SOULCALIBUR VI

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,222 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
SOULCALIBUR VI Game Cover
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"SOULCALIBUR VI" is the latest entry in the weapons-based fighting game series, featuring new battle mechanics like Reversal Edge and Soul Charge. It includes single-player modes such as Soul Chronicle, online battles, and a character creation mode. Geralt from The Witcher series makes a guest appearance.

  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,222 reviews
story272 positive mentions
grinding28 negative mentions
  • story1,458 mentions

    The story aspect of "Soul Calibur VI" features two main modes: "Soul Chronicle," which provides individual narratives for each character, and "Libra of Souls," where players create their own character and navigate a more RPG-like experience. While some players appreciate the depth and customization options, many criticize the storytelling for being overly reliant on static images and text, lacking engaging cutscenes, and presenting a narrative that feels generic or poorly executed. Overall, the story modes offer a substantial amount of content, but the execution leaves much to be desired, especially compared to other fighting games with more cinematic storytelling.

    • “The game has a solid story with beautifully drawn characters and moments with an actual clear narrative that I think makes this the best game of the series in regards to story.”
    • “The story is super amazing with hints of previous installments.”
    • “The story mode (which has 3 unique types of story mode) is high tier in comparison to many other fighters as well as in comparison to its own franchise, the characters are diverse and unique, and with a large roster to choose from.”
    • “The story mode is dragged on with excruciatingly long text screens showcasing an uninteresting story.”
    • “Now, 80% of both story modes consist of skippable dialogues that shouldn't have a place on a modern fighting game, boring and lazy storytelling for a story that was never very good to start with.”
    • “The story mode is a joke, as it is mostly just pictures with text and there is rarely ever an actual cutscene or video.”
  • gameplay1,013 mentions

    The gameplay of Soulcalibur VI is characterized by a mix of traditional mechanics and new features, such as the controversial "reversal edge," which introduces a rock-paper-scissors element that some players find frustrating. While many appreciate the game's accessibility and fluid combat, others criticize the pacing disruptions caused by cinematic moves and the reliance on luck-based mechanics. Overall, the game offers a solid fighting experience with diverse character options and customization, appealing to both newcomers and veterans of the series.

    • “Solid and diverse character creation and gameplay mechanics make it extremely engaging and refreshing to play.”
    • “The gameplay is polished and exhilarating, especially when swapping blows with opponents.”
    • “Gameplay is fast, dynamic.”
    • “The gameplay feels slow (and that's an understatement).”
    • “Reversal edge is the worst game mechanic I've ever seen.”
    • “The game fails so hard to hold your attention with actual gameplay, that it is essentially 90% text, dialogue, and a few cutscenes, wasting endless hours by pressing the skip button to get to the few, and far between, moments when you have to select a response to something happening in the story.”
  • graphics432 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and detailed character designs, particularly on high-end systems. However, some players note that the graphics feel dated compared to contemporary titles, with criticisms aimed at the lack of innovation and the use of reused assets. Overall, while the game showcases beautiful graphics and smooth performance, it also suffers from inconsistencies and a need for graphical updates.

    • “The graphics are stunning and the gameplay is smooth and highly satisfying.”
    • “Immerse yourself in the breathtaking world of soulful battles, with its stunning graphics and unrivaled gameplay.”
    • “The graphics and gameplay in this game are very good.”
    • “The graphics are completely lackluster, the story/writing is absolutely cringeworthy, and there is just no content.”
    • “The graphics look very dated, even on max settings.”
    • “Absolute poor graphics.”
  • music174 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its orchestral quality and nostalgic tracks from previous installments, while others find it generic and forgettable. Many players appreciate the option to customize stage music from a large selection, including classic tracks, but express a desire for more memorable original compositions. Overall, while the soundtrack is considered solid and enjoyable, it lacks standout pieces that resonate long after gameplay.

    • “The music in this game is just amazing (10/10), in my opinion, and the stages are gorgeous.”
    • “Great gameplay, fantastic music and awesome character designs.”
    • “The soundtrack is filled with grand orchestral tunes, much in line with what has been done in the past.”
    • “The music is also utterly forgettable.”
    • “It's like they just bought stock tracks from some music licensing provider.”
    • “The soundtrack is repetitive and boring, the story was the same as it is in other games and remains stale from what I remember.”
  • optimization85 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some players reporting smooth performance on low-end systems while others experience significant stuttering and frame drops, even on high-end hardware. While many commend the game for its solid framerate and good graphics, others criticize it for poor optimization in certain areas, such as the character creator and menu systems. Overall, the game shows potential for optimization but still struggles in specific aspects, particularly online play and customization features.

    • “A well-optimized game that can run well on even the lowest of low-end rigs.”
    • “The game is well-optimized and looks great, with meticulously animated attacks that literally blow your socks off.”
    • “Well optimized, just like Tekken.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized and has the crisis effect of running like trash on very high-end hardware.”
    • “I suspect that this game is poorly optimized for PC, as my frame rate drops to about 15-20 during regular non-online gameplay, despite the fact that the graphics of the game are basically PS3 levels.”
    • “The menu system is poorly optimized for PC; it's best to use a controller.”
  • humor62 mentions

    The humor in the game is primarily derived from its character creation system, allowing players to design absurd and hilarious characters that lead to entertaining battles. Many reviews highlight the comedic elements of the gameplay, including funny dialogue, ridiculous character designs, and amusing combat mechanics, making it a lighthearted experience. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy creating and battling with quirky characters rather than taking the storyline or combat too seriously.

    • “The story comes off as funny even when it tries to be serious because the dialogue is pretty bad.”
    • “Creating your character is fun and funny as hell.”
    • “Playing online is a blast, especially with all the hilarious variety of created characters you fight against.”
    • “Only 6 stages, not funny cutscenes in between, no final boss, nothing.”
    • “It's not funny trying to unlock stuff by getting points when the multiplayer part matches you against people that will simply clean the floor with you.”
  • replayability32 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its character customization, multiplayer modes, and various game modes that enhance replay value. However, others feel that the single-player content lacks depth and that the game may become stale over time, particularly due to matchmaking issues in online play. Overall, while there are enjoyable aspects that encourage replaying, the experience can vary significantly based on player preferences and the game's evolving community.

    • “Character editor is very entertaining, lots of replayability.”
    • “Super fun and deep gameplay, rewarding to explore, lots of replayability with the different game modes.”
    • “This is my favorite fighting game series and it comes with fighter customization and a RPG mode called Libra of Souls for endgame replayability.”
    • “It just doesn't have enough replay value, which, for a fighting game, is how you murder yourself.”
    • “One playthrough is enough and the attempt at replay value, the moral choices don't really mean anything until the end.”
    • “Given the single player will eventually lose replayability other than for learning new characters, you'll eventually get bored and the multiplayer won't be worth doing unless it's with friends who aren't going to have abysmal net.”
  • grinding30 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious and repetitive, often requiring excessive time investment for achievements and character progression. Many reviews highlight the frustration with poorly designed systems that force unnecessary farming and lengthy dialogues, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay. While some appreciate the depth and learning involved, the consensus leans towards grinding being a significant drawback, making the experience feel more like a chore than fun.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The ranked system is busted and gives you nothing for higher ranks, so grinding is pointless.”
    • “With Libra of Soul in particular, 90% of the entire mode is mind-numbingly tedious, with only the ending 10% being challenging enough to hold one's interest.”
  • character development29 mentions

    Character development in this game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while character designs are visually impressive and diverse, they lack depth and unique play styles. Critics argue that the character development feels lazy and outdated, with some assets recycled from previous titles, leading to a desire for more substantial growth and individuality among characters. Overall, while the character designs are celebrated, the narrative and development aspects leave much to be desired.

    • “I personally love how creative you can get with the character designs and use that the most for designing my OC's as 3D playable characters.”
    • “Even if it's just for character development alone, I would recommend!”
    • “The character designs and custom character design are incredible.”
    • “Characters need much stronger character development, and every character should have their very own unique play style.”
    • “Of all the current installments of all the franchises that are represented at EVO, this is probably the worst one -- whereas Tekken, Mortal Kombat, and Smash are all easily the best they've been in 20 years and have really thoughtful presentation and decent story modes, Soul Calibur is just kind of there, the menus are really blah, the character design is as cheesy as ever, it looks like a PS3 game graphically, and in general feels like it was made on the cheap.”
    • “- the new character 2B is one of the worst character designs in the history of fighting games.”
  • monetization26 mentions

    The monetization practices in the game have been widely criticized as exploitative and reminiscent of a cash grab, with many reviewers expressing frustration over high-priced DLC for characters and content that should have been included in the base game. Players feel that the game offers a bare-bones experience for its price, with additional costs for cosmetics and characters, leading to a perception of greed from the developers. Overall, the sentiment is that the monetization strategy detracts significantly from the game's value and enjoyment.

    • “Soul Calibur 6 is a pretty bare-bones package for a $60 title with all the cosmetics and extra characters being sold as microtransactions.”
    • “In addition, there are no microtransactions or gambling mechanics to be found.”
    • “Was a great fan of the series, now it's just a soulless cash grab.”
    • “The content: the game is quite pricey for how little it offers, the small roster and bare bones character creator make this game boring quite fast, along with very little stages to fight in and nonsensical high dollar DLC for characters you have to pay for, making this game feel like an unloved cash grab and an insult to die-hard Soul Calibur fans.”
    • “So sick of these greedy and ridiculous monetization practices in fighting games now, where they charge a huge upfront cost for the game and then demand you pay for every character, stage, costume, piece of music, and button input.”
  • stability21 mentions

    Overall, the stability of the game is mixed, with some players experiencing significant issues such as freezing, lag, and crashes, particularly in multiplayer and specific stages. However, others report a smooth performance with no serious bugs, especially on PC, where the game runs well even on lower-end hardware. While the netcode and lobby systems can be temperamental, many users find the gameplay enjoyable despite these stability concerns.

    • “As with Tekken, the Soulcalibur series makes its long-awaited debut on PC, and like Tekken 7, Soulcalibur 6 runs great on PC.”
    • “It runs great, feels fast, and is entertaining to watch even when you're not the one playing.”
    • “My computer's CPU doesn't meet the recommendations, but I'm still able to play this at the highest settings, and it looks amazing and runs great.”
    • “The game has always been a buggy mess, but this is what triggered me to write a review.”
    • “I wish to report a crash issue: whenever I go to the cursed moonlight woods stage (in all battles), the game crashes (or more recently, freezes).”
    • “The servers for multiplayer can be a bit temperamental as it freezes up occasionally or boots everyone back to the lobby.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game resonates strongly with fans, particularly through the nostalgic return of iconic characters and heartfelt storylines that evoke genuine feelings, such as the impactful moments involving Cassandra and the connection between Raphael and Amy. However, some players feel that the emotional engagement is limited unless they are already invested in the characters, and the overall story mode can be perceived as tedious and lacking depth. Despite these criticisms, many appreciate the game's wholesome narrative and express eagerness for a sequel.

    • “Its a great wholesome emotional story and I'm really eager for a sequel hoping it ends well for them :)”
    • “It's truly a lovable and heartfelt game to us fans.”
    • “Didn't care much to play the Raphael or Amy characters but their story together did hit me a bit, emotionally.”
    • “You can't skip intros in boring story cut-scenes!”
    • “The single player area is either a boring story with a custom character with text speech or the classic adventure we are used to.”
    • “Downsides are the bad matchmaking in ranked, clothing bugs and not enough clothing options, a boring story mode and not that great graphics.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is characterized by a mix of competitive intensity and familiarity, reminiscent of previous titles, with engaging set pieces and well-designed character models that enhance the overall experience. However, the online ranked environment can feel repetitive, dominated by players who quickly move on after matches.

    • “Good set pieces, nice atmosphere, and more than satisfactory character models.”
    • “The online atmosphere of ranked is a lot of one-and-done players.”
    • “It felt like a rehash of SC3's atmosphere with new specials and many similar characters.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

21hMedian play time
45hAverage play time
7hMain story
38hCompletionist
12-52hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 26 analyzed playthroughs

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