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Content review for this game:
Pertaining to the ESRB rating.
| Recommended age: This game's violent tone is pretty mild, with no blood or gore, and language that isn't worth mentioning.
However, the same cannot be said for the sexual content, with plenty of near naked women and very noticable breast physics. If it didn't have this element, I would give it a lower age rating. But since it does, and as there are plenty of alternative fighting games for kids like, Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, and Super Smash Bros, I recommend this game for ages (at minimum) 14+. |
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Pros & Cons: This is one of the better fighting games out there, with near CG quality graphics; a very deep (and fun) combat system; lots and lots to do and unlock; and as always, a great and long lasting multi-player. However, the story and dialog is extremely contrived and cheesy--most lines will make you either laugh out loud or roll your eyes. And last of all, the single-player story mode is extremely short-lived, with you being able to easily complete the majority of each character's campaign in as little as 5 minutes. |
Mild language: There are 2 uses of the word h**l in story mode, but both are used in context (as in the fires of h**l), not as slang, and the second time it's used in text. Some characters will say "D**n!," or "D**n you!," while they are fighting, if they're damaged or lose the match; a couple of the characters will use h**l in the intro before the fight; and last of all, some of the characters' combos and a couple of the story stages have the word d**n and h**l in their names.
Partial nudity: Most of the women in this game wear revealing clothing; from the most modest, who wears full body armor, to the most scantily clad, who wears almost nothing at all. The worst offenders are Ivy (pictured here), Taki (pictured here), and Sophitia (pictured here).
Most females in this game have oversized busts, and are all implemented with breast physics, which means their chests bounce. However, the programmers always seem to overdo it, and the bounce looks more like jiggling gelatin, making it a bit too sensitive and reactive to be believable or realistic.
There's also a character customizer, where you can create a (male or) female character. You can also make her chest very large, and remove her equipment entirely, which will leave her garbed in a very skimpy bikini. You can then stay in the character creation screen, zoom in/out, and pan in on the character. Some of the outfits selectable actually show more than this bikini, like a strapless bra that reveals more of the upper breasts, a couple of g-strings, and many other outfits that resemble lingerie.
Sexual themes: Although there are no actual scenes, dialog, or movements that are sexual in nature, I think the ESRB gave it this rating to enforce the fact that the way the women are dressed, and the overall reason why they're dressed this way is sexually themed. Again, just know there are no actual scenes of sex, or suggestive dialog.
Violence: The story is somewhat better than your average fighter (which is not saying much) and revolves around all of the characters fighting over two swords of destructive power, the good sword Soul Calibur, and the bad sword Sould Edge. That's all there is to the story, and though, as I said, it's a bit better story than in the in say, the Dead or Alive series, it's still incoherent, contrived, corny, and really just an exuse (like all fighters) to get from fight to fight.
Every character has the basic ability to block, kick, punch, grab, and counter, and many of the characters use swords, spears, flails, whips, etc. The combat is chaotic, the environments are partially destructible, and it is relatively violent (it is a fighting game). But, overall it's pretty mild, with no bood or gore (the only thing that comes close are the many colorful firework-like particle effects when a character is hit), and, unlike the Mortal Combat series, it really isn't overly brutal or gratuitous. Other than this, there are a couple of somewhat intense/violent scenes in the story mode, but they're brief, far and few between, and not really worth writing out in detail.
There are also a couple of bizarre looking characters like Nightmare, Astaroth and Voldo. But, Voldo's the weirdest (pictured here). As you can see he's pretty disturbing looking, and he is actually more disturbing in motion. He's fluid and snake-like in his movements and contorts in grotesque ways. He doesn't speak, and instead, hisses, grunts and moans. And although this isn't particularly "violent," it is weird.
