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Atomic Heart, Platinum #217 has been earned. Turned out most of the collectibles I missed on my first run were located in the first two areas of the game, the ones you can't go back to.  Good game overall, I even earned a trophy from the DLC somehow, I don't think I bought it, but one of the trophies unlocked during normal play. Will look into Annihilation Instinct another time, I'll pick out a new game to start or another in my backlog of started games to finish up.

Now this is a real game changer. So glad Sony did this

I already did a magic build for the original Dark Souls 2, I don't know if doing the same for SotFS will work since there's now more enemies and different item placements.

Platinum #208 - SoulCalibur II HD Online (PS3)
 
Transcending history and the world, a tale of an awesome fighting game eternally retold
 
Back during the 6th generation of video game consoles, there were two fighting games I spent hours playing on my trusty Gamecube. One was Nintendo's then-budding crossover fantasy Super Smash Bros. Melee, while the other was an outstanding sequel of a weapon-based fighter I remember having a blast on the arcades. SoulCalibur II originally debuted in 2002 and was Namco's next step in the franchise's evolution — an evolution that resulted in arguably one of the best 3D fighting games ever conceived. I believe I'm not alone when I say SoulCalibur II was pretty much the pinnacle of the series at the time. From its unique cast of characters to its nuanced yet accessible mechanics and plethora of game modes, SC II proved that its blade had everything it needed to go toe-to-toe with the stalwarts of the genre. That and much more made it a game fondly remembered by those who had the opportunity to play it. But, does this fabled blade still hold its potential, or has time dulled its sharpness?
 

Press the start button to begin your legend
 
Let's answer that question right off the bat. SoulCalibur II's core gameplay still holds up fantastically well today. Some really minor balancing blemishes aside, its fast and focused gameplay remains undeniably fun. For those unfamiliar with the franchise, SoulCalibur is a series of weapon-based 3D fighting games set in a historical fantasy version of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In them, players wear the shoes of various blade-wielding characters in their search for mythical weapons: Soul Edge and Soul Calibur. At the time, the games drew gazes due to their intuitive gameplay, 8-way run feature, solid production values, and pure, brilliant fighting with a standout cast of personalities.
 
A major reason why its sequel was such a hit at the time was due to how Namco tried to distinguish each version of the game with a unique character for the home console release in 2003. So, if you went and got the PlayStation 2 version, Tekken's Heihachi Mishima was among the fighters. If Xbox was your platform of choice, then Todd McFarlane's Spawn could be found as part of the roster. And perhaps most outlandish of them all, if you had a Gamecube, then Link, The Hero of Time himself, would wear his blade against his foes in the game. Crazy to think about it nowadays, but this was a big feature back then. Since I had really enjoyed a couple of The Legend of Zelda games when I was younger, picking this one up on the Gamecube was a no-brainer for me. SC II HD Online manages to bring 2 out of these 3 characters together — Heihachi and Spawn. Safe to say that due to this re-release only appearing on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013 (and Nintendo being Nintendo...), this is the best devs could work with.
 
Concerning the rest of the cast, all the series' favorites are here. You have tight-jumpsuit ninja Taki to wear you out with her bullshit speedy moves, hulking brute Astaroth who hits like a truck with his long-range attacks, swift pokey and dancing Xianghua, rage-inducing spammy Raphael, and ample-bosom dominatrix Ivy with her whip-like blade. Whatever your preferences, the game has something for you. Personally, my mains were always stern samurai Mitsurugi with his varied katana stances and cute babe Seong Mi-na with her heavy-hitting thrusts and pokes. Ahem. Other favorites of mine included cocky springy-shoes Yun-seong and loli wind priestess Talim. So, for an early 2000s fighting game, there's no denying the character roster is hella unique. And don't forget. For all you crazies out there, there's always Voldo, too!
 

A quick look at a partially unlocked character select screen
 
As for the gameplay, SC II is from a simpler time when knowing which attacks or techniques to use and pulling them out fast enough was crucial for succeeding. Unlike other fighting games that rely more on combo strings, or newer SC entries that feature meter-building and super arts, SC II is all about weapon-based fighting in its purest form, where focus and reaction time prove essential. Wit and tactics are the names of the game here! Fighters have access to an array of horizontal, vertical, and kick attacks, as well as a selection of throws, all of which prove effective depending on the situation. So, for example, if you're dealing with an opponent that likes to strafe around, then a horizontal attack is sure to catch them off-guard. Does your opponent go crazy with their horizontal moves? Then a vertical attack is sure to beat them to the punch. Wanna create some distance, cause a ring-out, or set up a more powerful move? Then kicks are what you want to use. Opponent likes to guard too much? Bypass their defense with a throw. Each character has a veritable array of moves at their disposal and it's up to you to use them effectively.
 
In addition, there are guard crushes, soul charge unblockables, and the always-satisfying guard impact parries. Compared to other fighters, it's a very traditional setup with barely any unnecessary gimmicks, making fights feel focused and reliant on anticipating your opponent's moves and then countering accordingly. The best part, however, is that all these moves are easy to pull off with just a few button presses and a specific positioning of your stick, easing the entry barrier for everyone. Strikes feel suitably weighed and are satisfactory to pull off, making matches develop in a natural way. Fights can be over in a flash, though, when challenging a skilled opponent, so you need to stay on your toes as well. Sure, there are combos that can be learned and exploited, and some characters are always going to be more OP than others, but the game's mechanics still manage to remain both simple and accessible for newcomers yet deep and rewarding for those who want to invest time to learn the intricacies.
 

Swords are not toys!
 
When it comes to game mode variety, Soul Calibur II could easily give some modern fighting games a run for their money. You have your traditional Arcade, Versus, and Practice modes, but you can also find Time Attack, Survival, and Team Battle options. Time Attack and Survival are self-explanatory at this point, but for Team Battle, you have to assemble a team of characters to tackle a series of fights similar to Arcade mode, with Versus Team Battle being also a possibility.
 
Furthermore, "Extra" modes can also be unlocked to add further variation and spice to each play session. The first thing these "Extra" options do is allow you to use any unlocked weapons instead of your default ones. But, in addition to this, you can also unlock Extreme and Death Match variations for Survival. Pretty much all the standard game modes have an Extra variation. Rounding up the game modes is a Museum option, which contains character artwork, exhibition videos to see each character's fighting style, a weapon gallery option, a battle theater to organize CPU vs. CPU matches, and a profile viewer. Finally, the Options submenu contains a comprehensive selection of variables that you can adjust to tailor your fights exactly the way you want them.
 
An Online mode is also added to this release, hence, "online" being heavily featured in the title. And what this mode does is essentially allow you to take your multiplayer fights worldwide. Ranked and Player Matches are available, but there's definitely a lack of options (such as lobbies) compared to other games. I didn't fiddle with this mode too much since I am not an online gamer, but performance-wise, I had no trouble whatsoever boosting the trophies I needed for the platinum.
 

It was tough finding a picture of the HUD to add here
 
The main highlight of this title, though, is its addictive Weapon Master campaign. To this day, and despite its simple approach, it remains one of the most enthralling modes offered in the series. Weapon Master tells a text-based story spanning 16 chapters of YOUR search for the mythical weapon. You can use any character you want, but it's basically a mission mode accompanied by reams of well-written text of all your adventures and mishaps in a fantasy land while searching for a legendary sword. What makes it interesting, besides the archaic yet charming text-based storytelling approach, is how it augments each encounter you have by adding new rules and win conditions based on where the story is at that point. So, basically, for some fights, you may have to defeat enemies that can only be damaged while they are airborne or when you slam them against walls, other times you'll be poisoned or have to deal with strong gusts of wind that push you toward the edge of the stage, and other times you'll find "invisible enemies" or "floating weapons" you'll have to square up against. Simply put, it gives an interesting spin on each fight. All the while you earn gold and experience points that you can use to unlock new weapons and features and even discover various characters and stages to use in other modes — compelling you to continue your adventure.
 
There are 16 characters in the game. With an extra 8 being unlockable, this takes the total to 24 characters. Except for 4 of them, the remaining 20 can all wield 12 different weapons: 9 standard ones, 1 legendary Soul Edge, 1 legendary Soul Calibur, and 1 joke weapon. The weapons themselves are not only for aesthetics as they add their own flavor to the encounters. Some will have better reach, others will increase your offensive or defensive capabilities, a couple will allow you to guard break your opponents more easily, and a few just flat-out suck and make funny noises. All these extra weapons can be unlocked or purchased in Weapon Master and used in other game modes as well. Finally, you can also use in-game money to acquire exhibition videos of your favorite characters and even a third outfit for some of them. Not all is perfect in Weapon Master as sometimes the AI can go nuts and play borderline unfair on you, and some of the dungeon-based missions can go on for a bit too much at times, but outside of these small details, Weapon Master manages to keep the gameplay fresh while giving you an excellent sense of progression.
 

Simple yet charming storytelling approach that puts you at the center of it all
 
The HD treatment of this release is much welcomed, but it's apparent that Namco did only the very basic to update the game. Outside of the upscaled resolution and full widescreen support, the menus are essentially the same as the original release. It is here where some re-touching and updated character portraits would have worked wonders. A few textures and backgrounds can appear blurry at times, but that doesn't really detract from the stage's creative designs. From libraries full of dusty tomes to pirate galleons, and evil underground caverns, the fantasy world of SC II is full of imagination and joy to look at despite its age. It looks exactly how it did back then, only cleaner due to the enhanced resolution.
 
Character design continues to remain a centerpiece, and while some of their animations might look a tad bit dated compared to what we have nowadays, their personalities still shine through. Another positive point I always appreciated about this game's presentation was the flowy fabrics of some character outfits, which allowed for some subtle (and not-so-subtle) upskirt moments with the female fighters. Appreciated this as a teen and I still appreciate it now. Judge me all you want, I don't care.
 
One negative point particular to this HD version is the lack of Japanese voices, which were present in the original releases. Personally, I played with the English voices as I always found them well done and suitable for the characters, but if you like your games in Japanese, you might want to be aware of this change here. On the opposite end, one aspect that deserves a hands-down acknowledgment is this entry's love for an orchestral soundtrack that's chock-full of grandeur and drama. Some will say that it feels cheesy and ridiculously overblown, but to tell you the truth, it is the right kind of cheese I feel this franchise deserves. I remember the OST being epic enough back when I heard it on my old CRT TV, but listening to it today with the surround system I have now, well, I can say that it is one of the game's greatest assets. The many tracks perfectly punctuate the intensity of each clash and set the tone for each encounter. We all love highlights! Let me share some:
 
Unwavering Resolve Brave Sword, Braver Soul Destiny Awaits No One Eternal Struggle Confrontation Sword of the Patriot If There Were Any Other Way Hellfire Quest for Glory Healing Winds  

Cassandra is about to be sent to a world of hurt
Plenty of chance for her to sidestep there, though
 
Concerning trophies, Soul Calibur II HD Online is quite the quick, fairly balanced enjoyable platinum. At most, you'll be spending around 20-25 hours with the game, with the vast majority of these hours dedicated to its best feature: the Weapon Master mode. It is here where you will unlock most trophies through natural progression. Edge Master, Swordsman's Soirée & Master of Arms are some of the achievements you should be obtaining after you make sure to cover everything there is to Weapon Master. Other trophies like Comrade in Arms, Sturm und Drang & One Shot is All will have you trying out some of the different modes found within the game. Out of these, only One Shot is All could prove tricky, but if you choose Kilik and go with his longest weapon and focus, you should be able to obtain this one no problem. Bloodluster sounds like a grind, but you'll have so much progress accumulated toward it by the time you're done with Weapon Master that you'll barely have to grind anything. In my case, since I played mostly with Mitsurugi and Seung Mi-na, I only had to turbo-grind for less than an hour after I was done with everything.
 
Importantly, there are a few online trophies you need to be aware of. The longest one is Battlefield Luminary, which shouldn't be hard to obtain in less than an hour with a boosting partner. One last note regarding the game's difficulty. It may feel a bit cheap at times on certain missions during Weapon Master mode, but take in mind that, if the game tries to cheap you out, what you have to do is to outcheap it back, and it gives you plenty of ways to do this.
 
Just as elusive as the mythical weapons, getting this game today is a fable of its own. It was delisted for most platforms and regions between 2020 and 2022. However, legend says that if you travel far east, you may be able to acquire it in some Asian temples after an arduous trial. If I were you and wanted to play this superb classic 3D fighter, I'd make it a point to buy it today before Namco catches on the fact that it's still somehow available in certain markets.
 

True legends never die
 
TL;DR: So the online implementation and HD repackaging may be rather basic, and some minor balancing issues do give the impression of smudges on its surface, but it is impossible to deny just how timeless the combat system is. With an astounding amount of compelling and immersive single-player content, brilliant character and stage design, and a score fit for a grand undertaking, the tale of the legendary SoulCalibur II sword continues to shine brightly to this day. Time has not yet dulled its sharpness.
 
Getting it today is quite a pain, but if you're serious about seeing this fabled fighter in action, then do your preparations accordingly before you embark on your quest to acquire it. I guarantee you won't be disappointed at the end of your journey.