki
Talim
Tira
Voldo
Xianghua
Yoshimitsu
Yun-seong
Zasalamel


New characters

Angol Fear (bonus character designed by guest artist Mine Yoshizaki)
Darth Vader (guest character on the PlayStation 3 version)
Hilde
Scheherazade (bonus character designed by guest artist Yutaka Izubuchi)
Yoda (guest character on the Xbox 360 version)


OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.soulcalibur.com/

OFFICIAL FAN SITE: http://www.soulcaliburuniverse.com/

DEMO REVIEW :
Soul Calibur 4 Hands-on Impressions
by Nick Breckon Apr 16, 2008 8:03pm CST
Two days ago, Soul Calibur IV (PS3, X360) was just another game coming out this summer. Now, after playing a build of it at the recent Namco Bandai press event, I very much want that final disc in my hands.

I was a big fan of Soul Calibur and its sequel, but for whatever reason chose not to partake in the third entry to Project Soul's series. When following these long-running franchises, which typically change very little between iterations, I find it is sometimes necessary to sit one out. Gorging yourself is always more fun when preceded by a period of fasting.


Well, I might be done fasting. The first "next-gen" version of the game, Soul Calibur IV is a finely crafted graphical treat. Call me shallow for saying so, but this thing looks fantastic in motion, and the graphical boost alone is enough reason to rekindle my still-burning soul.

Character detail is exceptional, but even more impressive are the environments. Namco has always done a great job of providing interesting rings to fight in, and this game will be no different. From colorful ocean-going ships to stone-laden jungle settings, the background artwork has never looked better.

One level set inside a dark Asian temple was a stand-out, with incense smoke slowly curling up around an intricate lion statue. Another was set inside a carousel, complete with horses and grinding gears. Breakable objects are now in place, though they do little to impact gameplay. I also spotted some strange birds that wander around the battlefield floors, another similarly useless touch.

The new characters look like a good time. Of those, I only got my hands on Hilde, the fully-armored chick who wields both a long spear and a short sword. Her combination of short and long range attacks, like a mix of Sophitia and Seung Mina, made for a refreshingly dynamic fighting style.



Speaking of Mina, I played a round as her too, along with a few turns at Cassandra and Taki. All played more or less as they have in the previous games, which is certainly a good thing in my book. I was Taki triple-kicking my way to victory in no time, and it felt great.

Most notably, the new armor-breaking combat mechanics have now been added. A gem at the top of each player's HUD keeps track of your combat style, allowing your enemy to see whether you are classified as a block-heavy whimp or an all-out attacker. If you block too much, your enemy can attempt to break through your defenses with a well-timed attack, which will break off a chunk of the player's armor.

The status of a fighter's armor can be seen with a small HUD element, and as the condition decreases, the player will take on more damage per hit. At a certain point, players can execute a finishing move by pressing the four primary controller buttons, automatically ending the match in favor of the attacker by way of a short fatality-style cinematic.

The idea behind this is obviously to punish fighters for excessive blocking. While in theory it sounds like a good idea, it was hard to tell whether it was a successful concept from the short time I had with the game. On the one hand, encouraging more offensive tactics is a plus. On the other, being finished off via a cinematic could become fairly frustrating. I'll need more time to make a proper judgment on this key addition.




Registered users can also use the HD stream.

Of course, the game is also set to include online play and an expanded character creation system. And Yoda. I didn't get my hands on any of that, though.

Regardless of additions or changes, after playing a dozen or more matches, I was hooked on the weapon-heavy combat of Soul Calibur all over again. Whether it's a fundamental improvement as a sequel, I'm not sure yet. But it looked great, and I had a lot of fun with it, so color my soul gauge as optimistic.

Look for Soul Calibur IV on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 starting July 29.


IMAGE GALLERIES !

http://www.soulcaliburuniverse.com/images/

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/ ... images;all

http://www.1up.com/do/media?cId=3160240&sec=IMAGES

Thanks for viewing my SOUL CALIBUR IV FAN FORUM! I hope that you will join me in
discussion and gameplay when the game launches july 29 /08 .

cant wait for this game , i already have it reserved at gamestop. those big pics are really clear. when the game comes out im gonna your ass and so how good you are or not.

yea, ill be here when it releases too gamr. That fan forum was really wordy like a textbook but it was good .
My favorite person in the game is NECRID ! I hope he will be back.

oh hell yea!
I've been waiting for this game for ages!
I loved Soul Calibur 2, and I played it for days on end when it came out!
trust me, I'll be doing the same with this game on the 29th =DDD
hope to see all of you online!

Theres also a couple more bonus/new characters
Shura
kamikirimusi
ashlotte
Algol the hero king

and there a couple non-playable characters but its unkown yet
revenant
frederick schtauffen= siegfrieds dad

oh and i cant wait to beat you guys with yoshimitsu

I JUST BOUGHT SOUL CALIBUR AND WILL UPLOAD FIRST VIDEOS OF
GAMEPLAY TONIGHT SO BE HERE !!!!!!!

What up Yeti , we seen ya online, you did good,!

this game is awesome add/message me samsonite187 if u want to battle(on ps3)

Im on xbox live actually but yea, this game rocks!