As with just about every other fighter on the market, Soul Calibur II offers a basic arcade mode, and there’s really no sense into going into too much detail about it. The arcade AI is almost sickeningly weak, so you’ll only play it to unlock the advanced arcade mode, which gives you a chance to fight more skilled opponents and pick up a few new unlockable fighters.

Where Soul Calibur II really rises above the competition is the aptly named Weapon Master mode. In it, you’ll play through the storyline of one character as they roam the land in search of the evil blade, the Soul Edge. Weapon Master mode consists of a lot of fights disguised as plot points with actual narratives serving as intermissions. As you fight through wave after wave of opposition, you’ll earn experience and gold, both of which are necessary in later sections of the story. The gold is important in that it allows you to "buy" (unlock) weapons for yourself and other characters in the game, which they can then use in some of the other modes. Experience is important as it helps beef up your offensive and defensive capabilities, which is an absolute requirement if you’re going to finish off the Weapon Master storyline. Many of the fights force you to deal with a specific challenge, such as the very cool "bomb" fight. In the bomb fight, your opponent begins the round carrying a bomb, and if he hits you with his weapon, the bomb is passed to you. As the fuse burns down, you’ll need to strike back, passing the bomb off to your opponent before the clock runs out. It’s an excellent twist on standard "hit combo block" combat, and it makes the Weapon Master mode a riot to play through. Weapon Master does play out like an RPG in many ways, even having dungeons that you "crawl" in a board game style, with each move being met by a fighting challenge. Sometimes, you’ll take a wrong turn and end up fighting several opponents you could have avoided. What it all comes down to is the fact that Weapon Master mode makes Soul Calibur II the fantastic game that it is. And if you really want to enjoy the multiplayer game, the best way to unlock skills and fighters is to play through the Weapon Master mode. So guess what you’ll be doing when you pick up this game?

SCII’s combat has both a simple button mashing side and a wonderfully technical side, ensuring gamers of all skill levels can enjoy it. If you’re a newcomer to fighters, then you’ll probably learn the half dozen basic moves and stick with them, which will get you through the arcade mode, and a few rounds of Weapon Master. And if your buddies are also beginners, you can mix it up with minimal need to memorize complex combos. Technical players will get an even greater kick out of SCII, as it offers a veritable laundry list of combos, blocks and maneuvers. Every character has a unique list of moves, and they are distinct enough to ensure you’ll find a fighter to fit your style.

While I’ve spent most of my time with the PlayStation 2 version of SCII, I have gotten a taste of it on all platforms, and I have to say that it pushes the graphics envelope on each and every one. The PS2 shines the most, however, as SCII simply sparkles on the console. Characters flow gracefully about the screen, cleanly switching between offensive and defensive stances while the environments show that there’s a ton of life in the PS2’s graphics hardware. At one point, a few other players mentioned that the PS2 version looked as good as many current Xbox titles, which goes to show that Namco worked hard to squeeze every drop of life out of the console.

"The Soul Still Burns," and so does SCII’s audio. I mean that in a good way, mind you, as SCII has a smooth and well-thought-out soundtrack. Before each match, you’ll be treated to a track that’s matched perfectly to the fighters and their environments. During matches, the soundtrack fades so that you can enjoy every luscious hit, block or misstep. The voice acting never misses a beat, with characters like Raphael sounding off in arrogant, but altogether clever bouts of dialogue. I do want to know why Sophitia and Cassandra sound so alike, and I’d really like to know why they shout "sorry!" after landing a particularly powerful blow on their opponent. After all, this is life or death combat, no mercy and certainly no apologies should be given.

Soul Calibur II proves that there’s still plenty of life in the fighting genre, and that there’s still plenty of room to work within that genre. On the surface, many may see this game as nothing more than a pixel-pushing arcade title, but those who take some time to dig around the Weapon Master mode will find the richest action title around. SCII takes fighters out of their little box and tacks on some RPG elements and even a little Pokemon-style collecting. It’s just a great game, so head out and grab a copy.

See more screens on the Soul Calibur II media page