15 Years Ago, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny Atoned For…

While it essentially served as a port of Soulcalibur 4 with some modifications, the smooth transition to handheld made by 2009's Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny marked a significant moment in the franchise's history. This title may have carried the series' legacy onto the PSP by taking on new technical limitations, but it also managed to stand on its own against the console release by carving out a unique identity. When it comes to addressing the concerns around what might be the most controversial period of SC, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny may stand as the definitive version of the fourth entry for one reason alone.

It functioned as a continued improvement over its predecessors when Soulcalibur 4 premiered as the latest of its series in a new generation at the time, but one choice still haunts this title to this day. In a franchise that became famous for its guests after The Legend of Zelda's Link featured in Soulcalibur 2, cameos have remained a fixture in each subsequent release. When several characters from Star Wars made it into SC4, however, they broke the pattern of more historically-appropriate picks that preceded them. This is still seen as a blight on the series by some fans, but Broken Destiny replaced them with a much more beloved choice.

Soulcalibur 4's Clash of Universes Didn't Mix as Well as Previous Attempts

Darth Vader and Yoda Are Tough Sells in a Historical Setting

Considering that Soulcalibur has always been set in a late medieval period and most of its guest characters have fit into this setting, it makes sense that the inclusion of Star Wars characters in Soulcalibur 4 felt jarring to many players. Starkiller, Yoda, and Darth Vader felt out of place fighting alongside knights with their futuristic sci-fi origins, and an entire Death Star stage further disconnected from the game's established lore. The decision to make Vader and Yoda console exclusives while the less popular Starkiller was available for both only added to the backlash. It may be true that the likes of Tekken's Heihachi in SC2 came from an anachronistic setting as well, but his visual style still fit within the framework of the series' aesthetic.

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny's Kratos Makes Up For Its Handheld Port Concessions

Complementing Bandai Namco's Medieval Fantasy World

Broken Destiny exists as a stripped-back mobile port of SC4, but the absence of Star Wars characters that this brought may have actually worked in its favor. The developers chose to replace these guests with a Kratos from God of War cameo, a character who fits much more seamlessly into the universe due to his ancient Greek mythology inspiration. His versatile moveset, informed by fantasy magic, is a far more appropriate fit for thematic cohesion with the narrative of Soulcalibur than the sci-fi tech of an alien like Yoda.

Broken Destiny Stands as a Strong 3D Fighter Despite Its Lacking Content

The transition to the PSP came at the cost of the story mode of Soulcalibur 4 and several customization options, but Broken Destiny bears the same core gameplay mechanics of the console version. Despite being stuck on a less powerful system, the game's streamlined experience holds true to all the elements of the combat system at the time. The decision to feature Kratos as a guest not only helped to restore tonal consistency, a sense of cohesion among combat options which actually fit the setting.

A Similar Scenario Still Affected the Most Recent Soulcalibur

Geralt may have continued the legacy of appropriate guests in SC6, but the later addition of 2B from Nier: Automata once again brought a sci-fi character into the fold. The current uncertain status of the franchise as a whole somewhat mirrors the time when Star Wars guests didn't properly resonate, and this potentially highlights the need for cameo fighters who don't disrupt the established world of Soulcalibur so drastically. Multiple entries later, Broken Destiny still stands as a testament to the long-term impact of a well-suited guest character in Soulcalibur.