I had played this game before with freinds a few years back. and decided to look for it on amazon. there is a lot of fun stuff to do in this game, and alot of unlocks to look forward to while playing. this game is also alot of fun with friends. i purchased it for a group of friends that i play smash brothers melee with. and we all enjoy this game as much as melee.

Now in its third incarnation, Namco's Soul series of fighting games continues to set new standards for the genre. Soul Calibur II, while not making as dramatic a leap in visuals and technology as seen between the first two games, is still holding its place as the definitive 3D fighter. Sega's Virtua Fighter 4 offers some solid competition, but Calibur's implementation of weapons combat and plethora of gameplay modes gives it the edge.

Each of the Soul games has originated in the arcades, and every time they're ported to home consoles, Namco includes enough new features to justify a purchase even by someone who has already spent $50 in quarters. In Soul Calibur II, we see the return of the sorely missed Weapon Master Mode. For those newly introduced to the series, the weapon master mode sends the player through a lengthy series of challenges, testing not only their ability to best their opponent in combat, but to do so while overcoming adverse conditions. For example, the enemy may be given a boost in speed, or you may be able to win the fight only by knocking them out of the ring. While this may seem frivolous, it truly gauges the player's mastery of the many different aspects of gameplay.

Another key addition to the home versions of SC2 is multiple bonus characters. Returning from the first two games are Sophitia, Seung Mina, Lizardman, and end boss Inferno, joined by Necrid, Berserker, and Assassin. Also, exclusive to each version of the game is a cameo character from another franchise. Tekken's Heihachi joins the PS2 cast, Todd McFarlane's Spawn appears in on Xbox, and the legendary Link of Zelda fame completes the Gamecube roster.

In this respect, the Gamecube received the better deal, as Link is easily one of the best (and cheapest) characters in the game. Meanwhile, PS2 wins in the controls department, beating both the awkward Gamecube and oversized Xbox pads. Lastly, Xbox has a slight advantage in terms of graphics. Whatever version you choose, however, you're in for a spectacular experience, as Namco again proves to be the master of 3D fighter design.

This is the best game ever- it combines the art of fighting with lots of tricky moves that you can smoothly combine to destroy your opponent. A must for anyone who loves fighting games!

Thanks to a very nice Amazon customer service rep, I was able to find this video game and add it to my growing Gamecube collection. I had heard the add on Tv sometime ago and forgot about it. Then I had seen a small clip of it on Tv with Link fighting another charactor and I was hooked even more. Namco did an excellent job with this game. I'm also glad that Nintendo lent Namco Link to be one of the selectable charactors within the game. Unlocking stuff is fun as well. I also like the fact that if your really upset and your day is going wrong, you can pop this in to your Gamecube and take out your frustrations on the game instead of a real person. And if you want to play with friends, you can. Go through and see if you can survive the extra Arkade mode. Do you have what it takes to unlock the hidden charactors in the game and get there profiles? It's all up to you in Soul Calibor II for the Game Cube.

And knives, and spears, and whips, and staffs, and nun-chucks, and pretty much every other man (or monster) made weapon that can make someone say "Ouch." Hoo-boy, get ready for some fun. If you've ever played a modern Tekken game, this is pretty much that with weapons, and a couple of new features. For those who HAVEN'T played Namco's mascot fighting series, the game play is generally as follows: choose character, choose arena, then proceed to knock the stuffing out of each other. Fun stuff, right? Right. Controls are pretty simple: A-Horizontal Attack, Y-Vertical Attack, X-Kick, L,R,B-Guard, and Z-Soul Charge (makes your attacks even MORE painful). As with most fighting games, combinations of these buttons (and of course your analog stick) can lead to literally HUNDREDS of different combos. Characters range from Mitsurugi the samurai, Taki the ninja (my personal favorite, girl is greased lightning), Cassandra and Sophitia the Roman soldier sisters, Astaroth the big dull brained powerhouse, the signature villain Nightmare the... knight, and many more. Plus in this version you get every one's favorite elf... Legola... I mean Link. Hehe, silly me. Arenas range from libraries to Japanese gardens, and each is INCREDIBLY beautiful. Soul Calibur 2 is the PERFECT 2-player fighting game. So grab a friend, pick up your controllers, and get ready for some FUN!