Once in a generation, a particular gaming genre receives a radical overhaul, and in its lesser form just a simple step forward. Although not quite so radical, Street Fighter was this step forward for the fighter, bringing those unfamiliar with the notion of competitive, sprite-based gaming to a new and seemingly addictive hobby. Soulcalibur, on the other hand, was a step sideways in equivalency, introducing a great fighter with a much refined and oft overlooked concept: weapons-based combat.

Almost shackled by the very genre it represents, Soulcalibur IV can't be described as anything more than a weapons-based brawler. Its hidden depths and submerged subtleties manage to distinguish itself from others in a convoluted crowd. The initial "it's just a fighter with oversized weapons" impression is equally inviting for weapon experts and rookies alike, whether these players are new to the genre or to the series itself. It's the contrast between this accessibility and its elusive time-expensive complexities that keeps the entry barrier to Soulcalibur IV at an absolute minimum.

Those looking to enter the Soulcalibur hall of fame will be obligated to master the game's finer nuances; but if you're just picking up a blade for the very first time with such a goal in mind then Soulcalibur IV will surely appear to be overwhelmingly deep and almost needlessly complex - so much so for some that such a player might be deterred from exploring any of the game's intricacies. Yet, to avoid any of the elaborate elements will ultimately hamper your long-term enjoyment of the game; this is certainly a 'no pain, no gain' title. The difference between button masher and professional-in-training could be embodied by the press of a single button. Guarding against oncoming attacks, when executed correctly, can cause a monumental sway in the pendulum of battle. Also known as Guard Impacts, these moves allow those about to be victimized by an attack to repel or parry said attack, temporarily stunning or knocking the opponent to the ground and thus giving the defender a chance to turn the tables on their unsuspecting foe. In the subtlest manner, the difference between a guard impact and a standard block is simply the press of a direction, a great example of the game's more advanced workings, and a fighter unwilling to learn these slight mechanics is inevitably at a disadvantage in the heat of combat.

On paper, critical finishes could be a potentially game breaking mechanic, allowing a one-hit kill on any withered opponent and effectively making them the golden gun equivalent of weapon-to-weapon combat. Although not hard to execute, the conditions in which these spectacular one-hit kills can be executed are extremely uncommon and it's because of this that the attack fails to fall under the category of game breaking. The soul gauge effectively dictates the frequency of blocking; the more you are attacked whilst blocking, the more your soul gauge depletes. It is only after your gauge is depleted and your soul is crushed that you become susceptible to being destroyed by a critical finish. When and if you do manage to successfully pull-off such an attack, it's a fairly hands-off experience; an in-game cut scene takes control, portraying an over-the-top yet rewarding way of annihilating your now regretful - and dead - rival.

Amongst the new character roster, three new additions certainly make a "glowing" appearance, as needless, out of place and forced as they are; they're certainly a fun extra, if nothing else. They may not gel with the most casual fans but some will certainly get a kick out of controlling these surplus characters. About a quarter size of the tallest canon character, Yoda is disappointingly unbalanced; the inability to be hit by high attacks and immunity to being grabbed by others makes Yoda equally useless to wield and simultaneously irritating to face. It's almost unfathomable as to how such a character, broken as he is, survived round after round of supposed user testing. The most prominent of the balancing issues stem from the out-of-town characters, as the apprentice, the Sith Lord in training, is somewhat overpowered, and any attempt to defeat him with a stock, bog-standard character often proves futile for the initial attempts - even the most 'skilled' of button mashers will struggle for a swift victory.

Sore, unsightly and unbalanced thumbs aside, the central cast of returning characters is largely void of any notable balancing issues although you're bound to notice the occasional attack or two that's unfittingly overpowered. Thankfully, those apt enough won't agonise in the blocking, dodging or countering of said attacks. Any issues more noticeable to veteran players may also reap the benefits of downloadable patches and gameplay tweaks, meaning that an exceedingly strong character, once frustrating, may become a more balanced and fairer character quite literally the next day.

Only having to render two characters and an arena, no matter how difficult it may be in actuality, leaves a lot to be expected of the visual fidelity of the average fighter. In this regard, Soulcalibur IV reaches the bar but doesn't quite surpass it. Any appreciation for the game's aesthetics will derive more from the art style than any amount of high-resolution textures or spectacular lighting; from the intricate detail in the warriors' armour to the exceptional lighting and visual effects in combat, Soulcalibur IV is undoubtedly a stylish and artistic affair. If any aspect of the graphical presentation is lacking and the virtue of graphical fidelity afforded to this generation of consoles untapped, it could only be pertained to the arenas in which battle takes place. Although not the case in every arena, some display the oh-so-lacking graphical prowess of the last generation, while a few, given the themes and settings for a potentially eye-melting experience, severely disappoint and at best, are bland and uninspired.

After a few fights, you'll eventually develop a partiality towards a particular arena - if more for its unique theme and visual style than its actual (if any) gameplay modification, as beyond being just a pretty face, each arena fails to truly distinguish itself. The most exciting interaction a participant might truly hope to experience with an arena will be too knocked firmly from its flat stone groundings; and sadly that's all they are - flat. Whilst almost every aspect of Soulcalibur IV has seemingly progressed, most arenas feel depressingly non-interactive and static. Any flashing lights or sounding whistles in the foreground are purely aesthetic and hollow. Dead or Alive 4's multi-tiered stages left many, myself included, spoilt for the better, as it would often create pseudo cinematic, climatic and dynamic combat experiences on every stage, forcing different methods of combat in different areas in the hope of avoiding a specific trap, pitfall or soon-to-be broken fence. The standard arena layout doesn't necessarily distil the experience yet it could have been a much richer experience had they been more tangible and interactive.

With seemingly little room for the genre to expand, Soulcalibur IV makes the best of a well established formula, supporting the equation with several new modes, extra content and the long-awaited inclusion of enjoyable, if not perfect, online play. Multiplayer over Xbox Live isn't packet-for-packet perfect, with occasional slowdown marring an incidental match or two. Still, whilst it's not the best in the online domain as a whole, in a genre lacking the luxury of online optimisation, Soulcalibur IV is undoubtedly better than most. The trade-off for relatively stable online capabilities is the lack of modes on offer, with only standard and special matches available in the usual Ranked and Player varieties. Standard simply refers to a typical fight between stock characters, whereas Special grants the use of custom-edited or created characters, involving stat tweaks, character abilities and weapon effects.

You see, if the aesthetics or attributes of your favourite character don't quite align with your unique tastes, a character creator is available to create altered copies from the standard roster of characters, or, for the few that might feel the need to be a little more adventurous, you can randomly generate and then edit a character that's created from scratch. Using pre-existing armour and combat styles, it's possible to invent a contestant who's alien to the Soulcalibur universe, giving each player the chance to represent an aspect of themselves in every fight. It's an amazingly adept creation tool that'll leave many spending hours just trying to develop a character to the best of their potential.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Soulcalibur IV is the lack of variety in the single player modes. It provides an enjoyable and suitable platform on which to hone your skills, yet it doesn't provide a particularly rewarding gameplay experience. Had the game shipped without online play then this might have been an issue; thankfully, the inclusion of online play makes the lack of modes somewhat forgivable, as you're bound to fight against friends over any amount of arcade characters any day of the week. The most powerful motivator for investing any amount of significant time into the single player options would be for the wealth of unlockable armour, weapons, gold and characters - making any time spent a rewarding one and just not in the emotional sense.

The Story mode is barely even reminiscent of what it seeks to describe itself as; lasting about fifteen minutes at the most, this mode takes your through a series of continuous fights with canon characters, interweaved with the occasional senseless cut scene. To be fair to the genre, fighting games have never had complex, layered or particularly deep stories, but that shouldn't prevent developers from trying. Hours of playing the Story leaves little story to be understood; if one day a fighter can present a tail that can make each punch and kick a more meaningful one then Soulcalibur would have been and may eventually be all the better for trying.

Soulcalibur is appearing increasingly stale, with each sequel becoming a reluctant carbon copy of its prior - but whilst we await the next step forward for the fighter, Soulcalibur IV manages to keep the key elements of the genre surprisingly fresh and, more importantly, fun. The further introduction of guest characters seems to be a largely style over substance affair and if you're looking to enter the game in the most professional sense then these aren't the characters for you. Still, if beyond novelty you seek a deep, challenging and well-presented fighter then Soulcalibur IV is definitely worth fighting for.

Reviewed by Adam Meadows for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).