Critical Edge (クリティカルエッジ?) is a mechanic that is found in Soul Edge, Soulcalibur V and Soulcalibur VI. It functions similarly to Super Moves in other fighting games.
Critical Edge in Soul Edge (Soul Blade)[]
Critical Edge is the name given to attacks used by all Standard Characters (and Soul Edge) characters in Soul Edge (Soul Blade). It is instigated by pressing all three attack buttons (
+
+
) simultaneously, and if successful the player's character will do a single attack that will see their weapon engulf in a flash of light - if the attack hits the opponent, the character will automatically unleash a series of attacks against the opponent. During this time, the player is able to enter a command (unique to each character) which will cause the character to unleash even more attacks while in this state.
Using the Critical Edge has a disadvantageous side effect however; it drains the character's Weapon Gauge, meaning that they can only use it a limited amount of times. However, in the Playstation port, there are some weapons with the ability to recover over time, making this less of a problem.
Soul Edge Ver. II[]
In Soul Edge Ver. II, a couple of changes were made to Critical Edges:[1]
- The amount of the Weapon Gauge that is reduced when executing a Critical Edge was lowered.
- Critical Edges could now be cancelled by pressing the G button.
- Critical Edges could now be executed while back dashing.
- Critical Edges could now be performed on all opponents while they are in the air.
All of these changes carried over to the Playstation version of the game.
Edge Master Mode[]
Mitsurugi and Taki both have stages in their Edge Master Mode where they have to use a "perfect" Critical Edge to defeat their opponents - this means that simply using the "easy" Critical Edge (i.e. simply pressing all attack buttons) will not be enough, so the player must learn the correct command for both characters.
Critical Edge in Soulcalibur V[]
Critical Edges make a return in Soulcalibur V. The mechanics, however, have been altered to a rather large extent. These super attacks now drain 100% of the Critical Gauge and deal different amounts of damage, depending on the selected character. Also, some characters' Critical Edge moves can be comboed or have throw properties, such as Ivy's and Astaroth's. Critical Edges in Soulcalibur V are similar to Super and Ultra Combos in Street Fighter IV and Rage Arts in Tekken 7.
As of TGS2011, the Critical Edge input was 
++ (two quarter-circles forward, A+B+K).
Critical Edge in Soulcalibur VI[]
Critical Edge returns in Soulcalibur VI, remaining unchanged, though now using the Soul Gauge. However, it is now activated by just inputting ++. It is also known that Critical Edge deals more damage when the user has low health.
List of Critical Edges[]
Soul Edge[]
| Character | Japanese Name | English Name | Input |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsurugi | Ticket to Styx | ++  +
| |
| Cross the Styx | +++
| ||
| Seong Mi-na | Crystal Cyclone | +++
| |
| Taki | Wind of Death | ++ +
| |
| Li Long | Fire and Brimstone | ++ +
| |
| Voldo | ザ・ギア・オブ・マッドネス (The Gear of Madness) |
House of Pain | +++
|
| Sophitia Sophitia! Sophitia!! |
プリ・ティス・フォティアス | Soul Asylum | +++
|
| プリ・ティス・アネモス | Asylum of Fire | +++
| |
| Siegfried Siegfried! |
シュトュルムアングリフ | Command of the Blade | +++
|
| Rock | グランドスラムヴォルテクス (Grand Slam Vortex) |
Devastator | +++
|
| サンライズヴォルテクス (Sunrise Vortex) |
Heart Exploder | +++
| |
| Hwang | Chasing Victims | +++
| |
| Steel Explosion | +++
| ||
| Cervantes | ラーファガ・トルナード | Hunter of Shadows | +++
|
| SoulEdge | ソウルディスチャージ (Soul Discharge) |
Soul Destroyer | ++++
|
| Seong Han-myeong | 成式奥義炎舞撃 | Relentless Onslaught | +++
|
Soulcalibur V[]
| Character | Critical Edge |
|---|---|
| Aeon Calcos | Devourer of God: Aeon rolls under his opponent, leaps into the air, and breathes fire at his foe. |
| Algol | Al Gamar Qahhar / Al Shams Qahhar: If the player has 1 full bar of Critical Gauge, Algol uses his power to places his throne on the opponent. (Al Gamar Qahhar) If the player has 2 full bars of Critical Gauge, Algol uses his power to places his throne on the opponent, teleports onto it and forces it down. (Al Shams Qahhar) Al Shams Qahhar requires a second input and 2 full bars of Critical Gauge for the teleport. |
| Astaroth | Cestemus Doctrine: Grabs his enemy by the head, throws them to the ground in front of him, and drills into their back with the end of his axe. |
| Cervantes/Inferno | Cursed Roman Fire: Unleashes an unblockable shot from his gun. |
| Dampierre | Cockaigne, the Land of Plenty: Dampierre lurks under his enemy and delivers a two-hand punch. |
| Devil Jin | Demon Laser Cannon: Delivers a flying kick into his enemy, flies underneath them, shoots them into the air with a laser attack and then grabs them to slam them to the ground. |
| Edge Master | Mimics the Critical Edge of whichever character he's currently imitating. |
| Elysium | Eleusian Initiation: Elysium hovers in the air and unleashes a stream of energy that inflicts several hits. |
| Ezio Auditore da Firenze | Full Synchronization: Slices an enemy thrice, then shoots them with his crossbow and hidden gun. |
| Hilde | Storm and Urge: Stabs an enemy five times with her lance. |
| Ivy | Acasual Paradox: Grabs an enemy, throws them to the air and makes the sword slam them to the ground. |
| Kilik | Mimics the Critical Edge of whichever male character he's currently imitating. |
| Leixia | River of Stars: Delivers a three-hit combo while spinning. |
| Maxi | Rampaging Dragon: Delivers a three-hit combo. |
| Mitsurugi | Witching Hour: Delivers a launcher, followed by a vertical slash. |
| Natsu | Great Curse of Arahabaki: Uses the power of Arahabaki to send out three pillars of energy in either direction. |
| Nightmare | Dark Reconquista: Deflects incoming attacks and deal a heavy strike. |
| Patroklos | Price of Justice: Uppercuts an opponent with his shield, before throwing his sword into them, then leaping up to pull it out. |
| α Patroklos | Transcending Rapture: Slashes the opponent as he rushes past, then slowly sheathes his sword, the end causing his dazed opponent to suffer a surge of ice damage. |
| Pyrrha | Trinity Strike: Stabs her opponent three times. |
| Pyrrha Ω | Omega Therion: Stabs enemy in the guts, lifts them above her, then pulls sword out roughly, making them fly. |
| Raphael | Royal Vexation: Uppercuts, stabs opponent three times and delivers a finishing stab. |
| Siegfried | Legacy Testament: Slams his sword into the ground, causing a stream of crystals to sprout in front of him. |
| Tira | Discord Parade (Jolly) / Discord Parade Finale (Gloomy): Hits the opponent with a whirling combo. Adds a finishing strike when in her "Gloomy" mode. |
| Viola | Arcanum Azarael: Makes her orb magnetic, pulling the opponent in and damaging them if they touch the orb. |
| Voldo | Wheel of Madness: Bows, grabs his opponent and rolls around with them before releasing them and rolling off of them. |
| Xiba | Kong's Dance of Qi Tian Da Sheng: Knocks his opponent into the air with his rod, delivers a midair kick combo, and strikes them down with his rod. |
| Yoshimitsu | Manji Virtue and Influence: Draws both swords while entering the Indian Stance, and spins towards his opponent. If the low attack hits, he rises from the ground while he is still in the Indian Stance and slams the butt of both of his swords together, creating a blinding light in front of him while an aura forms behind him that forces his opponent to cover their eyes and fall back first into the ground. |
| Z.W.E.I. | Werewolf Confess: Summons E.I.N, who grabs the opponent and slams them to the ground. |
Soulcalibur VI[]
| Character | Critical Edge |
|---|---|
| 2B | Suppression: Extermination Gambit: Attacks her opponent and teleports to attack them multiple times before appearing on the ground to summon a wall of energy weapons that stabs her opponent as they fall.
Limiter Release: Self-Destruct (Low HP): Attacks her opponent, then traps them in A140: Gravity. She slowly walks up to her opponent, grabs them and initiates a self-destruct sequence. |
| Amy | Aléa Rouge / Aléa Blanc / Rose Mystique: Knocks her opponent up and begins to twirl while attacking her opponent. Then she delivers the final pierce to knock her opponent down. |
| Astaroth | Final Anguish: Grabs the opponent by the throat and slams to the ground. Pierces their back with his axe and lifts them up. He spins down and slams them to the ground once again. |
| Azwel | From Science, with Love (Normal): An extremely quick upward sword slash. He then guides his two swords as they continuously slash at the airborne opponent before summoning numerous red and blue energy blades that converge on them and explode violently.
I Shall Save Humanity! (Soul Charged): Releases a shockwave that binds the opponent in the air, generates a replica of the Soul Swords, then plunges both replicas unto the target, creating a blinding light. |
| Cassandra | Shield Super Nova (Normal): Cassandra punches her opponent, kicks it away, run towards it, slash him to the air and uppercuts it with her shield as her target falls.
Shield Big Bang (Divine Force): With Divine Force active, after kicking her enemy away, she ricochets her shield back and forth with slashes and kicks before lauching the foe to the air and do the aforementioned uppercut. |
| Cervantes | Casa de Leviathian: Hits his opponent then kicks them away. Shoots at their legs and slices them into the air. He then teleports above then drills them back down to the ground. |
| Geralt of Rivia | Hunt of the White Wolf: Slashes his opponent which knocks them down. Controls them to stand up, slashes them into the air, creates fire, and delivers the final blow. |
| Grøh | Chevalier Mal Fet: Hits his opponent which knocks them back, throws his spinning dual saber at them then teleports to them. He hits them a couple more times until delivers a final blow. |
| Haohmaru | Judgment Blast Slash: Delivers a series of five Kogetsu Zan slashes, before delivering a powerful Kogetsu Zan. Flame of the Conqueror (with Max Rage or Rage Explosion): Performs a powerful slash that knocks his opponent down. Lightning Blade (with Rage Explosion): Performs a lighting fast slash right through his opponent. |
| Hilde | Silver Wolf: She starts attacking her opponent with her sword, then impales her spear to the opponent's chest. She grinds her sword and starts attacking her opponent, followed up with a Calamitous-powered spear to thrust her opponent. |
| Hwang | Hwang's Purifying Blade: He kicks his opponent upward and throws his blade, before he jumps and kicks the blade to pierce through the opponent. |
| Ivy | Guilty Throne: Expands her sword which launches her opponent into the air. She impales them mid air then slams them down to the ground while stomping on their head. |
| Kilik | Ling-Sheng Su Phoenix Loop (Normal): Hits his opponent with his rod and lifts them while hitting them a bit more. Steps forward and delivers a finishing blow. Forbidden Moonset (Soul Charged): Grabs his opponent and lifts then throws them down. Charges his rod, falls down and impales them which causes a massive explosion. |
| Maxi | Raging Dragon Zodiac: Hits his opponent multiple times with his nunchucks. He throws his nunchucks into the air and delivers a fiery punch to his opponent as a final blow and catches his nunchucks. |
| Mitsurugi | Thunderbolt Blade: Slashes his opponent which lifts them up into the air, then strikes them down with another slash which launches them higher into the air. |
| Nightmare and Inferno | Dark Reconquista: Triumph / Dark Reconquista: Purgatory: Stabs his sword into the ground and causes an explosion which knocks his opponent back. He later comes out of the mist riding on a demonic horse and charges at his opponent to hit them. |
| Raphael | Royal Poison: Slashes his opponent before delivering the final pierce. |
| Seong Mi-na | New Seong Style: Scarlet Meteor: Knocks her opponent down, then slashes her opponent up. She then juggles them by spinning herself and her blade, and charges the blade before finishing them with another strike. |
| Setsuka | The Demon's Lament: Swings her parasol upward to stun her opponent before opening it to get behind them and perform an upward vertical slash. The slash, upon contact, creates a festive geisha background with scattering cherry blossoms. |
| Siegfried | Deep Scar / Crimson Scar: Slashes his opponent into the air, grinds the sword to the ground, launches the target to the air once more, charges his zweihander with his leftovers of Soul Edge's power and hits his opponent. |
| Sophitia | Providential Thunder: Slashes her opponent twice, uppercuts them with her shield, then throws her sword up which stabs them and causes an explosion. |
| Taki | Fu-Ma Seal, Fatal Violet: Pulls out Rekki-Maru and slashes her opponent until they are trapped in a T-pose state. Then pulls out Mekki-Maru and stabs them which causes an explosion. |
| Talim | Blade Cyclone: Lunges forward and does a dance which hits the opponent multiple times. Summons a tornado which launches the opponent up, then summons another to strike them down to the ground. |
| Tira | Bleak Concerto (Jolly) / Bleak Concerto: Finale (Gloomy): Slashes her opponent with a ring blade. Adds a finishing blow when in her "Gloomy" mode, before kicking her opponent away. |
| Voldo | Downward Spiral: Spin-strikes his opponent, knocks them in the air, bounces him up further, before jumping up and striking again. They fall down when he bows. |
| Xianghua | Sublimating Blade: Slashes her opponent into the air and delivers combos until they are left standing where a burst knocks them to the ground. |
| Yoshimitsu | Ghost Thief Funeral: Rises up and slashes down on his opponent, takes their soul and slices it into three. He absorbs their soul while they collapse to the ground. |
| Zasalamel | The Voice from the Abyss: Makes time stop which freezes his opponent, slices his opponent with his scythe, then snaps to continue time. |
References[]
- ^ Soul Edge Ver.II KIT Installation Manual (PDF). San Jose, CA: Namco America, Inc. 1996.