SOULCALIBUR VI

Challengers appear to celebrate the series’ 20th anniversary

The curtain’s yet to go up on the stage of history, but the dress rehearsals seem to be going well. Bandai Namco has announced four new playable characters to join series regulars Sophitia and Mitsurugi. Naturally, we were keen to see how they measured up, especially as one of them is a complete newcomer making their debut.

The first of the three returning faces is Chinese blade-wielder Xinghua. In a default costume borrowing obvious influence from her very first appearance in the series, she returns to battle with a keepsake from her mother, the blue-tasseled Krita-Yuga sword. Xinghua’s strength lies in misdirecting her foe to create an opening for the fluid arc of her blade or a swift kick. Fleet-footed, she is able to use her opponent as a stepping stone out of harm’s way. More direct fighters that can match her speed, such as Sophitia, will have an easier time pinning Xinghua down long enough to deliver some damage. However, known for her determination, she can still get in a few light kicks even when knocked flat on her back.

SWORD SIBLINGS

Joining the swordswoman is another youth with connections to the Ling-Sheng Su temple. Wielder of the Kali-Yuga staff, Kilik’s fighting style is focussed on keeping his opponents at arm’s length and knocking them off their feet if they get too close; the staff is a weapon that affords the wielder opportunities for offensive and defensive manoeuvres in equal measure. Kilik’s got one complex and tormented past. As VI goes back to cover events from the start of the series’ timeline, the new character trailer reveals Evil Seed’s destructive influence over the fighter and – just trust us – it’s best to stay on this guy’s good side.

Last of the familiar faces is the one and only Nightmare, a villain we all love to hate (and to play as). The manifestation and wielder of Soul Edge, the antagonistic half of the series’ central twin blades, Nightmare is big on dishing out devastating blows that are difficult to avoid, and, above all, drama. One of his special, armour-annihilating moves features him riding into combat mounted on a not-so-pale horse, after all.

NOT YOUR UNDERSTUDY

Alongside these returning cast members, white-haired pretty boy Grøh joins the ensemble. A mysterious man frequently found clad in monochromatic tones, he mutters about targets, intel, and an important mission during combat.

Grøh’s a member of the mysterious and secretive Aval Organisation, and is one of several generations of members tasked with ridding the world of the ‘Outsiders’ – that means anyone connected to the cursed blade. The plot thickens if you’re able to destroy his gauntlets, revealing multiple scars across his arms. How he got these and why they glow during a soul charge remains to be revealed.

Grøh fights with a separable doublebladed sword. This unique weapon gives him the ability to either dualwield the blades or handle them in a way not unlike how Kilik handles his staff. In addition to taking advantage of any expectations an opponent may have, this weapon gives his fighting style a great deal of variance and adaptability. His speed and precision makes him particularly formidable as it is, but he’s also got a few tricks up his sleeve for when he meets his match, though he’s not one to give all of his secrets away in the first round.

With the return of familiar friends, foes, and the malevolent influence of Evil Seed alongside the inclusion of a brand-new character, it will be interesting to see where else this latest entry deviates from the previous timeline (Cervantes has got to be there, right?). We can’t wait to hear who else will be joining the roster ahead of the release and look forward to busting some heads when the game comes out later this year.