<s>
is	O
a	O
2002	O
fighting	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Project	O
Soul	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Namco	O
and	O
the	O
third	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
series	O
of	O
weapon-based	O
fighting	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
July	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
on	O
Sega	O
's	O
NAOMI	O
board	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Namco	B-Application
System	I-Application
246	I-Application
arcade	B-Application
board	O
before	O
being	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
in	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
plot	O
revolves	O
around	O
the	O
legendary	O
weapon	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
having	O
been	O
shattered	O
into	O
pieces	O
,	O
with	O
different	O
characters	O
seeking	O
to	O
collect	O
all	O
the	O
pieces	O
to	O
gain	O
possession	O
of	O
the	O
complete	O
weapon	O
or	O
to	O
destroy	O
it	O
once	O
and	O
for	O
all	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Compared	O
to	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
,	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
had	O
improvements	O
in	O
graphics	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
system	O
and	O
introduced	O
several	O
new	O
and	O
guest	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
Soul	O
game	O
depicting	O
the	O
1590	O
A.D.	O
trilogy	O
,	O
which	O
ends	O
in	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
a	O
critical	O
and	O
commercial	O
success	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
introduction	O
of	O
guest	O
characters	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
particularly	O
Link	O
on	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
version	O
,	O
being	O
acclaimed	O
by	O
critics	O
and	O
audiences	O
alike	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
high-definition	O
port	O
,	O
titled	O
SoulCalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
HD	O
Online	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
in	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soulcalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
includes	O
the	O
same	O
modes	O
of	O
play	O
as	O
most	O
fighting	O
games	O
:	O
Arcade	B-Application
,	O
Versus	O
Battle	O
,	O
Team	O
Battle	O
(	O
similar	O
to	O
Arcade	B-Application
,	O
but	O
with	O
teams	O
of	O
up	O
to	O
3	O
characters	O
and	O
without	O
cutscenes	O
or	O
endings	O
)	O
,	O
Versus	O
Team	O
Battle	O
(	O
with	O
teams	O
of	O
up	O
to	O
8	O
characters	O
)	O
,	O
Time	O
Attack	O
(	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
has	O
to	O
race	O
against	O
the	O
clock	O
to	O
set	O
records	O
)	O
,	O
Survival	O
and	O
Practice	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
point	O
worth	O
mentioning	O
is	O
that	O
the	O
7th	O
battle	O
in	O
Arcade	B-Application
Mode	O
is	O
called	O
a	O
"	O
Destined	O
Battle	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
a	O
predefined	O
battle	O
that	O
never	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
in	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
,	O
there	O
is	O
a	O
"	O
Museum	O
"	O
containing	O
character	O
artwork	O
and	O
various	O
videos	O
(	O
like	O
the	O
Arcade	B-Application
Mode	O
's	O
intro	O
or	O
the	O
Weapon	O
Master	O
Mode	O
's	O
intro	O
and	O
Ending	O
)	O
and	O
an	O
"	O
Exhibition	O
Theater	O
"	O
(	O
where	O
"	O
katas	O
"	O
can	O
be	O
viewed	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
returning	O
feature	O
from	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
that	O
was	O
absent	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
is	O
the	O
inclusion	O
of	O
Extra	O
Weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
of	O
the	O
many	O
stats	O
used	O
in	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
,	O
this	O
one	O
uses	O
only	O
three	O
stats	O
:	O
attack	O
,	O
defense	O
and	O
special	O
abilities	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
draining	O
energy	O
,	O
passing	O
through	O
defense	O
,	O
etc	O
.	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
,	O
each	O
character	O
is	O
granted	O
a	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
version	O
of	O
their	O
weapon	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
Joke	O
Weapon	O
"	O
with	O
bad	O
stats	O
and	O
effects	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
unique	O
and	O
funny	O
hit	O
sounds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GameCube	B-Application
version	O
's	O
guest	O
character	O
Link	O
has	O
four	O
costumes	O
(	O
green	O
,	O
red	O
,	O
blue	O
and	O
lavender	O
)	O
and	O
Assassin	O
,	O
Berserker	O
and	O
Lizardman	O
each	O
have	O
six	O
different	O
costumes	O
(	O
three	O
color	O
edits	O
of	O
their	O
two	O
standard	O
costumes	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Arcade	B-Application
version	O
has	O
a	O
unique	O
mode	O
called	O
"	O
Conquest	O
Mode	O
"	O
that	O
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
pick	O
an	O
army	O
,	O
fight	O
enemies	O
and	O
gain	O
experience	O
points	O
,	O
increasing	O
the	O
level	O
of	O
the	O
selected	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
Weapon	O
Master	O
Mode	O
"	O
,	O
made	O
in	O
a	O
similar	O
fashion	O
to	O
Soul	B-Application
Edges	I-Application
"	O
Edge	O
Master	O
Mode	O
"	O
and	O
Soulcaliburs	B-Application
"	O
Mission	O
Mode	O
"	O
,	O
takes	O
the	O
core	O
system	O
from	O
"	O
Conquest	O
Mode	O
"	O
and	O
expands	O
upon	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
endorses	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
swordsman	O
searching	O
for	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
,	O
who	O
is	O
confronted	O
by	O
a	O
powerful	O
,	O
mad	O
knight	O
named	O
Veral	O
,	O
seeking	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
for	O
his	O
own	O
desires	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Four	O
new	O
playable	O
characters	O
are	O
introduced	O
in	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
:	O
Cassandra	O
(	O
fighting	O
style	O
derived	O
from	O
Sophitia	O
)	O
,	O
Raphael	O
(	O
unique	O
fighting	O
style	O
)	O
,	O
Talim	O
(	O
unique	O
fighting	O
style	O
)	O
and	O
Yunsung	O
(	O
fighting	O
style	O
derived	O
from	O
Hwang	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
console	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
feature	O
Necrid	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
character	O
created	O
by	O
Todd	O
McFarlane	O
,	O
and	O
one	O
of	O
three	O
platform-exclusive	O
characters	O
:	O
Heihachi	O
Mishima	O
from	O
Tekken	B-Application
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
Link	O
from	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
on	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Spawn	B-Application
from	O
the	O
comic	O
book	O
series	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
name	O
by	O
McFarlane	O
on	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cloud	O
Strife	O
from	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
was	O
originally	O
intended	O
to	O
fill	O
Heihachi	O
's	O
spot	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
licensing	O
deal	O
fell	O
through	O
at	O
the	O
last	O
moment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
HD	O
version	O
includes	O
both	O
Heihachi	O
and	O
Spawn	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
original	O
Lizardman	O
from	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
does	O
not	O
return	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
does	O
feature	O
a	O
generic	O
Lizardman	O
with	O
the	O
same	O
move	O
list	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
year	O
1590	O
AD	O
,	O
four	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
matter	O
of	O
time	O
,	O
the	O
cult	O
was	O
defeated	O
,	O
and	O
Nightmare	O
stood	O
in	O
front	O
of	O
the	O
young	O
warriors	O
while	O
wielding	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
an	O
intense	O
battle	O
,	O
Nightmare	O
fell	O
,	O
but	O
then	O
the	O
evil	O
soul	O
inside	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
sent	O
the	O
young	O
warriors	O
into	O
a	O
vortex	O
of	O
hellfire	O
and	O
stood	O
to	O
confront	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
result	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
's	O
evil	O
aura	O
,	O
Krita-Yuga	O
revealed	O
its	O
true	O
form	O
:	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
Holy	O
Sword	O
,	O
Soul	B-Application
Calibur	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Around	O
those	O
times	O
,	O
various	O
warriors	O
came	O
into	O
contact	O
with	O
the	O
blade	O
's	O
remaining	O
fragments	O
,	O
revealing	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
's	O
ultimate	O
survival	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Driven	O
by	O
the	O
need	O
to	O
either	O
possess	O
or	O
destroy	O
the	O
evil	O
sword	O
,	O
each	O
warrior	O
embarks	O
on	O
a	O
new	O
journey	O
,	O
while	O
Nightmare	O
starts	O
his	O
rampage	O
anew	O
,	O
seeking	O
souls	O
to	O
gain	O
the	O
power	O
to	O
restore	O
Soul	B-Application
Edge	I-Application
once	O
again	O
...	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
soundtrack	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
Original	O
Soundtrack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
high-definition	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
titled	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
HD	O
Online	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
digitally	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
through	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
through	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
on	O
November	O
19	O
and	O
20	O
,	O
2013	O
,	O
respectively	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
February	O
20	O
,	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
includes	O
all	O
game	O
modes	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
releases	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
support	O
for	O
online-only	O
gameplay	O
via	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
also	O
include	O
two	O
guest	O
characters	O
,	O
Heihachi	O
Mishima	O
and	O
Spawn	B-Application
,	O
who	O
were	O
previously	O
exclusive	O
to	O
specific	O
platforms	O
(	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
,	O
respectively	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
having	O
the	O
game	O
data	O
allows	O
for	O
two	O
virtual	O
items	O
and	O
a	O
costume	O
to	O
be	O
available	O
for	O
free	O
in	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
:	I-Application
Lost	I-Application
Swords	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
version	O
of	O
SoulCalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
received	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
,	O
earning	O
it	O
the	O
average	O
scores	O
of	O
91.3	O
%	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
92.3	O
%	O
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
and	O
91.6	O
%	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Greg	O
Kasavin	O
of	O
GameSpot	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
It	O
's	O
certainly	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
refined	O
,	O
most	O
accessible	O
,	O
and	O
best-looking	O
3D	O
fighting	O
games	O
to	O
date	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
's	O
squarely	O
the	O
best	O
game	O
in	O
its	O
class	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
and	O
GameCube.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
case	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Calibur	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
contentment	O
will	O
do	O
just	O
fine.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
first	O
ever	O
Spike	O
Video	O
Game	O
Awards	O
in	O
2003	O
,	O
SoulCalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
won	O
in	O
the	O
category	O
Most	O
Addictive	O
Game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
July	O
2006	O
,	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
version	O
of	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
II	I-Application
had	O
sold	O
850,000	O
copies	O
and	O
earned	O
$32	O
million	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Next	O
Generation	O
ranked	O
it	O
as	O
the	O
69th	O
highest-selling	O
game	O
launched	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Application
or	O
GameCube	B-Application
between	O
January	O
2000	O
and	O
July	O
2006	O
in	O
that	O
country	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combined	O
sales	O
of	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
games	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
2000s	O
reached	O
2.6	O
million	O
units	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
by	O
July	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
2007	O
,	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
version	O
sold	O
about	O
a	O
million	O
copies	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
,	O
and	O
100,000	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
one	B-Device
of	I-Device
the	I-Device
best-selling	I-Device
third-party	I-Device
GameCube	I-Device
games	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
received	O
a	O
"	O
Gold	O
"	O
sales	O
award	O
from	O
the	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
Leisure	O
Software	O
Publishers	O
Association	O
(	O
ELSPA	O
)	O
,	O
indicating	O
sales	O
of	O
at	O
least	O
200,000	O
copies	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
.	O
</s>
