"Soulcalibur IV" got a lot of attention when Namco Bandai announced that the weapon-based fighting game would include Yoda and Darth Vader (for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, respectively).

At the time, I thought it was a weird match. Luckily, the game turned out to be fantastic enough that the "Star Wars" connection didn't really bother me.

For a fighting game, there's an awful lot to do. You've got the typical eight-match arcade mode. There's a (kind of weak) story mode. There's the Tower of Lost Souls mode, which has you fighting up and down floors in a tower to win prizes. And then there's the comprehensive character creation, which lets you edit existing characters or create a new one from scratch. And, of course, there's online play.

"Soulcalibur IV" has a few interesting new battle elements: Active Matching Battle, in which players fight multiple opponents and can tag in and out; equipment destruction, which can leave you or your opponent in nothing but your underwear; and critical finish, which is a special move that triggers a cutscene and defeats the opponent. These all add a strategic element to your fights.

"Soulcalibur IV" is beautiful visually and a solid fighter. Buy it.

Soulcalibur IV

By: Namco Bandai, for Xbox 360 (also on PlayStation 3)

Rated: Teen

Cost: $59.99

Score: 8.5/10