SoulCalibur 6 Reviews: The best story of souls and swords in a generation

The most impressive part of Soul Calibur 6 is its netcode. While we tested the game before launch, and servers have not been hit as hard, but whether ranked matches or lobbies, Soul Calibur 6 works perfectly.

In our review, we set up a lobby and played with friends elsewhere in the UK, and it was like playing with them in the same room, on the same couch.

We were only dealing with an occasional online stutter. Everything Bandai Namco's engineering magicians did behind the scenes paid off.

And that's a good thing, because that's what's most important to most combat game players at the time of launch. All other things – problems with the user interface, the list, the content for a player … all this can be corrected.

As long as you have a good base to work, you are ready for a good hike. And Soul Calibur 6 is a wonderful base. But that does not mean that you should not be wary of the elements of the game.

First of all, some simple elements of quality of life really prevent the game from being as fluid and fun as possible: in the lobbies of the players, it is not possible to simply bring another player closer, even if you are the ones only two in the room – you have to go through the character selection and loading each time.

The user interface is also quite awkward and badly thought out: you have to manually set yourself to "present" yourself in a lobby, have countdowns ready to follow you, and (strangely) that the game hangs if you do not do it. Do not choose a step in time and make it no less fun.

At least the fight is solid, though. Probably the best of the series since SoulCalibur III.

With a list of 23 characters (including Tira and DLC), you'll be forgiven for thinking it's a pretty light pitch, but every character has depth and gadgets galore, and you'll have just as fun of it! Learn to play every single fighter fight the battle based on weapons and learn how to defend yourself.

Newcomers will be interested in learning a summary menu for each character, giving you some techniques that you can use in combat to really blow up your opponents.

It is not as robust as the tutorials you would get Arc System Works games or even Capcom fighters, but it's something that helps you get in the door.

Training mode offers a range of tools to help you control attacks and defense in the game. Guard Impacts is back and does not cost a counter (thank goodness), and the unique use of each movement character based on counters and super really plays so that the former feels like new again.

With only two new characters (Groh and Azwel), we feared that the game would not seem inventive, but the opposite is true.

Slight adjustments and a reshuffle of older characters mean that it is something familiar to returning players, but more nuance and style for players wanting to work.

Kilik's new fast-descending mode when he activates his Soul Charge makes him one of the most blandest characters a little more versatile, the strange new Yoshimitsu's counter takings are just unpleasant (in a good way) and Ivy's zone control upgrades make it a more deadly distance threat.

And these are just three characters. All the small changes made to each group of players add an extra layer of depth to a series that seemed to lose its identity in the Xbox 360 and PS3 eras – and we are extremely happy that it seems to have found its way this time.

Yes, there are problems: light collisions, bad user interface and shallow training suite – but they are offset by a strong pair of story modes and a deep and satisfying combat system that could challenge Tekken's crown 7 for the best 3D hunter.

Libra of Souls – the story mode based on creating a character in which you embody vast expanses of the Soul Calibur tradition – is the coveted and coveted RPG that we have always searched for in SoulCalibur's solo mode, and we chew it willingly.

It's very heavy, it's absurd, and it's brilliant. The best story mode in a SoulCalibur game since the 2.am we have said it.

The story mode itself tells each of the 23 unique stories of each of the 23 characters and is also a good introduction to each of their moves. The art that underlies each small narrative vignette is well presented and makes the personality of its subject well – a pleasure for the long-time fans of the series.

SoulCalibur 6 is an excellent fighting game with a large volume of single-payer content that will surely please fans of the series.

The Reversal Edge mechanism on which many seemed dubious at launch is actually pretty neat (and not too intrusive, even in PvP) and the changes to the meter and Super systems are quite for the better.

Shocking the fact that the default characters do not have their second costume, the Create a Character sequel is as stupid as you'd expect (Tip: Have fun with Bojack Horseman's voice and horse mask …) and more than compensate for the lack of official P2 suits.

We greatly appreciated our experience with SoulCalibur 6 and we will devote even more time to the game after its review: it clearly has a lot to offer, and does it with style and consideration for what the base of players wants.

Unemployment insurance problems and some unfortunate omissions (tutorials, improvements in quality of life), this game is a solid and satisfying offer – the best SoulCalibur for generations.

We are eager to see how this develops.