(LAST UPDATE: 9/4/09)
Developer(s): Namco (Project Soul)
Publisher(s): Namco Bandai
Platform(s): PSP
Release: September 1st, 2009
Characters: Dampierre, Mitsurugi,
Taki,
Ivy,
Hilde,
Siegfried,
Nightmare, Raphael,
Kilik, Xianghua,
Maxi, Tira,
Sophitia,
Cassandra,
Astaroth,
Cervantes, Talim,
Rock, Amy,
Voldo,
Setsuka, Seong
Mina, Yunseong, Lizard
Man, Yoshimitsu, Zasalamel,
Algol, Kratos
Related Games:
Soul
Edge, Soul Calibur, Soul
Calibur 2, Soul Calibur 3, Soul
Calibur 3: Arcade Edition, Soul Calibur
4
General: Based off of Soul Calibur IV, Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny is the first ever handheld incarnation of the franchise. Broken Destiny features 28 characters including one new entry to the Soul series, the delightfully entertaining Dampierre... Whom brings along some appreciated comic relief for the series, and also packs a hilariously thought out fighting style. Unfortunately for Star Wars fans, the special guest characters from SC IV were cut from this version, and were replaced with a new special guest character: Kratos from the God of War franchise, whom seems to fit right in with the rest of the cast; though a couple of his "all powerful" moves are a bit over the top.
First off,
as a handheld fighting game, Broken
Destiny doesn't disappoint and is easily of the top 3 best looking PSP games to date...
The sharp & sleek visuals run amazingly smooth at 60 frames per second, one of the few PSP titles that
can actually pull that off. Since no animation or moves were compromised, Broken
Destiny animates just as good as it's big brother SC IV, and is practically
"arcade perfect" for a handheld port. Character models have
understandably been toned down with lower quality texture resolutions and a
lower polygon count, but overall still look exceptionally good, especially
character faces which don't seem compromised at all. Stages also pack some
impressive eye candy, and some have been slightly altered which also gives the game a
"new" kind of feel.
Most importantly, the gameplay is as solid as you'd expect from the
series. Thankfully the returning characters retained all of their moves from Soul
Calibur IV, and even have some new abilities as well! Character balance has
been reworked, as a handful of moves were toned down, some having different
hit effects... Though most combos and tactics from Soul Calibur IV work
just the same. The new gameplay features that were introduced in SC IV like armor destructions
and critical finishes have returned in Broken Destiny, along with a new
mechanic called "Active Purge" which allows your character to break
their armor to avoid a potential critical finish, although the character will
rightfully take more damage without their armor.
Following suit with Tekken:
Dark Resurrection, Broken Destiny offers a tutorial mode and a great
way for "beginners" to learn the system and stop that disgraceful
button mashing. Instead of a traditional tutorial like Tekken: Dark
Resurrection offered, Broken Destiny's Gauntlet mode contains over 80
missions which addresses Soul Calibur's core gameplay mechanics. The hosts of
the mode: Dampierre, Cassandra, and Hilda offer amusing commentary with each
mission (and differs when you pass our fail); while you simultaneously practice combat fundamentals,
guaranteed hits, sidestepping/8-way run, parrying, throw breaking, etc. The
Gauntlet mode actually reminds me of a Warioware game (hmm, maybe it's
Dampierre's mustache), which requires you to think fast and make the right
decisions to complete the mission. You can even complete most missions several
different ways, for example whether you choose to sidestep your opponent's
attack or guard impact it, or simply counter with a faster attack. Even the most veteran Soul Calibur
player may pick up something from this mode, and though a bit repetitive
sometimes, it's a
fun play through to touch up your skills and reflexes.
Broken Destiny's other modes include Quick Match, Trials,
Survival, Creation, and Versus (using Ad Hoc). Broken Destiny makes up
for it's lack of online mode with some very impressive computer AI. The
"custom" characters you'll meet in Quick Match somewhat replicate an
online battle (minus the lag), each fighter using noticeably different tactics
to try to defeat you... Some computer opponents even shamelessly SPAM the same
move over and over again, like some people do online!!! 
In most cases though, the computer effectively uses 8-way run, combos, parries,
avoids ring outs; and sometimes closely replicates fighting against a skilled
player opponent! I'm not saying the computer AI doubles as a real player or
anything, but it's certainly comes close, and is some of the best
computer AI I've fought against in a long while.
The always enjoyable character creation mode is much like the one
found in Soul Calibur IV, featuring plenty of new customization items.
There's also a new photo mode where you can take a snapshot of your created character in
a variety of poses, and even decorate your custom character's "icon" with
frames & backgrounds... An interesting option which is fun a welcomed
addition to the creation mode. You can still customize the default Soul
Calibur roster, but unfortunately you can only change their color scheme this time
around; not outfits or hairstyle. Still, the creation mode overall is very
impressive and technically an improvement over Soul Calibur IV's.
What Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny lacks is a story mode... The
comical dialogue you'll encounter in Gauntlet mode is a nice change of pace for
the series, but falls short of representing the game's engaging storyline. While
it's not the most important aspect of a fighting game, a basic story mode or
even arcade mode with character endings wouldn't have hurt. Still, Broken
Destiny is another step in the right direction for the series and a rock
solid arcade-style fighting game in the palm of your hands.
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Closing Comment:
With Broken Destiny, Namco has proven once again they can produce a first-rate PSP game... The overall package seems a bit short on the 1-player experience,
but playing friends in VS mode is always where it's at, and thankfully 2
player wireless battles are steady & smooth! A must have PSP title for any fighting
game player, and generously accessible to new players that may want to get into the
series.
I had high hope for this title, and Soul-on-the-go actually turned
out better than I expected. If you put some time into Soul Calibur IV,
no doubt you'll pick up Broken Destiny with ease. The psp's directional
pad works exceptionally well with the game, and with a little bit of practice
and the right technique (two fingers) you'll forget you're even playing
on a psp. Those 'just frame' moves are harder to pull off of course, but
everything else is spot on for a handheld fighting game... Definitely one of the
best I've ever played. ~F.Yagami,
Webmaster
of TFG
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