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DF Retro: SoulCalibur - Beyond Arcade Perfect
- Thread starter LordOfLore
- Start date
This was a great video. I still remember being blown away by visuals when I saw a demo in a store window back in '99. There was nothing like it at the time on top of offering so much in one package on console at launch, which is why it became one of the best and highest rated fighting games of all time.
It's crazy that the series went from here to then relying on gimmicks. It's also a shame that they never released a version with all the content that they had to cut from the 360 version to get it under the size requirement.
The arcade versions weren't as popular as the console versions of SC, especially with arcades on the decline at the time so that's probably why.
All the games still hold up well graphically. I play SC2 on Dolphin and it looks amazing at 1080p. SC4 from 2008 still looks better than some fighting games released in 2016.
It's crazy that the series went from here to then relying on gimmicks. It's also a shame that they never released a version with all the content that they had to cut from the 360 version to get it under the size requirement.
The arcade versions weren't as popular as the console versions of SC, especially with arcades on the decline at the time so that's probably why.
All the games still hold up well graphically. I play SC2 on Dolphin and it looks amazing at 1080p. SC4 from 2008 still looks better than some fighting games released in 2016.
Monty Mole
Member
Dreamcast was a beast in '99 and my jaw literally dropped when I saw this running.
I seem to remember TTT having really impressive character models. I remember being very impressed with Jin, even using the photo mode to take pictures...back in 2000!
Daffy Duck
Member
This is my second favourite fighting game after MKII.
The memories of me and my mate playing through this in the late 90's and having our cheese battles in case mode.
Throw in the hilarious skipping of the FMV on his PlayStation due to his laser going off and us having hysterical laughter it brings back many fond memories.
Great video once again.
It's weird to me seeing Lei Long with nunchucks as here in the UK they were edited to be a three section staff.
This upset me a lot back in the day.
The memories of me and my mate playing through this in the late 90's and having our cheese battles in case mode.
Throw in the hilarious skipping of the FMV on his PlayStation due to his laser going off and us having hysterical laughter it brings back many fond memories.
Great video once again.
It's weird to me seeing Lei Long with nunchucks as here in the UK they were edited to be a three section staff.
This upset me a lot back in the day.
Dragon1893
Member
Indeed. I put so many hours into it and the wow factor never faded. It was absolutely incredible.
Pretty sure the arcade version was 60fps.
LordOfLore
Banned
Speaking of MK, did DF ever do a MK retrospective? Was reading this old thread where ideas for videos were posted.
Could be cool for the 25th anniversary.
Could be cool for the 25th anniversary.
The Omega Man
Member
Same, we may have better looking games right now but nothing beats watching and playing with those graphics back in the day, probably the first time that an arcade machine got surpassed this bad on the graphics department.
TheDarkKnight774
Member
When I saw SC video demo playing at my Best Buy in 99 I knew I had to buy the dreamcast at launch. I was a big fan of Soul Edge on PSX and when this game was shown, it's the biggest visual next gen jump I'd ever seen even to this day
Yeah TTT really wiped the floor with SC graphically. The environmental details, lighting and particle effects were mind-blowing compared to what the Dreamcast had to offer. Easy to see how the DC failed when the PS2 came out just a year later and immediately made it look last-gen.
Tomeru
Member
Lol I didn't even remember that. Still the best. Best mode and best soundtrack.
Textures were bad compared to SC's.
Theslammer
Member
The thing I always thought was unfortunate about DF:
They're a smart, very friendly channel providing fantastic analysis, but even their comments section isn't immune from fanboy craziness.
Regardless of that, I love DF and I love their Retro series.
They're a smart, very friendly channel providing fantastic analysis, but even their comments section isn't immune from fanboy craziness.
Regardless of that, I love DF and I love their Retro series.
Von Krukru
Banned
Tekken 7 is out on time for Namco to announce Soulcalibur 6 at E3, believe!
I've played a bit of Soulcalibur on arcade, but hundreds of hours on Dreamcast, the difference in quality is huge!
I've played a bit of Soulcalibur on arcade, but hundreds of hours on Dreamcast, the difference in quality is huge!
Not really, Tekken Tag's environmental textures really shined thanks to its use of specular highlights
This game and NFL 2K2.
It was the bump mapping which really impressed me with TTT. Few games after TTT even matched those bump mapping effects on PS2.
But that aside, I remember something weird going on with TTT where it wasn't a full 3D area, there was some fakery going on like parallax scrolling.
EDIT: Yep, you can see it in this video from 1m45s onwards - look how the background is detached from the foreground: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bT6nBFXDPk
Sir_Crocodile
Member
Soul Calibur on DC back in the day was the nads.
Hopefully demul or redream will one day handle higer res perfectly.
Hopefully demul or redream will one day handle higer res perfectly.
jizzlobber
Member
Yeah that was so weird, and from memory TTT was quite shimmery.
DOA2 on the dreamcast looked pretty good at the time, especially if you had a vga box.
They're supposedly high poly but they're just kinda ugly.
But look at how ugly Soul Calibur's characters are in my definitely not nitpicked screen capture.
Them painted on abs, lol
EDIT: Tekken Tag had actual polygonal muscle definition
Japanese version was shimmery but US version is crystal clear. Tekken is also a very impressive game and does push more advanced effects and geometry than Soul Calibur but it has limitations stemming from its art design (some great characters, plenty of ugly ones) and the detached backgrounds (which was inherent in the series until 4). They're both beautiful games, though.
Bugger fuck, I had no idea SC was re-released on the 360 (and like nine years ago at that). I was just attempting to DC emulation to run on my PC and getting fed up messing with BIOS files and other junk. I'm just going to get it on XB1 so I can play it on a modern television.
Question though: are the character and stage descriptions included? I loved just reading all that stuff from time to time too.
Question though: are the character and stage descriptions included? I loved just reading all that stuff from time to time too.
They're supposedly high poly but they're just kinda ugly.
They're very well realized for that style. I agree it's weird, but they actually resemble like late 90s CG.
But look at how ugly Soul Calibur's characters are in my definitely not nitpicked screen capture.
Them painted on abs, lol
They look about as painted as these
You can see more of TTT in high quality here, which is where I've taken these close up shots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwq7e8ZDmDg
(I think this video is actually of the PS3 remaster from Tekken Hybrid)
To me it just looks aesthetically hideous, and the animation is literally from the PS1 era. edit: In select screenshots it looks nice, but on the whole, in motion, nah.
reggieandTFE
Member
Virtual Fighter 3 in the arcade was still the fighting game that had the biggest effect on me in regards to graphics, but the DC port of this was a close second.
Nemesis121
Member
Still have my 9/9/99 copy...
Weltall Zero
Member
I imported a Dreamcast back in the day just for this game. Worth every cent.
So? It's still much uglier than SC. Polycounts matter little compared to art direction.
And I say this as someone who thinks Tekken > SC in general.
So? It's still much uglier than SC. Polycounts matter little compared to art direction.
And I say this as someone who thinks Tekken > SC in general.
MightyHedgehog
Member
IMO, the last truly jawdroppingly impressive fighter for its time. It was bettered by many games since, but nothing felt as 'from the future' as SC1.
polyh3dron
Banned
Soul Calibur on DC was so mindblowing to me when I got the console at launch in 99.
I laughed at people who showed me Tekken Tag Tournament on PS2 after spending all that time waiting for the console claiming it would be so much better and that it could render the Phantom Menace CG in real time, lol... it was an ugly mess.
I laughed at people who showed me Tekken Tag Tournament on PS2 after spending all that time waiting for the console claiming it would be so much better and that it could render the Phantom Menace CG in real time, lol... it was an ugly mess.
Now that my wi-fi allowed me to finish watching the Retro, some comments:
I played Soul Edge some years ago at an hotel that had the cab for some reason, and yeaaaah, my general impression was that it felt really weird to play. In hindsight, I should've noticed it was 30 FPS.
The dig on Mr. Driller was unnecessary, that franchise rocks =P
DC Soul Calibur has a lot of extra content indeed. Kinda wish DF mentioned the Exhibition mode where you can watch the characters doing kata. It's absurdly impressive how good the animation still is, specially both versions of Maxi's (with one and with two nunchaku). Oh, and the SD characters doing weapon motions in the VMU still is a cool though useless feature!
I played Soul Edge some years ago at an hotel that had the cab for some reason, and yeaaaah, my general impression was that it felt really weird to play. In hindsight, I should've noticed it was 30 FPS.
The dig on Mr. Driller was unnecessary, that franchise rocks =P
DC Soul Calibur has a lot of extra content indeed. Kinda wish DF mentioned the Exhibition mode where you can watch the characters doing kata. It's absurdly impressive how good the animation still is, specially both versions of Maxi's (with one and with two nunchaku). Oh, and the SD characters doing weapon motions in the VMU still is a cool though useless feature!
If art style is that important to you, do you think the arcade version of Soul Calibur looks better than the PS2 Tekken games? Do you think Soul Calibur looks better than Tekken 7 or TTT2?
Art style is completely subjective. I enjoy the art styles of both Tekken and Soul Calibur. However, Tekken Tag dwarfs Soul Calibur from a technical perspective, which makes it a far more attractive game.
I love that I still have a CRT and a Dreamcast to play it. I never trust the re-releases.
pretty done
Member
What does this mean? Not even GAF is safe from insane fanboys. Nowhere is, it's the internet dawg.
And agreed with everyone saying this was the most mind blowing next gen moment. To come from the PS1/N64 to Soulcalibur.... insane. NFL 2K was another one.
Yes! I loved watching those!
Also am I misremembering or did the intro change the more you played the game...? Or you could change the intro or something...?
IronicSonic
Member
DC Soul Calibur is so clean a crisp. Latest Soul Calibir looks oversaturated in detail for worst
Also, DF content is just superb. Thanks Dark!
Edit Dat VF3TB tease
Also, DF content is just superb. Thanks Dark!
Edit Dat VF3TB tease
The opening was customizable.
I remember thinking that was sooooooo cool at the time.
Wonko_C
Member
My favourite was putting Lizardman in place of Sophitia, he looked funny doing her animations.
At the end of the video, he said he is taking a month off, due to attending E3 and other things.
miller.skippins
Banned
the best soul calibur...so sue me..
i really dislike the later soul calibur games and their overboard character designs.
Nightmare is a demon knight in SC1....he's become something like a spawn character after.
if there's a SC6, please tone down the character designs, Namco!
i really dislike the later soul calibur games and their overboard character designs.
Nightmare is a demon knight in SC1....he's become something like a spawn character after.
if there's a SC6, please tone down the character designs, Namco!
Harry Stewart
Member
The jump from years of PSone and N64 graphics to Soul Calibur at launch was mind-blowing in a way I am not sure can be replicated at the graphical heights of today. The "I didn't even know this was possible" effect how good it looked, and played. As John says, I can't think of a less controversial choice for perfect 10 review score.
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