Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Soul/Reception

Algol
His design elements including his projectile-firing "rifle arm" were called fresh and innovative by Gameswelt. The staff of 1UP.com were particularly impressed by his rifle attack, nicknaming the projectiles "Soul Bubbles" in reference to a game by the same name. Kotaku also praised the character, describing him as "much more of a bad ass" than recurring series boss Inferno. Edge described him as breaking the tradition of "ill-balanced uber-enemies" as well as one able to use a gun as a weapon without seeming "hopelessly out of place" in the series. GameAxis Unwired praised the character for breaking the series' tradition of bosses that mimicked existing fighting styles, and added that Algol remained for the most part fair to fight against. Neoseeker stated that Algol felt as if he was "just there, purely for your entertainment", calling his fighting style bizarre but while frustrating to fight, beatable.

Cassandra
GameSpy noted her similarity in Soulcalibur II to her sister in terms of fighting style, but added "thanks to some intelligent changes she feels like a whole new gal in many important respects". IGN commented on the similarity as well, but added that regardless she played "noticeably different"; they later listed Cassandra as one of the series' top ten fighters at number eight, noting a large fan following and admiration for her "spunk." PSM praised her appearance, featuring her in their 2003 "Girls of Summer" video game character "swimsuit" special, as well as on the issue's cover. GameDaily described her as a character that "grew into her own" since her appearance in Soulcalibur II, and later stated her appearance in Soulcalibur IV "looked better than ever" and described the character as "gorgeous". Edge praised the changes to her character in Soulcalibur IV, adding that they made her feel like "a fresh addition to the series".

Dampierre
GameSpy described Dampierre as a "Snidely Whiplash-looking fellow" and described his attacks as both "unorthodox" and "a hoot to watch".

Hwang
In a 2002 poll by Namco prior to the release of Soul Calibur II regarding their favorite character, Hwang placed sixth, with 3.55% of the tally. Hwang's removal from Soulcalibur II was lamented, with reviewers such as GameSpy noting a preference for the character over his replacement Yun-seong, who they described as "a less successful experiment in editing Hwang". In contrast Insert Credit cited a preference for Yun-seong's appearance, favoring it to Hwang's "wilder" look.

Kilik
UGO.com included Kilik in their "Top SoulCalibur Fighters" article at number ten out of eleven, praising his attack range and high speed.

Lizardman
In a 2002 poll by Namco prior to the release of Soul Calibur II regarding their favorite character, Lizardman placed eight with 2.53% of the tally, slightly above Mitsurugi and Siegfried. In their "Top 11 SoulCalibur Fighters" article, UGO.com placed him at number nine, describing him as "cute" and noting his strength as a fighter. Insert credit's Tim Rodgers described Lizardman's appearance as "needlessly ugly and misshapen".

Maxi
The New York Times stated that despite Maxi's open vest and Elvis-inspired hairstyle, he was ultimately "just Nunchaku Twirler No. 439 in the history of fighting games". He was later named one of several "total crutches for mediocre players" in Soulcalibur II by JIVE Magazine in regards to the speed and ease of his fighting style.

Mitsurugi
Mitsurugi has been described as one of the "staple" and "stalwart" characters of the Soul series. In a 2002 poll by Namco prior to the release of Soul Calibur II regarding their favorite character, Mitsurugi placed ninth with 2.5% of the tally, tied with Siegfried. UGO.com listed him at number three in their "Top 11 SoulCalibur Fighters article", describing him as a "solid choice for newer players" due to his high speed and strength. IGN listed him as one of the series' top ten fighters at number seven, describing him as having a "nice balance between power and agility" in contrast to other characters in the series, and adding "experienced players often gravitate towards this wandering samurai for a good reason".

Olcadan
He received positive reception as a character due to his appearance and demeanor, placing in UGO.com's Top 11 SoulCalibur Fighters article at eleventh place, beating out fellow series mimic character Charade. They additionally awarded the character "Best New Character" of 2005, and proposed the possibility of Olcadan appearing in a stand-alone title and serving as a mascot for Namco.

Rock
In a 2002 poll by Namco prior to the release of Soulcalibur II regarding their favorite character, Rock placed seventh, with 3.04% of the tally. GameSpot described him as "the token slow-moving, 'no one uses him' character".

Seong Mi-na
IGN reviewer Anoop Gantayat heavily praised Mi-na for her appearance in Soulcalibur, describing her as the "babiliscious Korean babe" and citing her as his favorite character for the title. In a 2002 poll by Namco prior to the release of Soul Calibur II regarding their favorite character, Seong Mi-na placed first, with 22% of the tally.

Siegfried
In a 2002 poll by Namco prior to the release of Soulcalibur II regarding their favorite character, Siegfried placed ninth with 2.5% of the tally, tied with Mitsurugi. As Nightmare, Siegfried has been described as "one of the most memorable fighting-game villains in history." IGN described him as the most interesting of all the characters in Soulcalibur for his role in the game's plot, and alongside Nightmare he placed first on their list of top ten series characters.

Taki
Taki was listed by Tom's Games as one of the fifty greatest female characters in video game history, praising the character's strength as it developed through the series. IGN listed her fifth in their "Soulcalibur: Top Ten Fighters" article, stating "Everyone loves a good ninja" and adding that it was "hard to imagine a Soulcalibur game without Taki. It just wouldn't be the same." UGO.com named her one of the Top 50 "Videogame Hotties" at number thirty-five, though questioned how she was able to remain agile given her breasts.

Xianghua
Xianghua's fighting style has been compared to the martial arts seen in films such as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero, while her attractiveness as a female character has been described as "beautiful but deadly". Periodicals have used her likeness in images invoking sex appeal, such as PSM's 2003 swimsuit issue. IGN listed in their "Babes of Soulcalibur" article praising both her fighting style and beauty, adding "Xianghua may be traditional in some ways, but she certainly doesn't dress like it...Never before has a kung fu hero been such a babe."

Yoshimitsu
In a 2002 poll by Namco prior to the release of Soulcalibur II regarding their favorite character from the series, Yoshimitsu placed sixth, with 4.56% of the tally. He was listed number five in Dutch gaming magazine Power Unlimited ' s "Top 5 Coolest Oneliners in Games", with "Namu namu namu namu namu namu..." IGN listed Yoshimitsu as one of the top ten fighters in the Soul series, at number six, describing him as "a true force of nature" when used properly and a character that felt "more at home" in the series than in Tekken. The book Kung Fu Cult Masters compared his fighting style to Minoru Suzuki, though added "one assumes that Suzuki did not use his sword as a pogo stick".

Zasalamel
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine described Zasalamel as "easily the coolest" of the three new characters introduced in Soulcalibur III, noting his speed and ability to pull opponents to him. Other reviewers have shared the sentiments, praising his accessibility for new players. GameSpy went further to described him as one of the best characters in Soulcalibur III, noting his offensive abilities and range control.