SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny

by Namco

Product Features

• Huge roster of fighters - Battle as one of many returning Soulcalibur favorites or brand new fighters including special guest character Kratos from God of War
• Exciting game play modes - Play the new single player game mode developed exclusively for the PSP and classic game modes like Arcade, Vs., and Survival
• Dynamic battles - Take the signature Soulcalibur game play wherever you go with visuals unlike anything seen on the PSP system
• Unlimited character customization - Create your personalized fighter with the most robust character creation tool featured in the Soulcalibur series
• Face off against the competition - Challenge the computer AI or compete against your friends in the Vs. Mode through Ad-Hoc

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0028A8POI
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches ; 2.4 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 1, 2009
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,514 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #8 in Video Games > Sony PSP > Action > Fighting
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

SOULCALIBUR: Broken Destiny preserves all the fierce battles and gorgeous visuals the series has been known for to create the most comprehensive fighting experience ever on a handheld system with highly responsive controls and balanced gameplay. Adding depth to the combat, an all new single player mode has been specifically crafted for the PSP system that not only challenges a player’s reflexes but also improves their fighting skills. Following in the footsteps of Soulcalibur IV, Critical Finish Moves return where opponents can be defeated with one spectacular attack. Furthermore, the game’s character customization feature has been outfitted with even more options than ever before for infinite possibilities to create an original fighter or customize a favorite warrior.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much improved AI, September 5, 2009

By 

A. Llamas "Aurora" (Crestwood, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny (Video Game)

The first reviewer already said most of my points so I will simply add one more point that was not mentioned. I believe one of the biggest improvement I felt was the better CPU AI for Broken Destiny. Here is why:

- I noticed that the AI is more "human like" as it mimics both the good and bad habits of players. When playing the game I noticed the more advanced AI do intricate combos and tricks that I only seen when playing with my buddies when playing the PS3 version of Soul Calibur 4.

- The computer (at least those with the higher difficulty levels) adapts to your movement which means, you cannot use one set of moves over and over to defeat the AI opponent. I noticed that they tend to change their patterns. So if you start throwing a lot, the computer will start ducking to avoid your throws.

- The computer AI itself will check what moves are effective against you and they will spam that move over and over until you block it or you lose the battle. So if the computer notices that you always get hit by low attacks then it will keep attacking low until you change you pattern.

- I do not know how significant is this but if you follow the competitive soul caliber scene you will noticed that a lot of the AI names were taken from real life famous Soul Caliber tournament players such as famous French player, Kayane. Most of the AI moves mimic the style of the these players.

I'm not saying that the AI are better then a skilled opponent, because if you play the AI enough times, you will noticed that the ability for it to adapt is limited and tend to forget your patterns after the match is over. But despite of which, this is the best AI I have seen compared to the past Soul Calibur games

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Technical Masterpiece with One BIG Piece Missing, September 2, 2009

By 

Aaron - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny (Video Game)

I have been a fan of the weapon-based series Soul Calibur since I first bought it on the Dreamcast. I played it for hours, and it was especially fun against friends. So when I saw it was coming to the PSP, and purportedly was as faithful a port as possible of SC4, I had to hear more. Unbelievably, Team Soul and Namco were able to achieve their goal.

First off, the graphics are the best on the PSP (just above God of War) and are very high-res with large, detailed character models, great lighting, and beautiful arenas. This is a game that will make anyone seeing it on a portable screen go "Wow." There is no stuttering or slowdown whatsoever.

That said, the game play is as solid as the console versions, provided you're playing in Versus mode against friends via ad hoc or Quickmatch. Sadly, if you are looking for a "story based" single player arcade mode, you will not find it. This severely hampers the SP longevity of the game, as you may quickly grow bored playing against CPU "created" characters not taken from the in-game roster. The SP campaign that is present is nothing more than a long, glorified tutorial. Basically you are asked to learn how to guard, low-guard, grab, etc. These "chapters" literally last no more than 3 seconds. So after about 30 minutes, I had had enough, and an actual battle was nowhere in sight. Perhaps it does happen, but after so many tutorials, I couldn't go on.

There is a Trials mode as well, which tasks you with performing certain moves/actions to win, such as "Block your opponent ten times," "Win with a ring-out," "Defeat your opponent with a Critcal Finisher," etc. Again, it adds to the things to do, but it's not as fun as an arcade mode.

I know this may sound like the game sucks, but it does not. This PSP edition gets the addition of guest-fighter Kratos from the GoW series, and he fits in very well into this game. The ad hoc against friends (who also must have a copy of the game--there is no "game sharing" feature) is very smooth and without lag. So if you have PSP-owning friends, you could enjoy a great fighter wherever you are. The omission of an infrastructure online mode is big, but not as big as the missing SP arcade mode. Moreover, you can install some of the game files onto your Memory Stick (the install is 256 MB) and it reduces the load times to Nintendo DS levels, which is a great feature.

With a huge roster (the same as SC4, minus Vader or Yoda), the addition o f Kratos, superb graphics, responsive controls that mirror the big consoles, great music and Japanese/English voiceovers, and a lag free ad hoc mode make SC:BD a worthy purchase, and a good time waster in Quickmatch/Trials. It's such a disappointment that a SP arcade mode and online are omitted, but fans of the series looking to take their favorite fighting series on the road will not be disappointed. Those who are SC4 owners may not find anything new here, and it may be a good idea to see how Tekken 6 PSP turns out (and which modes make the cut) before laying down your money here.

Pros:

-Beautiful graphics, the best the PSP has to offer
-Smooth frame rate
-Responsive controls/full moves list
-Music, voice overs
-Full roster of fighters w/ alternate costumes
-Kratos
-Ability to create your own fighter
-Install option drastically reduces load times
-Ad hoc against friends works flawlessly

Cons:

-No SP arcade mode
-Included SP "Gauntlet" campaign is a joke
-Quickmatch uses too many "created" characters
-No online infrastructure mode
-Longevity for players w/o PSP owning friends is questionable
-Friends must have their own copy, no game sharing

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Over all is a quick pick up to play on the go., September 5, 2009

By 

KyleisMr.Smiley (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny (Video Game)

Essentially there is no one player story mode, what there is is a long drawn out tutorials mode. You don't unlock characters, weapons, or costumes. Everything is available right from the get go, so if you liked or played SoulCalibur 4 this has everything you could want on a portable scale; minus the Star Wars characters (replaced by Kratos and a new to the series guy) and minus the actual story line concept.

Me being a college student this games fits up to my needs of being able to take out at school or home and play for a short time while having fun at the same time, and be ready to save and stow away quickly.

Even though there is no campaign (one player) story mode like in the others in the series, the graphics are beefed up and the character creation is awesome, just like the previous game SoulCalibur IV.