SOUL REAVER
F. FANTASY 8
TOMB RAIDER III

Many a debate has raged as to which is the top title between Tekken 2 and Soul Blade, but with a third Tekken game firmly established Soul Calibur is preparing to enter the arena and kick up the dust once more.

In Soul Calibur Namco have combined fast, silky smooth graphics and controls that respond instantly to player reactions with motion capture technology to bring spectacular action direct from the martial arts experts.

Let the battle begin...
 

What's it all about..?
 
      Players choose from ten characters, each with their own unique combat qualities and personal weapons, and fight their way through six stages using standard manoeuvres such as move, guard, horizontal/vertical attack and kick.

New, advanced features in Soul Calibur include jumps, in-close throws, an 8-way free run, instant turn and running attacks. Surviving the six dead-or-alive battles rewards players with a contest against a character whose skills match those of the player. Victory at this stage earns a clash with the ultimate boss. Soul Calibur has been developed by the same team that created Tekken 3, giving fantastic 60 frames per second gameplay and establishes a new standard in 3D fighting games.

Soul Calibur also features Namco's innovative Time Release system, bringing new characters, new stages and new weapons to retain player interest and extend the life of the game.

Soul History..!
 
       The story begins with Captain Cervantes, one of the most dreadful pirates of the era. After he acquired the evil twin swords "Soul Edge", Cervantes and his mighty ship the "Adrian" struck fear into the Atlantic Ocean. Once fully possessed by the demon swords, he slew his entire crew and the residence of his port base in Spain.

After the bloodshed, Cervantes rested himself at the remains of what was once known as the "Black Tail Inn". Temporarily satisfied with its twisted desire to consume souls, the evil swords rested and prepared to create the "Child of the Evil Swords"...

During the next twenty years rumours of the evil sword spread throughout the world. Some believed it was the sword of salvation, while others called it the ultimate weapon. Some, selected by destiny and history, sought Soul Edge for personal reasons. Fortunately, few reached Soul Edge; those that did cursed their fate as the evil swords devoured their souls.

However there was one who fought the cursed fate... Sophitia, the sacred fighter of Hephaestus the God of Blacksmiths. During the grueling battle with Cervantes, she succeeded in destroying one of the twin swords. But in doing so, she was wounded as the pieces of the shattered sword rained upon her body. Cervantes, with wrath as if a part of him had been destroyed, was about to end her life when Taki the "Underground Hunter" challenged him.

Due to his loss of control from the destruction of one of the blades the intense battle between Taki and Cervantes ended with the victory of the "Underground Hunter". She completed her mission by gathering a piece of the destroyed Soul Edge and left with the injured Sophitia.

Siegfried the "Innocent Darkside," visited the port town seeking the sword of legend for his vengeance, only to find the corpse of a pirate captain. Attracted by a sword clutched in the dead pirate’s hand, Siegfried walked toward it take possession of the blade, but suddenly the corpse rose up enveloped in hell fire. It seemed as if an evil spirit had materialized on earth consuming Servantes' body.

With a flash, mortal combat began. The Zweihander "Faust", roared in the hands of the boy, who seemed too little to bear such a heavy blade, and slashed through the air controlled by the madness in the youth's eyes. When the battle ended, all that remained was the burnt corpse and the boy grasping the now broken Zweihander. His green eyes reflected the Soul Edge bathed in hell fire...

The youth’s warped spirit extended a hand to Soul Edge, as if being guided by the evil spirit which longed for a new host to maintain its power and control..

That night, some people at the Spanish seashore saw a mysterious but beautiful scene of a white column of light piercing the clouds and spreading through the sky. How could they have known, it was the birth of the Evil Seed, which would cause disasters throughout the world?

It is now the Future. The Master of Blades has taken his place in the stage of history. Now the time has come for all souls to reveal their true forms and the tools of fate to be in hand.

Old Favorites
 
      After his unsuccesful search for Soul Edge, Voldo returned to the Money Pit and found the pit flooded by a storm. He took every means to drain and restore the pit but finally gave up as an entire section sunk under water. Meanwhile, a female fighter violated the Money Pit searching for a note Vercci had left about Soul Edge.

Voldo allows no one to invade his Master's sanctuary! From darkness the guardian attacked the female fighter, but she was armed with a mysterious weapon and her fighting style troubled him. The battle ended when the female fighter ran away guarding herself with her weapon. Voldo kneeled in front of Master Vercci's coffin, as usual, to report that the invader was cleared. Suddenly, he heard the sweet voice.

"Voldo, didn't you feel her dark aura? She had the scent of Soul Edge... Chase her, and bring me Soul Edge! Do you understand? Remember, I trust you...

Hearing the voice of the master, rose colors swept into Voldo’s grayish cheeks and hot blood flowed through his veins. Voldo left the Money Pit again to get Soul Edge.

When Sophitia recovered her senses she found herself lying in her bed at home. She returned to her life as the daughter of a baker and has spent her days in peace. But one day on her way shopping with her sister, she suddenly lost consciousness.
 "So many lives... disappearing... Soul Edge?"

Sophitia was rescued and carried back home by a youth named Rothion who lived in the next city. Since that day they were attracted to each other so strongly that they decided to become engaged. They were visiting the Temple of Hephaestus to report their engagement to him, when Hephaestus appeared before them. The God of Smiths revealed that the remaining Soul Edge was regaining its power and he needed Sophitia’s help once again.

 "Let me go in place of her", insisted Rothion.   "Rothion, you are a smith, aren't you? This time it is you who will forge the armor and weapon to protect Sophitia."

Rephaestus gave Rothion a raw chunk of sacred iron and instructed Sophitia that she must completely destroy the Soul Edge. She left home with the sword and shield that Rothion had forged from the iron. She pursued Soul Edge, purifying lands seized by the Evil Seed. Her eyes shined with the light of faith.
 

What You Can Expect...
 
      Soul Calibur will be available early '99 on Playstation format.

FEATURES
• choose from ten characters
• unique combat qualities and personal weapons
• six stages
• new, advanced features
• six dead-or-alive battles
• ultimate bosses