Soul Calibur VI (PS4)

Soulcalibur VI takes the opportunity to re-introduce the series after a hiatus and runs with it, making the series feel fresh while offering a deep fighter with lots for lone players to dig into. The single-player offering suffers from some bloat, but weaves combat into its narrative better than most other fighting games, and the fighting at the center of it all is better than ever.

The soul of Soulcalibur 6 is so strong that a few minor issues don't do much to bring down one of the best entries in the series.

SoulCalibur VI is a fighting game that's easy to recommend. Like all the best titles in the genre, it has a low barrier to entry and high skill ceiling. For those looking to get in a few games with friends it's welcoming and immediately enjoyable. For those committed to ploughing the depths of its systems to get tournament ready, it has plenty to unpack and understand.

I still remember sitting down for the first time to play Soulcalibur on the Dreamcast and hearing Jeff Manning's voice echo across the room. This is a larger-than-life series that deserves a lot of love and care from its creator: and with VI, it got it. The recent documentary that openly acknowledges the past faults of the series gives me hope that Bandai Namco is going to right the Soulcalibur ship.