SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny

"High divorce rate. Anime. Hipsters. Panty shots," says Soul Calibur's Zasalamel, the large scythe-wielding warrior. "I am busy searching the future." Nonsensical yet humorous, Zasalamel's dialogue exemplifies a shift in Soul Calibur's ambiguous and convoluted story -- a change that breaks the franchise's protracted, austere plotlines about the fight between good and evil, vendettas, mysterious powerful swords, and love triangles. Soul Calibur Broken Destiny's lighthearted and often entertaining dialogue is, honestly, just one of the many excellent changes brought to the series by Namco Bandai. Whether you're a fan or a newcomer, those changes will be refreshing. A weapon-based fighter, Soul Calibur Broken Destiny's main strengths are its accessibility and, at the same time, its depth. The series' emphasis on close-range combat and high, mid, and low attacks empowers neophytes to overcome the game's learning curve. Even if you aren't fully aware of your actions, the combat basics provide immediate satisfaction. And for those willing to improve their skills, "The Gauntlet," a rewarding and helpful tutorial mode, is a highly enjoyable way to learn new skills and strategies.

The finely tuned fighter works well on handheld

"Because the bulk of its single-player content is best suited to players who already have some SoulCalibur experience, Broken Destiny isn't quite as easy to recommend to newcomers as other games in the series. However, if you're already comfortable with SoulCalibur or with similar 3D fighting systems and can live with the lack of online play, there's really no reason you shouldn't pick this one up posthaste."

"With Namco Bandai's Soulcalibur IV hitting current-gen consoles last year, it was hard to imagine the renowned 3D fighter functioning on a portable console. After all, the Soulcalibur series -- which pits warriors against each other in a world filled with ethereal weapons -- has always been a visual powerhouse. Squeezing all the character detail, lighting effects and lush backgrounds onto a UMD seemed like an awful idea. "