I picked this up as a kid because my brother and I loved the Legend of Zelda games, and this had Link in it, so it had to be good. I was somehow completely wrong and yet also completely correct, as this is one of the finest 3D fighters I have ever played.

Each character is intense and complex with their different styles, and learning the ins and outs of each of them is satisfying. From the long-range whip attacks of Ivy to the brutal heavy sword of Nightmare, to the tricky use of items with Link, each character stands out amongst one another and is a blast to play.

You can also customize each character with different weapons that change certain characteristics or with new costumes, all of which can be unlocked in this game's Weapons Master mode, a mission/story mode that is extremely engaging and does a great job of teaching players how to play.

This is a great game that I highly recommend to any fighting game enthusiast. This is a top-class game and deserves all the recognition it gets.

Que jogo foda, combate simples pra quem não manja e complexo o suficiente pra não ser um tédio pros melhores jogadores, além de ser fluido, satisfatório e muito estiloso. Todo o resto se destaca também, gráficos, modelos, direção de arte e trilha sonora, tudo de um alto nível. Só não é 5 por que o weapon master tem uns bagulhos bem chatos, mas ainda admiro o número de conteúdo que ela tem, infelizmente por causa disso não consegui testar todos os personagens, não tive paciência de terminar, mas pelo menos só ficou faltando 3 deles.

While I grew up lightly dabbling in Street Fighter, discounting Smash Bros this was my first real fighting game that I played. And frankly, what a hell of an entrance to make, right?

Soul Calibur 2 has a colorful and varied roster with guest characters in each respective port, Link being the star of the show in the GCN version. And "colorful" is an apt word for it; this game is gorgeous and still holds up to this day. It looks like a game that warrants the HD port it's gotten, and its animations are top-notch and bring the characters to life. On top of that, the music has no business going so hard either.

The combat is a classic 3D fighter that has its fair share of cheese and balance issues, but it's always a blast to play. The coolest draw of Soul Calibur 2 is its weapon master mode, turning the game into an ARPG of sorts where you unlock weapons with varying attributes to use in the main game. It was hell for balancing purposes, but it was a super-fun adventure mode that more fighting games frankly need.

Soul Calibur 2 remains a fun romp even to this day, but it was pivotal in getting me into fighting games with big rosters and diverse playstyles at the forefront. It's a true masterclass game.