Soul Calibur V

Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Developer: Project Soul/CyberConnect2
ETA: Spring

FACE IT; IT could have been worse. Say what you like about young Exio Auditore da Firenze, but at least he fits into the world of swords and souls with slightly more panache than Yoda. While he's a good 70 years outside his correct time sonze, at least Enzio's packing knives, swords and crossbows rather than a knee high laser sword. The recently unveiled Ubisoft ringer joins a cast of fighters in a period of good 17 years after the other installments, opening the door for the spawn or apprentices of various characters to freshen up the mix, as well as considerably aged (though no less - ahem - pneumatic) versions of old favourites. With a promised emphasis on speeding up the flow of battle, Team Soul is taking steps to make this fifth core installment a less button-mashing affair. Taking its cues from Capcom, meters and gauges are now of supreme importance, making possible Critical Edge character offence moves (i.e. Supers) or, perhaps more interestly, a greater variety of defensive manoeuvres. The timing-specific, non-guage parry attack named Just Guard is still around, and gameplay seems more focused on its employment this time around. All this means that, quite possibly, Soul Calibur V could break the mould, elevating the fighter into the arena of tech-led fighters it could never previously exist in, while simultaneously allowing it to maintain its reputation for being outlandish and simply all-out, over-the-top-silly.