For those wondering about what direction Soul Calibur's producer is taking the new video game Soul Calibur Legends, then this should put all of our doubts to rest. Here's an interview video with none other than game producer Jin Okubo himself, with the game being played just a few inches away from him. Awesome!

Let's concentrate on what Okubo-san has to say first, before we go and ogle Taki's flashy moves in this slash-em-up in third person. In this interview, he talks about how the development team has taken careful consideration in making the game's controls as intuitive as possible, with your character swing his or her weapon according to how you swing the Wiimote.

He also talked about the game's different modes and how they were playable in the TGS 2007 build that he brought along with him - and suffice to say it's going to be some awesome hack-and-slash fun both on your own and with a friend.

Looking at the gameplay - it's really something else. Namco Bandai's Soul Calibur Legends doesn't just fly as a concept, it soars in practice. Double Dragon 3D with weapons? Yes. Oh, dear yes.

Enjoy the video!

Sega's Bleach: Shattered Blade had a good thing going for them when they reinvented the fighting game style with the motion controls for the Nintendo Wii. A lot of people are now wondering if the trend will pick up with the newer fighting games coming in.

Case in point, writer Spencer from Siliconera asked Jin Okubo, producer of Namco's Soul Calibur Legends, if there was a possibility of seeing the long-standing fighting game series come out with a similar control interface for the upcoming game. Okubo had this to say on the matter:

As far as a Bleach style fighting games that’s a possibility. That’s not something the team specifically has in the works right now, but it’s not something that you can definitely rule out. Right now, what the team has been focusing on reproducing the players actions on screen. Right now, they are focusing on games that link the characters on screen and the player. That’s why we have a game like Soul Calibur Legends now because we feel it really links the player and the character. That’s something we feel a third person perspective game is suited towards. As far as where the [Soul Calibur] series is going to go from here it’s up in the air at this point. Obviously, it depends on how fans react to Soul Calibur Legends, but it could be going in different directions.

So perhaps someday we'll be seeing players brandish their Wiimotes the same way Ivy whipping her opponents in the ring. It's definitely something to look forward to when people finally get tired of the same old fighting games and need a new change of pace in their beat 'em ups. Until then we'll just have to wait for Soul Calibur Legends' release and await Namco's verdict on the matter.

The last time we heard about Namco Bandai's Soul Calibur Legends, game director Jin Okubo talked about how the title retains its predecessors unique touch, despite having made the jump from beat-em-up to third-person-slasher. Now, we get you better acquainted with the characters you'll be taking control of in the game, via some very tasty-looking, high-resolution screenshots.

One thing yours truly noticed right away from the screenshots is that how great and detailed everything looks, with the characters seemingly making the transition from their versus roots to their hack-and-slash one with ease. The special effects are also reassuringly bright and have that next-gen feel.

Of course, there's the rough edges we also have to take note - particularly a few blocky areas here and there - but with the game promising to be as fast-paced and action-packed, it's going to be a very minor issue as far as having fun is concerned.

Updates as we get them, and in the meantime enjoy the screenshots!

The other screenshots after the jump!

It's quite a surprise that Namco Bandai decided to take Soul Calibur into a whole new genre, with the new Soul Calibur for the Nintendo Wii being an action adventure game. Aside from this change, the game company also decided to make this game a Wii-exclusive. Gaming site Cubed³ was able to get hold of Jin Okubo, director for Soul Calibur Legends to talk about the game.

Okubo said that he and the Project Soul team - the development team dedicated to the Soul Calibur franchise - already thought of making an action game to add to the series. Seeing that the Nintendo Wii controls were ideal for sword-based gameplay, they decided to develop Soul Calibur Legends for the Wii, based on the results of their Soul Calibur-related survey.

The were no specific details available regarding Soul Calibur Legends' storyline, but Okubo said that the "Soul Calibur" touch is present in the game. And the touch is indeed prevalent in the game: Players will need to plow through enemies and giant monsters, sometimes in one-on-one combats, all in the lavishly detailed backdrops used in past Soul Calibur video games.

Some gameplay details were also given mentioned in the interview. Players will be able to choose two characters to play as in the game, and when things get rough the characters can be swapped to take advantage of their various strengths and weaknesses.

Check out what Okubo says about the possibility of a DS version in the Full Article.

We're really excited to get our hands on Soul Calibur: Legends. Most of us here at QJ.NET have been fans of the franchise since it appeared on Sega Dreamcast back in 1999. As we all know, Namco Bandai scrapped Soul Calibur's fighting genre all together and turned it into an adventure one. We just can't wait to see how the new title feels and looks like.

Today, we just came across a new development regarding Legends that made us want it even more. Japanese games site ITMedia recently interviewed Namco Bandai Producer Jin Okubo. Most of the interview focused on the things we already know such as the playable characters as well as how the controls are done.

However, one question really stood among the rest and the answer given by Okubo hints of endless possibilities. The producer was asked if Wii's download service WiiConnect24 will be utilized by the title and Okubo simply answered, "We're not at a stage where we can discuss it, but we're looking into it".

We understand that the answer can not be taken as confirmation but being Soul Calibur fans ourselves, simply knowing that they are considering it for the title is exciting enough. Anyway, we'll update you as soon as more concrete things regarding this come up.

The announcement of Namco's latest entry in the Soul Calibur series brought with it quite a few things to the popular fighting franchise. Apart from a surprising genre change, Soul Calibur Legends will also be getting a brand new control scheme thanks to Nintendo's next gen Wii console.

In a recent interview with video game news website CVG, Soul Calibur: Legends director Jin Okubo revealed a few things about the control scheme for the game.

Apparently, the in-game characters will be able to perform the exact sword actions that players execute using the Wiimote. The Wii's Nunchuk controller will be used mainly for movement but can also be shook to block, evade and execute other unique moves. There will also be a few moves that can be executed by combined Wiimote and Nunchuk actions.

In the interview, Okubo also shared the reason for the shift from the series' straight-up one-on-one fighting system to the third-person action adventure style currently employed by Soul Calibur Legends.

Many people have already experienced the sword play and action of Soul Calibur, but we really wanted to expand its potential - and that's why we decided to go in a new direction. We'd like to make Legends appeal even to people who have never played a game in the Soul Calibur series.

Soul Calibur Legends is reportedly slated for a November release. Keep checking back here for more updates.

Tons of info in this video interview with Development Producer Jin Okubo of the highly-anticipated fighter-turned-slasher title, Soul Calibur Legends. We get you the skinny on what's new with the next-gen iteration of the series that has you fighting one-against-many instead of one-on-one.

In this interview, Jin Okubo basically confirms what we've already reported, as well as a few extra-juicy tidbits: namely the fact that the game promises to tie up most of the loose ends and plot holes in the previous games. One main hole it aims to plug in particular is Siegfried's relationship with Nightmare.

He also revealed the origins of the genre change, and it's actually the long-time fans of the series that had suggested the change of direction. Have you ever played one of the previous Soul Calibur games and thought to yourself, "This moveset looks awesome, I wish I could have this character in a third-person slash-em-up?" I know I certainly have.

More updates about Soul Calibur Legends as we get them. While we all wait for the game's winter release, though, enjoy the video!