SoulCalibur II

Release
Platform	Date
Nintendo GameCube; Xbox; Playstation 2	August 27, 2003
Credits
Developer	Namco

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SoulCalibur II is a 2002 arcade fighting game, developed by Project Soul and published by Namco. It is a sequel to the 1998 fighting game SoulCalibur and is the third mainline entry in the SoulCalibur series. The game was released for the Namco System 246 arcade board, receiving ports for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Xbox in the same year.

SoulCalibur II revolves around Soul Edge, a legendary weapon that has been shattered into pieces; various warriors from across the globe seek to gather all the pieces, so that they can either destroy the weapon or claim it for themselves. The game features graphical improvements compared to its predecessor, quality-of-life improvements to the gameplay, and is the first game in the franchise to feature guest fighters. It is also the first game in the franchise's 1590 A.D. trilogy, which would continue in SoulCalibur III and SoulCalibur IV.

The game was a critical and commercial success, and the introduction of guest fighters, particularly Link, received acclaim from critics and audiences alike. A high-definition port, SoulCalibur II HD Online, was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, which featured all content from the PS2 version.

Story

A fight between Link and Maxi on the GameCube version

SoulCalibur II is set in medieval Europe in 1591, four years after the events of the first SoulCalibur.

The wave of slaughters that terrorized Europe reached a sudden end. The knight in azure armor, Nightmare, and his followers were successful in collecting enough souls and were about to start the restoring ceremony on the ruins of the once-proud Osthreinsburg Castle. But just as the ceremony was to start, three young warriors assaulted the castle. In a matter of time the clan was defeated and Nightmare stood in front of the young warriors wielding the Sacred Trinity. After an intense battle Nightmare fell, but then the evil soul inside Soul Edge sent the young warriors into a vortex of hellfire and stood to confront them. As a result of Soul Edge's evil aura, Krita-Yuga revealed its true form: that of the Holy Sword, Soul Calibur.

The intense battle ended with the victory of the holy sword, but at the collapse of the vortex of Inferno, both swords along with the azure Nightmare were sucked in a void and expelled in another place. Siegfried Schtauffen, who was until a moment before the Azure Knight, restored his mind. Recognizing his sins, he set on a journey of atonement. Still the blade held a strong bond, and every night it took control of the body and took souls of those nearby. The efforts made by the young knight were fruitless, and four years later the Azure Nightmare returned.

Around those times various warriors came into contact of the blade's remaining fragments, revealing Soul Edge's ultimate survival after its defeat. Driven either to possess or destroy it, they join a new journey, while Nightmare starts his rampage once again, seeking souls to restore Soul Edge once again...

Soul Edge

The Soul Edge while wielded by Link

The Soul Edge is an ancient, cursed sword in the SoulCalibur series.

Soul Edge has unique, shape-shifting properties, enabling it to take the form of any weapon in existence, perfectly tailored to its wielder. As a result, Soul Edge is highly regarded and desired by warriors across the globe for its power and versatility. However, Soul Edge is cursed with evil magic; the blade feeds on the souls of its wielder and any it slays, and thus is able to possess its wielder if they lack sufficient willpower to resist.

In SoulCalibur, Soul Edge was wielded by a Spanish pirate, Cervantes de Leon; In his hands, Soul Edge took the form of a pair of twin longswords - one male, one female. Cervantes was ultimately defeated, and the female Soul Edge was destroyed - the male Soul Edge was claimed by German knight Siegfried Schtauffen, but he succumbed to its influence and became Nightmare, an azure-clad knight obsessed with enhancing the sword's power. In SoulCalibur II, the shards of the female Soul Edge reappeared across the world, each causing destruction and chaos with their mere presence. Each of the warriors in the game came into possession of one shard, and sought to take the shards from the other warriors - they would then either reforge Soul Edge and claim the weapon for themselves, or destroy the blade for good.

The completed Soul Edge can be unlocked as a weapon for any warrior; in Link's hands, it becomes a longsword and shield, identical to his Master Sword and Hylian Shield, but with a corrupted, fleshy appearance. When equipped as the warrior's weapon, Soul Edge vastly enhances their attack power and defense, but at the cost of draining their HP over time.

The Legend of Zelda content

Link in SoulCalibur II

SoulCalibur II featured a unique guest fighter for each of its home console ports; the GameCube version features Link, based on his appearance in Ocarina of Time.

Biography

One of the fragments of Soul Edge found itself in Hyrule, where it possessed a magician. The magician, under Soul Edge's influence, shrouded Hyrule in dark, ominous clouds, and caused disasters across the kingdom; however, the Hero of Time, summoned by Princess Zelda to investigate, defeated the magician and restored peace to Hyrule. Link learned of Soul Edge, and while he possessed one of the fragments, the others were gathering in the SoulCalibur world. Armed with the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and the Ocarina of Time, Link travelled to the other world to destroy Soul Edge himself and prevent it from threatening Hyrule once again.

In his Arcade Mode ending, Link successfully banishes the evil power within Soul Edge, saving the SoulCalibur world. He then returns to Hyrule, leaving only a faint echo of the Ocarina of Time behind.

Specific Information

Link's Destined Battle in Arcade Mode is against Raphael.
Link's home stage is the Ostrheinsburg Chapel, and his alternate stage is Eurydice Shrine Gallery.

Moveset

Link's moveset is based on both his Super Smash Bros. moveset and the various techniques he learns in the series; said techniques include the Spin Attack, Jump Attack, Down Thrust, Jump Thrust, Dash Attack, and more. Link (alongside Spawn in the Xbox version) is also the first warrior in the series to use ranged attacks, as he is able to use the Fairy Bow, Boomerang, and Bombs in some of his attacks.

Costumes

Link has four costumes, as opposed to the usual two: his standard green tunic, the Goron Tunic, the Zora Tunic, and his Blue Ring tunic from The Legend of Zelda. The latter two costumes must be purchased from the Castor Shop in Extra Chapter 1 of Weapon Master Mode, for 21,000 Gold each.

Weapons

Like the other warriors, up to 11 different weapons are available for Link. He begins the game with the Master Sword, while the other weapons must be purchased from various shops in Weapon Master Mode for Gold.

Weapon	Cost (Gold)	Attributes	Description
Master Sword	N/A	Well-balanced	A magic sword and shield that have accompanied Link on many adventures and helped him repeatedly save the land of Hyrule. This journey is no less dire, and Link once again goes into battle equipped with these items, this time in another world. These are well-balanced arms for Link.
File:Razor-Sword-Soulcalibur-II.png Razor Sword	600	Attack goes up 25% Short reach Take 15% block damage	A sword forged by the blacksmith from the Mountain Village on Snowhead. The blacksmith is famous for his perfectionism—this sword is yet another excellent example of his craftsmanship and boasts an amazingly sharp cutting edge. Unfortunately, the metal used to forge this blade is prone to chipping, so there remains some concern about its defensive capabilities.
Armos Series	900	Defense decreases 30% Offense increases with Soul Charge 40% (deteriorates)	A sword and shield from one of the living Armos statues that dot the land of Hyrule. The origins of these items are shrouded in mystery, much like the Armos themselves. Concentrating one's will increases the weapons' power, but they are a bit too heavy for Link and he cannot use them effectively for guarding.
File:Megaton-Hammer-Soulcalibur-II.png Megaton Hammer	1,200	Offense goes up 35% Short reach	An extremely heavy hammer. Learning to use it effectively could take some time, as its reach is somewhat short for a weapon. Its power and toughness, however, far exceed that of any normal sword. It's guaranteed to inspire awe.
Cane of Byrna	1,600	Soul Charge boosts offense up to 50% (continuous) Soul Charge lowers damage received by 25% (diminishing) Soul Charge recovers up to 32 HP each time	An ancient magic staff that grants protection to heroes. It can be used even by those who are not sorcerers as long as their hearts are pure. It is said that praying to the staff with all one's heart will shroud the user in light and fill him with vitality. Because it is not a true weapon, it usually does not fare well when it clashes against an opponent's weapon.
Mirror Shield	2,200	Hits taken are counters 33% of damage received is inflicted back onto opponent	A mirror-like shield found in the Spirit Temple. It is an amazing work of art, and there are few who would argue that it is not one of the finest shields in Hyrule. It is said that its surface reflects not only light but hostile intent as well.
Magic Sword & Magic Shield	3,000	Causes 40% block damage Weak against physical impact	Ancient arms hidden deep in an underground tomb. This powerful sword holds an enchantment that counters the forces of darkness, and its holy aura allows it to deliver damage to the enemy even without making physical contact. The shield is enchanted with a spell that protects its user from enemy magic, but the actual shield itself is quite old and is weak against physical impact.
Biggoron's Sword	4,000	Long reach Drains 3 HP per attack	A masterfully crafted long sword forged by the best blacksmith in Hyrule, Biggoron, who lives on Death Mountain. Designed specifically for Link, it is made to be wielded with one hand. Even so, swinging it with full force gets tiring after a while.
Soul Edge (Complete)	7,700	Offense goes up 40% Defense goes up 35% Drains 2 HP per second	An evil blade with a reputation for devouring souls. This weapon is also known to be a shape-shifter—which form it takes depends on its current owner. The forms it has taken are legendary, as are the souls of the renowned warriors it has consumed. Only those with great mental discipline can retain their will while wielding this weapon. It consumes the souls of those who fall before the blade, and also the soul of its wielder.
Great Fairy's Sword	9,800	Attack goes up 20% Gain 5 HP per second Take 20% block damage	A sword blessed by the Great Fairy, rumored to be able to reflect any and all dark magic. Merely holding it fills the wielder with strength, but unfortunately, its protective power did not survive intact in this world, and it is no longer able to resist enemy attacks.
File:Bug-Catching-Net.png Bug-Catching Net	12,500	Offense decreases 80% Defense decreases 80%	A long-handled net used for catching bugs. This item is an old companion of Link's and has appeared on many of his adventures—it accompanies him on this adventure as well. Obviously, it is not a weapon, but perhaps it will cause opponents to let down their guard.