Soul Calibur II

Soul Calibur II abandons any notion of plots, as all fans might expect: Beat the game with your favorite char, watch as seemingly inchoate ending (they consist of mere stills instead of beautiful CG movies), and unlock numerous secrets. Namco does this in favor of expanding upon the mission mode popuralized in the first title. Dubbed Weapon Master, players select a warrior from a cast of 20 and play through a variety of scenarios, which range from matches that require to fell five opponents in a row to duels that force you to attack enemies in a specific manner - such as knocking them against. Completeting challenges yields a secret, and earns your character experience and money, enabling the player to purchase even more hidden material! The relatively small number of missions suggests that Weapon Master mode is inadequate; bu if you take into consideration of the variety of match types, the ability to grow your character, the respectable amount of hidden missions, and a bag of unlockables that rivals Santa on Christmas Eve; you've got a lengthy experience on par with Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance

PS2/Xbox/GC
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Release: August 26

For more information on Soul Calibur II, pick up a copy of the May edition of GameInformer