Soulcalibur Broken Destiny is now available as a standalone purchase on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Originally released on the PlayStation Portable in 2009, this is a trimmed down version of the game to meet the requirements of the portable console. However, Project Soul went through the trouble of including features that it introduced in Soulcalibur II and Soulcalibur IV.
In particular, the story mode takes after Weapon Master mode in Soulcalibur II. You go through a few tutorials, with a short period of time to execute the required attack, guard, or other action. Completing this mode gives Siegfried a new weapon, the eponymous Broken Destiny. Of course, this entire game is not canon.
Speaking of playable characters, Soulcalibur Broken Destiny has only one guest character, but it’s likely the only reason you’re buying this game. Kratos from God of War joins the playable roster in the single time that he has joined the battle for the Soul weapons.
Of course, this is the Kratos from before the series went a semi-reboot. So instead of the broken down father we know from the current games, you get to play the bloodthirsty amoral edgelord Kratos of the 2000s. A power fantasy like Kratos is perfect for a fighting game, with some fans likely eager to compare his story arc to Siegfried’s/Nightmare’s.
Aside from that, Soulcalibur Broken Destiny offers an extensive character creator. It has more limits than Soulcalibur IV’s creation system, but is still an impressive package for a portable release. There is also a nice little Quick Match mode which offers the fastest load time of all the modes, and gives you a small title you can take off your AI opponent if you beat them.
This is the first time that Soulcalibur Broken Destiny has seen a rerelease, but don’t expect a visual revelation at the same level as Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online, though that one was released to the PlayStation 3 16 years ago.
No, for Soulcalibur Broken Destiny, Sony and Bandai Namco have opted for a regular rerelease treatment. That means it will have up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters, the same as other PSP releases to modern PlayStation consoles. But many modes and features are not replicated, and of course, the graphics aren’t improved to the level that is expected for modern games.
But if you are a Soulcalibur fan from back in the day, you can relive your memories or discover this game for the first time, and this time, with an arcade fightstick, or even a Hitbox.
