Soulcalibur: Lost Swords

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Soulcalibur: Lost Swords
Soulcalibur Lost Swords Cover Art.png
Cover art depicting Sophitia and Siegfried
Developer(s) Project Soul
Publisher(s) Bandai Namco Games
Producer(s) Masaki Hoshino
Series Soulcalibur
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Release
until Nov 30, 2015
Genre(s) Fighting
Mode(s) Single-player

Soulcalibur: Lost Swords was a free-to-play [7] fighting game distributed through PlayStation Network. Released in 2014, the game is based on Soulcalibur V and is strictly single-player. It uses the same weapon-based fighting system from previous games; however, several of the gameplay mechanics were changed, simplified or otherwise removed.

Contents

The game was also periodically updated with new content, including new events, items, and characters. The game ceased operations effective in 2015.

Gameplay

Like previous games in the series, Soulcalibur: Lost Swords was a weapon-based fighting game. Players could inflict high and low horizontal and vertical attacks, block oncoming attacks, and use parries to gain a tactical advantage. Features such as Soul Crush and Armor Destruction first introduced in Soulcalibur IV have been retained; Soul Crush could be used to make opponents drop collectible items and weapons. Several mechanics were no longer present in the game, however, such as the ability to ring out a character, counter hits, and Just Guard. Guard Impact, while having the same properties as Soulcalibur V , no longer used a specific meter to execute. Two new mechanics were added: Weapon Arts, which granted each character unique attacks such as breaking through an enemy's guards; and support character feature, which allowed players to temporarily borrow another player's character online. [8]

The game featured single-player experience modes. In Quest Mode, players traversed the world to participate in battles which allowed them to collect raw materials and weapons; the former could be used to craft better weapons for use. As the existing characters no longer wore predetermined costumes and started out with only undergarments, players could customize them with various armory and other clothing parts. Virtual item sales were offered online. Similar to other free-to-play titles like Tekken Revolution , microtransactions were offered, some of which removing the playtime limit of the game. [7]

Characters

The game offered three characters as part of the default character roster: Mitsurugi, Siegfried, and Sophitia. Once the player would choose one, that character would be their sole playable character for the rest of the game unless the player collected character keys by completing quests, which would unlock the others. Fourteen additional characters: Amy, Astaroth, Cassandra, Cervantes, Hilde, [9] Ivy, [2] [3] [4] Leixia, Maxi, Nightmare, Patroklos, Pyrrha, [1] Raphael, Seong Mi-na, and Taki, [10] could be unlocked as a result of various in-game events. [11] Characters' appearances were in accordance with their most recent models (Soulcalibur IV and V), with the exception of Astaroth, whose design was carried over from Soulcalibur II.

Development

The title Soulcalibur: Lost Swords was trademarked by Namco in August 2013. [12] [13] The game was unveiled on September 10, 2013, via the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, which stated that the game would be free-to-play and would feature virtual item sales. [7] Further information revealed that it would also feature new gameplay mechanics, including Weapon Arts, and the game's focus would be collecting and crafting weapons. The game's teaser trailer was shown during a press event in Tokyo, which also confirmed the return of Sophitia. [14] [15] Starting on November 12, 2013, Namco Bandai released character trailers showcasing battle demo of each character.

The beta version test kicked off on November 14 through 18, 2013 for Japan, which offered Mitsurugi, Siegfried and Sophitia [14] as playable characters as well as two virtual items. [8] On December 19, 2013, the game's release date was pushed back to February 6, 2014, [2] [16] with Namco stating that the delay would be used to further increase the quality of the game. [1] [17] [18] A promotional trailer was released on February 3, 2014, in anticipation of the game's Japanese release, showing new features such as the Quest Mode and elemental attacks. [19]

On March 30, 2014, during a Namco Bandai live broadcast, titled "876 Minute" on Niconico, a poll was conducted to determine the most favorite character who did not make an appearance in Soulcalibur V. The four choices were Amy, Cassandra, Rock, and Seong Mi-na. Amy received the most votes, at 39.7%, followed by Seong Mi-na (23.8%), Rock (20.8%), and Cassandra (15.7%). [20] In the April 15, 2014 publication of Dengeki magazine, which confirmed the addition of Taki to the character roster, Namco Bandai announced that the game would see release worldwide sometime at the end of the month. [10] It was later revealed that Lost Swords would be available in the North American PlayStation Store on April 22, 2014, coinciding with a server maintenance for the Japanese version of the game. [5] Producer Masaaki Hoshino revealed that multiplayer was left out because the game uses a pay-to-win model. [21]

Another poll was conducted by Bandai Namco on the month of May 2015. It was again a character popularity poll, though it included all characters who have appeared in the Soul series so far, not just characters who did not make appearance in Soulcalibur V. It was, however, a general poll and not necessarily connected to Lost Swords. The poll was conducted on the official Soulcalibur Facebook page. Voting ended on May 31, 2015, and the results showed Talim (a character who did not appear in either Soulcalibur V or Lost Swords) as the most popular character, followed by Taki and Mitsurugi. [22]

Bandai Namco announced on September 1, 2015, that it would cease operations of Lost Swords on November 30, 2015. [23] Several send-off events were held, including ranking events and item sales. [23]

Reception

Soulcalibur: Lost Swords was poorly received by critics. Eurogamer criticized the game's significant loading times and the changes in the gameplay system, including the removal of ring outs and the lack of multiplayer, as well as the new focus on monetization. [25]

According to a Bandai Namco press release on May 8, 2014, Soulcalibur: Lost Swords had surpassed over 1.4 million downloads on the PlayStation Network. [27] As of September 2015, the game has been downloaded over 2 million times. [28]

Related Research Articles

<i>Soulcalibur</i> (video game) 1998 video game

Soulcalibur is a weapon-based 3D fighting game developed by Project Soul and produced by Namco. It is the second game in the Soulcalibur series, preceded by Soul Edge. Originally released in arcades on July 30, 1998, it ran on the Namco System 12 hardware, and was ported to the Dreamcast console in 1999 with new features and improved graphics.

<i>Soul Edge</i> 1996 video game

Soul Edge is a fighting game developed and published by Namco and the first installment in the Soulcalibur series. Introduced at the JAMMA trade show in November 1995, the full arcade game was released in early 1996 on System 11 hardware, the same board used by Tekken 2. Later in December an upgraded and expanded version of the game was ported to the PlayStation; this version was renamed to Soul Blade outside Japan and released in 1997.

<i>Soulcalibur II</i> 2002 video game

Soulcalibur II is a 2002 fighting game developed by Project Soul and published by Namco and the third installment in the Soulcalibur series of weapon-based fighting games. It is the sequel to Soulcalibur, which was released in July 1998. Originally intended to be released on Sega's NAOMI board, the game was released on the Namco System 246 arcade board before being ported to the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoshimitsu</span> Fictional characters in Soulcalibur and Tekken

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<i>Soulcalibur III</i> 2005 video game

Soulcalibur III is a fighting video game produced by Namco as a sequel to Soulcalibur II and the fourth installment in the Soulcalibur series. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. An improved arcade version, Soulcalibur III: Arcade Edition, was released in 2006. It was the last Soulcalibur game to receive an arcade version, as IV onwards did not have an arcade release, and was also the last to be released by Namco as an independent company, as it would merge with Bandai's video game division to form Bandai Namco Entertainment in 2006.

Talim (<i>Soulcalibur</i>) Fictional character

Talim is a character in the Soulcalibur of fighting games. Created by Namco's Project Soul division, she first appeared in Soulcalibur II and in most subsequent titles for the series. The Filipino daughter of a shaman and trained to be a Priest of the Wind, after encountering a fragment of the cursed sword Soul Edge she travels the world to return it to its rightful place. In English, Talim has been voiced by Julie Parker and Kira Buckland, while in Japanese she is voiced by Yukari Tamura.

Nightmare (<i>Soulcalibur</i>) Fictional character

Nightmare is a fictional character in the Soulcalibur series of video games. The evil possessor of Siegfried Schtauffen's body, he later becomes an entity entirely separated from Siegfried in Soulcalibur III onward. Nightmare is the living incarnation of Soul Edge and a vessel for Inferno.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivy Valentine</span> Fictional character from Soulcalibur

Isabella Valentine, commonly called Ivy, is a character in the Soulcalibur series of video games. Created by Namco's Project Soul division, she first appeared in the original Soulcalibur and its subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise related to the series. She was voiced in Japanese by Yumi Tōma between Soulcalibur and Soulcalibur III, Kanako Tōjō between Soulcalibur Legends and Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny, and Miyuki Sawashiro in Soulcalibur V, and Soulcalibur VI; in English, she was voiced by Renee Hewitt in Soulcalibur II and Lani Minella for the remainder of the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Necrid</span> Fictional character

Necrid is a character in the Soulcalibur series of weapon-based fighting games. Designed by comic book artist and toy designer Todd McFarlane through a collaboration with Namco, the character appeared in console ports of Soulcalibur II and later as part of an action figure set created by McFarlane Productions. Necrid's concept and physical build were outlined by Namco, who aimed to target North American audiences with the character, while McFarlane provided the character's design and name.

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Soulcalibur IV is a 2008 fighting video game developed by Project Soul and published by Namco Bandai Games for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the fifth installment in the Soulcalibur series, featuring greatly improved visuals over its predecessor and three playable guest characters from the Star Wars franchise. It is also the first Soulcalibur game to not receive an arcade version.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voldo</span> Fictional character in Soulcalibur franchise

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Taki (<i>Soulcalibur</i>) Fictional character

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Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is a 2009 fighting video game in the Soulcalibur series, developed by Project Soul and published by Namco Bandai Games, for the PlayStation Portable. The game uses many of the features of Soulcalibur IV, including its character customization mode. One of the goals of the game is "to target beginners and novice players with Soulcalibur IV's content". It introduces two new characters to the series: Kratos from the God of War series and Dampierre, a new original character. In December 2023, the game was released digitally on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Soulcalibur is a weapon-based fighting game series by Namco Bandai Games. The series revolves around a sword that, after years of bloodshed and hatred, gained a soul of its own, the Soul Edge, and the sword forged to counter it, Soulcalibur. The discography of the Soulcalibur series consists of two soundtrack albums for the first game in the series, Soul Edge, and one soundtrack album each for Soulcalibur, Soulcalibur II, III, IV, V and VI. None of the other games in the series have received a soundtrack release.

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<i>Soulcalibur VI</i> 2018 video game

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 "Ivy Whips Her Way Into Soulcalibur: Lost Swords". Siliconera. January 21, 2014. Archived from the original on October 27, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
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  5. 1 2 "The Drop: New PlayStation Games for 4/22/2014". PlayStation Blog. April 20, 2014. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  6. ↑ "SOULCALIBUR LOST SWORDS® SLASHES EXCLUSIVELY ONTO THE PLAYSTATION®3 SYSTEM THIS SPRING". Gamasutra. February 6, 2014. Archived from the original on February 7, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 "Soulcalibur: Lost Swords Is A Free To Play Soulcalibur Fighting Game". Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  8. 1 2 "Soulcalibur: Lost Swords Introduces New Mechanics To The Game". Siliconera. 2013-11-06. Archived from the original on 2013-11-08. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  9. ↑ "SOULCALIBUR Lost Swords／ヒルダ". YouTube. March 12, 2014. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  10. 1 2 "電撃 - 『ソウルキャリバー ロストソーズ』に女忍者・タキが登場！ 日本を飛び出したワールドワイド展開も決定". Dengeki. April 16, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  11. ↑ "『ソウルキャリバー ロストソーズ』新情報をお届け。2014年2月12日から始まる"アイヴィー"解放クエストに挑め". Famitsu. February 7, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Soulcalibur: Lost Swords Trademarked by NamcoBandai - IGN". Uk.ign.com. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-11.
  13. ↑ VictorBlade (2013-07-18). "Soulcalibur: Lost Swords trademarked by Namco - Soul Calibur V for Xbox 360 News". Videogamer.com. Archived from the original on 2013-08-22. Retrieved 2013-08-11.
  14. 1 2 "Soulcalibur: Lost Swords Adds Sophitia, Has Elemental Weapon System". Siliconera. 2013-09-19. Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2013-09-19.
  15. ↑ "「SOULCALIBUR Lost Swords」 ティザートレーラー". YouTube. 2013-09-19. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  16. ↑ "Soulcalibur: Lost Swords out in Japan next month". Engadget. January 21, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Soul Calibur: Lost Swords gets Ivy screens & trailer, skeleton opponent revealed". VG 24/7. January 21, 2014. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  18. ↑ "『SOULCALIBUR Lost Swords』2月6日正式サービス開始決定 ― 美しき魔剣士「アイヴィー」参戦も発表". Inside Games. January 21, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  19. ↑ "SOULCALIBUR Lost Swords". YouTube. 2014-02-03. Archived from the original on 2014-02-07. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
  20. ↑ "SCLS - Viewer Vote For Next Character". Avoiding The Puddle. 2014-03-30. Archived from the original on 2014-04-21. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  21. ↑ Ward, Robert (19 May 2014). "Bandai Namco On Why There's No Multiplayer In SoulCalibur: Lost Swords". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  22. ↑ "Soul Calibur Character Popularity Poll Results". Avoiding The Puddle. 11 June 2015. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  23. 1 2 McWhertor, Michael (2 September 2015). "The free-to-play Soulcalibur game is shutting down". Polygon . Archived from the original on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  24. ↑ "SoulCalibur: Lost Swords for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  25. 1 2 Matt Edwards, Soul Calibur: Lost Swords review Archived 2014-05-09 at the Wayback Machine , Eurogamer, 6 May 2014
  26. ↑ Issue#148, p.124.
  27. ↑ "Soul Calibur Unbreakable Soul Out Now, Lost Swords Surpasses 1.4 Million Downloads". Avoiding The Puddle. 2014-05-08. Archived from the original on 2014-05-08. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  28. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (September 2, 2015). "SoulCalibur Lost Swords to shut down in November". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
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