It's a new generation of video game consoles so there has to be a new Soulcalibur. While Soulcalibur Legends was made for the Wii, the more traditional sequel Soulcalibur IV is coming for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Namco Bandai Games director Katsutoshi Sasaki helped us preview their newest one on one fighting game, due out in the summer.

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CraveOnline: Which characters do you feel had to make an appearance in Soulcalibur IV?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: That is a difficult question. Personally, I love all of them so I’d like to say, let’s get them all in there. New characters are one of the most important and anticipated elements in each new installment of the series. Then there are Mitsurugi, Taki, Nightmare, Siegfried, Sophitia, Ivy, etc. It would be sad to lose any of these characters that are so symbolic of the series. It’s these staple characters that make the new characters stand out all the more.

CraveOnline: What new characters will we meet in Soulcalibur IV?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: We’ve already unveiled Hilde. She’s a bit special for a Soulcalibur character. In this game many characters are very flashy and each has a unique look. We took a different route with Hilde. She, in contrast to other female characters in the game, is covered in armor and has very little exposure. However, we paid a lot of attention to the specific details of her design and are quite happy with the result. There are other new characters I can’t really discuss right now, however we have no doubt that they will excite a lot of players. Please stay tuned for future announcements!

CraveOnline: Has the Soulcalibur fighting system improved with the next generation consoles?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: We absolutely have to improve it every time we come up with a new chapter in the series. I think both creators and players of the game feel strongly about this. When you change an existing system in a long running videogame series there are times when you may face a backlash in public opinion. So we want to make the most of the existing system while incorporating new and unique features.

CraveOnline: How were the control schemes designed for the PS3 and 360?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: They are essentially the same. Both pads feel really well, and we ship the games with the classic button arrangement, with the premise that players can always remap the controller to their personal taste. From its origin, this is an arcade series optimized for joystick and button input. You can say there are certain difficulties in adapting that system to each console’s particular controllers. So in certain cases we have tweaked the controls in favor of smoother gameplay, optimizing input to be more forgiving towards the player.

CraveOnline: What classic combos are still achievable in Soulcalibur IV, and what new ones can we discover?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: The combo system we introduced in Soulcalibur III remains. Plenty of combos using that system will be available for Soulcalibur IV. As far as special Soulcalibur IV characteristics go, we want to up the ante of the offensive and defensive “against-the-wall” scenarios even more. We have been working hard on putting together a combo system that works well with the “against-the-wall” hits.

CraveOnline: What keeps fighting games fresh after all these years?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: I believe all videogame genres are destined to become outdated, but you can also ask yourself, “Why are there game genres that keep entertaining”? My reply would essentially be, “Because there are games that revolve around the element of interpersonal competition." Fighting games fit into that category, because the game’s result is dependent on the play between two people. The element of discovering and facing something new every time, the strategic mental challenge, results in an exhilarating experience for both parties involved. When these challenges are provided, no matter if the genre is old or new, the potential for fun will always be there. So what can we do for those two competitors that battle each other again and again? From our point view, we can only provide the most varied play environment possible. That’s why we have so many characters, all of them distinct with hugely diverse battle styles and personalities, with all the combos and strategies, special moves, dramatic in-game cinematics, and eye-popping visual effects. In sum, we cram in everything we can think of.

CraveOnline: What familiar environments will fans get to revisit in Soulcalibur IV?
Are there new ones?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: We can’t really talk about what the new stages are, but we have invested a lot in new technologies and are using them to the fullest in order to render them in a completely new visual style. We are also implementing elements in the environment which can affect the battle. As far as seeing older environments, I can’t comment on that at this time but please stay tuned for future announcements.

CraveOnline: What details will HDTV users see in Soulcalibur IV that perhaps regular TV viewers will miss?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: What may be more noticeable on HDTVs will be the fine detail of the characters’ outfits. They’re really quite intricate. The intricate details of objects in the background will also stand out in HD-resolutions. Even typically flat areas such as 2D elements and font designs have been crafted with painstaking attention to detail. I am convinced players with HDTVs will be moved repeatedly by the beauty of such minute details.