SoulCalibur VI’s value lies in what it can become

Listen. There are probably a lot of people out there talking about how games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle and maybe even PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale give people the ultimate cast list and best cross-overs of all time.

That is absolutely fine, because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But maybe, just maybe, we should all think about the potential SoulCalibur VI. With a little effort on our parts, this can feature the ultimate dream fights.

A longtime hallmark of the SoulCalibur series has been its character creator. The games start us off with some bits and pieces, eventually letting us acquire more by playing the game. With SoulCalibur VI, we have one of the best tools for bringing our favorite people to life. There are different races to choose from, which can alter the way their general appearance looks. Sliders abound for changing up body types. Lots of clothing and armor options appear. We also have a very sword-heavy armory. Once you have a general form, you get to change color schemes, add patterns and place stickers to try and bring your vision to life.

But it doesn’t end at playing around in the character creator for two, five, ten or most likely twenty hours. In addition to having these original avatars facing off in matches against virtual or actual opponents, there is Libra of Soul. Now, while you can’t take someone you made in the creation suite into this section, you can go ahead and develop another original character and follow them as they attempt to collect the Soul Edge shards and deal with the evil infesting the world. This isn’t just some story where you follow a set path and enjoy watching your original character interact with existing members of the SoulCalibur VI canon. You also make your own decisions, tipping your Spirit Scales between order and chaos and blazing a path. Naturally, this means multiple endings.

But these are all things that are already there. Part of what makes SoulCalibur VI so engaging is the promise of characters yet to come. Not because Tira and NieR: Automata‘s 2B have already added as DLC and two more characters are still on the way. Rather, it is because Bandai Namco has promised us additional Creation Parts packages. Knowing there are two more packs of various bits and pieces that will help us better create our ideal cast is like knowing there are whole other worlds waiting to appear.

That is what makes SoulCalibur VI so great. It is the potential. This game will remain relevant as long as we have the creativity and drive necessary to keep experimenting. As long as we have characters we love and would like to see realized in this fighter, it will have a place in our hearts and gaming libraries.