Namco Bandai's weapons-based fighting series makes its high-def debut with Soul Calibur IV. New characters, environments, and play modes highlight this fourth installment of the fast-paced brawler. A special tournament with a mystical prize has drawn combatants from across the galaxy. Familiar fighters from previous Soul Calibur games are joined by several newcomers, including Hilde, Scheherazade, Angol Fear, and even Darth Vader from the Star Wars universe. Characters will challenge each other in an assortment of exotic locales while mastering new techniques in combat.

The one-on-one fighting system now features critical finishing moves, allowing players to initiate devastating, cinematic coups de grâce to weakened opponents. Characters also wear destructible armor, which can shatter during fights to expose vulnerable areas. Play modes include Story, Arcade, Training, and Active Matching Battle, an endurance-type match that challenges players to defeat as many enemies as possible. Custom fighters can be created and taken online for versus matches, and new equipment and other items can be earned by completing objectives in the mysterious "Tower of Lost Souls."