Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny
Developer(s)	Project Soul
Publisher(s)	Namco Bandai
Designer(s)	Hiroaki Yotoriyama
Platform(s)	Playstation Portable PlayStation Portable Go (Digital Download) PlayStation Vita (Digital Download) PlayStation 4/PlayStation 5 (Digital Download)
Released	JP August 27, 2009 EUR September 1, 2009 NA September 1, 2009 December 14, 2023 (PlayStation 4/PlayStation 5)
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	Single-player multiplayer
Media	Universal Media Disc Memory Stick PRO Duo
Previous Soulcalibur IV	Next Soulcalibur Mobile

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is a fighting game in the Soul series for the PlayStation Portable, as well as the PSP counterpart of Soulcalibur IV. It was announced by Namco Bandai on April 28, 2009.

Game Modes

These are the playable modes which appear in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny.

Quick Match

Quick Match pits you against a random opponent of your choice from a pool of custom created characters created by the development team.

The Gauntlet

The Gauntlet is the (non-canon) story mode made specifically for Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny. It is broken up into chapters consisting of a handful of fights. Unlike previous Soulcalibur games' story modes, it also has a tutorial aspect to it that is designed to teach players the game's fighting system. The characters met during the storyline act comically compared to their original personalities.

Trials

Trials mode features three different trials to test your skills:

• Trial of Attack - Standard difficulty trial. Gain a high score by connecting attacks in battle.
• Trial of Defense - Higher difficulty trial. Gain a high score by attacking back right after guarding your opponent's attack.
• Endless Trial - Advanced difficulty trial. Defeat your opponents one after another, and see just how high you can raise your score.

Versus

Versus mode is the multiplayer option that allows you to play head-to-head against another person via ad hoc.

Creation

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny features a Character Creation system similar to Soulcalibur IV. New options allow for precision-tuning of almost every aspect of a created combatant's appearance, including the size, position and angle of certain accessories. New fantasy-themed equipment, such as elf ears and wings, are also available. However, unlike in Soulcalibur IV, characters' physiques and muscularity cannot be edited, and pre-existing characters cannot be edited beyond color changes aside from Kratos, who cannot be edited at all save for his weapons.

Gameplay

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny’s gameplay is mostly based off of Soulcalibur IV’s although there have been some balance changes given to each character. In terms of mechanics, the more notable changes are:

• The way Soul Crushes were executed was changed; in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny, all characters were given a brand new move (performed by inputting ++). If the player uses this move and successfully connects with an opponent whose Soul Gauge is flashing red or has been Soul Crushed then they will perform their Critical Finish.
• A new mechanic called Active Purge was added. By pressing ++, the character will break off all their armour, restoring their Soul Gauge to max. As with Soulcalibur IV, characters receive more damage when parts of their armour are broken. Additionally, Active Purge also acts like a Guard Impact, so all attacks will be repelled when attempting to hit an character that is doing an Active Purge.
• Unlike in Soulcalibur IV, using a Repel against an airborne opponent will result in them tumbling in the air. In Soulcalibur IV, repelling an attack will always cause the attacker to stagger backwards, regardless of whether they're standing on the ground or if they're airborne.
• The 8-Way Run movement speed was increased.

Playable Characters

The game includes 28 characters all playable from the start. It introduces two new characters: Dampierre and the new guest character Kratos from the God of War series, who replaces the Star Wars characters from Soulcalibur IV.

Returning Characters

Mitsurugi Weapon: Katana	Mitsurugi wanders from battlefield to bloody battlefield, in search of rivals to slay. His handling of the Japanese blade is nothing short of swift and stirring. He can take large steps to close the distance and lash out in one fell swoop, but is equally adept at kicks for close-range combat to fell his enemies, making him versatile in battle.
Seong Mi-na Weapon: Zanbatou	The sole daughter of the famous Seong Dojang, Mi-na acts like an older sister to Yun-seong. With her far-reaching Zanbatou and momentum on her side, she's best adapted to long-range combat. Though close-range battles are not her forte, her attacks can gain her that needed distance, with plenty of follow-up moves after attacking.
Taki Weapon: Ninja Sword ×2	A ninja who makes a living by hunting and sealing demons. Using her ninja agility, she attacks her victims with a mix of mind-boggling attacks. Combos based off of her Possession stance stun her opponents while her sealing moves and blade, Mekki-Maru deliver the final blow.
Maxi Weapon: Nunchuk	A man who’s sworn vengeance for his fallen comrades, after they were slaughtered by Astaroth. He fights with the aid of his nunchuks and seven stances based on the Big Dipper. While the seven stances freely flow from one move to the next, they can deliver shocking consecutive blows.
Voldo Weapon: Katar (Jamadhar) ×2	A mysterious man who continues to fight to uphold his master’s dying wish. His two katars are limited in range, but with his long legs and unparalleled flexibility, he has a unique set of attacks. Backwards attacks and unusual moves will often catch his opponents unaware.
Sophitia Weapon: Short Sword & Small Shield	A warrior who’s taken up the sword and shield to protect her beloved family. Her agile attacks compensate for her defenselessness. Despite her lack of attire, her short stature allows her to dodge enemy attacks, while her shield blocks hits.
Siegfried Weapon: Zweihänder	A tragic warrior who journeys in a never-ending search for atonement. Wielding a blade nearly his height, he slaughters his enemies before they get too close. When in close combat, he can shift how he holds his weapon to exploit enemy weaknesses.
Rock Weapon: Giant Mace	A barbarian in search of Soul Edge to prove his manhood. His style consists of flailing his giant mace around and charging at his enemies like a wild boar. His moves may be limited, but once he snares his prey, he unleashes a volley of inescapable attacks, eventually driving his opponent into the ground.
Ivy Weapon: Snake Sword	An alchemist destined to have her fate entwined with the Cursed Sword for all eternity. She wields the Snake Sword that changes form of its free will, all with only one purpose in mind: to kill. Its Sword form is unmatched in speed, while its Whip form can reach enemies at a distance. Lastly, its Coiled form rounds out the three forms. The ever-shifting choices make for varied attack patterns.
Kilik Weapon: Rod	As an inheritor of the Staff Arts, Kilik devotes himself to his training. His skills with the staff are impeccable, allowing him to fight both defensively and offensively. By either utilizing momentum for wide swings, spinning it quickly, or using it as a springboard, Kilik uses a wide array of attacks in battle.
Xianghua Weapon: Chinese Sword	She is a girl from the Ming Empire, who unwittingly inherited a legendary sword. She wields her Chinese sword effortlessly, like a leaf through flowing water. Xianghua mixes up her battle by feigning attacks, which often leave her opponents baffled.
Lizardman Weapon: Single-Handed Ax & Small Shield	A former soldier whose body has been transformed into a grotesque beast. His small ax and shield are perfect for quick, dashing attacks when fighting close-range. As one would predict, based off of his outer appearance with his tough, leathery skin, his moves also include headbutts and crawling charges.
Yoshimitsu Weapon: Katana ×2	A classic Robin Hood figure who leads the Manji Clan and searches for the Cursed Sword to save the world. Yoshimitsu uses moves from the past Manji Ninjutsu. By swinging his prosthetic arm like a deadly helicopter blade, or performing hara-kiri right in the arena, his range of unique attacks stand out. Likewise, a wide range of kicks and charges double his attacks.
Nightmare Weapon: Zweihänder	A symbol of the fears and nightmares of man: Soul Edge embodied. He brandishes his massive blade with ease, combining incredible range with crushing power. The risk of leaving openings doesn’t faze him, as he slices flesh, breaks bone, and pulverizes his enemies with his attacks.
Astaroth Weapon: Giant Ax	A soul-devouring golem that spreads destruction wherever he goes. His style is dominated by the swinging of his mighty ax. While slow, his overwhelming power sends his opponents flying. Fearsome head butts and rough attacks crush his enemy.
Cervantes Weapon: Longsword & Pistol Sword	The great pirate whose soul was devoured by Soul Edge. He has powerful attacks utilizing his long and short swords to attack in a wide range, and uses his pistol to snipe from long range. He is now a creature of pure malevolence, which allows him to perform feats that are impossible for mortals, such as spinning while charging.
Raphael Weapon: English Sword Rapier	A haughty and snobbish former noble. He is slowly malfesting due to the Evil Sword. He uses a rapier and fights in a fencing style. He is heavily reliant on charge attacks based on thrusts and strikes.
Talim Weapon: Elbow Blade ×2	She is a priestess following the wind on a journey to balance the world. She utilizes the agility that comes from her small body and weapons to perform twists and flips that do not allow her opponent to counter.
Cassandra Weapon: Short Sword & Small Shield	She is a twenty-one-year-old who is on a mission to save her sister Sophitia. She fights with the short sword, but also uses her shield to strike with force. Her moves have a good balance of speed and range. A very well-rounded style in the end.
Yun-seong Weapon: Chinese Sword	He is a hot-blooded young man who is on a journey to find out the truth about Soul Edge. He corners his opponent with various kick moves and finishes off with a dramatic move utilizing the Chinese Sword. His lack of experience shows when he sometimes loses his balance after a major move, but the powerful attack he performs from his "Crane" stance is able to defeat even the most skilled warriors.
Setsuka Weapon: Iai Sword Hidden in an Umbrella	She is a master of the blade who is after Mitsurugi, the man who killed her master. Iai surpasses all other disciplines with its speed and power. She charges the opponent when there is even a slight opening.
Tira Weapon: Ring Blade	She is a former assassin who pledged loyalty to the evil sword. She uses a specialized weapon called the Ring Blade. There is not much range in normal attacks and the style lacks finishing moves. However, once she lets herself be taken over by destructive forces, she is able to inflict horrendous attacks.
Zasalamel Weapon: Death Scythe	He is a mysterious man who keeps reincarnating to witness where the world is heading to. He has many attacks such as sweeps and rips that utilize the scythe. He does not move, but instead lures the opponent in for an attack.
Hilde Weapon: Sword & Lance	She is an earnest princess who fights against Nightmare for her kingdom. At long range, she fights with the long-reaching lance, and at close range executes fast attacks with the short sword. Hold down on and to perform various powerful attacks.
Amy Weapon: English Sword Rapier	She followed her step-father Raphael into the outside world. She fights with the rapier, but she lacks range and power. To compensate, she has many connected and step-in attacks to overcome her weakness.
Algol Weapon: Assimilated Soul Calibur & Soul Edge	He is the Hero King who awoke from his ancient slumber. He controls the powers of Soul Edge and Soul Calibur that comprise his body and is able to turn his entire body into the ideal weapon in an instant. He is not bound by space or substance, and stands in the way of all warriors who gather before the two swords with his overwhelming attacks.

New Character

Dampierre Weapon: Hidden Dagger	He is a self-proclaimed genius conman that travels the world with his glib tongue. He trips and acts hurt on purpose. He also acts as if he is uninterested in fighting, but then attacks with the hidden daggers on both of his arms. Winning is all that matters and survival is everything.

Guest Character

Kratos Weapon: Double Chained Blades	A legendary Spartan Warrior who killed Ares, the God of War, and took his throne. Using the devastating Blades of Chaos, he slaughters all who stand against him with deadly long range chain strikes and powerful short range stabs.

Stages

Most stages are reprized from Soulcalibur IV, and there are two new stages included (one for Kratos and one for Dampierre). The recurring stages have been slightly modified such as the time of day and some have been given a different name. Some of the stages from Soulcalibur IV ("Phantom Pavilion", "Ice Coffin of the Sleeping Ancient and the "Star Wars" stages) are missing.

Some stages feature totally different background music compared to Soulcalibur IV, however the original titles of the songs have been maintained: for example, both marsh stages' BGM go under the title "To The Wind", however the two tracks are completely different in terms of actual content.

Challenge of the Gods
(Kratos)

Dark Capital Ostrheinsburg
(Taki/Raphael/Amy)

Egyptian Temple - Sand Cloud
(Yun-seong)

Grand Labyrinth - Corridor of Suspended Time
(Zasalamel)

Grand Shrine of Palgaea - Sea of Decay
(Astaroth/Lizardman)

Hall of the Warrior God
(Kilik/Xianghua)

Jyurakudai Villa - Twill Damask and Brocade
(Setsuka/Mitsurugi/Yoshimitsu)

Ostrheinsburg Castle Throne Room
(Tira/Voldo)

Sailor's Rest - Twilight
(Seong Mi-na/Cervantes/Maxi)

Sleeping Marsh
(Talim/Rock)

Thesmophoros' Imperial Garden
(Cassandra)

Thesmophoros' Imperial Garden - Sunset
(Sophitia)

Tower of Remembrance - Ancient Gate
(Siegfried)

Tower of Remembrance - Degradation
(Algol)

Tower of Remembrance - Omen
(Nightmare)

Tower of Remembrance - Spiral of Time
(Ivy)

Voiceless Volpe Bridge
(Dampierre)

Wolfkrone Monument
(Hilde)

Reception

Like Soulcalibur IV, the game has received generally positive reviews, having an 80% on Metacritic. Some criticisms were the "lack of Story Mode and Online Battles".

Trivia

• Some Gamestops released the game on August 28 which is 4 days before the actual release date. Those who pre-ordered Broken Destiny at Gamestop received a free artbook and soundtrack of the game.

Gallery

Screenshots

Hilde and Astaroth

Nightmare and Kratos

Cassandra and Tira.

Mitsurugi and Taki.

Setsuka and Yoshimitsu

Amy and Raphael

Kratos and Algol

Yun-seong and Talim

Dampierre's Critical Finish

Character Select

Wallpapers

Wallpaper A

Wallpaper B

Wallpaper C

Dampierre & cia.'s Wallpaper

Kratos' Wallpaper

Mitsurugi and Ivy Wallpaper

Soul Edge and Soul Calibur Wallpaper

All female characters Wallpaper