After six years, Project Souls has released the sixth installment in the Soul Calibur series, Soul Calibur VI. The sixth game is a reboot of the classic Soul Calibur I, released on the Dreamcast twenty years ago.

Much like its predecessors, Soul Calibur VI gives players quite a few different gameplay options. VI introduces an expansive character creation system as well as competitive online play. Two additional gameplay mechanics, “Reversal Edge” and “Lethal Hits”, allow players to defend against attacks with a counter-attack. A Bullet Time-style slow motion mechanic gives astute players even more options for defense. Lethal Hits are especially rewarding for players who have mastered their character’s moveset.

This article focuses on competitive online play and includes current tiered rankings. Given the popularity of the game, rankings are not set in stone and may fluctuate based on changes made by the developers.

10. Astaroth

"Is that all you have to say?"

Astaroth is a character first introduced in Soul Calibur I. Created by a cult who worships the Greek god Ares, he is a golem tasked with locating the evil sword, Soul Edge. Like Kilik, he also went through many design phases before the game’s lead artists settled on his current design. His costumes take inspiration from punk fashion. He has appeared in other video games like Namco's Pac-Man Fever, and there were also a few action figures made of him from the early 2000s.

While Astaroth takes a while to wind up his attacks, the pay-off is well worth it. His ability to push back, even if his special attacks end up blocked, make him a formidable opponent. When playing Astaroth, grapple players who haven’t crouched to land even greater damage on them. Performing a move like Cursed Earth can grab your opponent even in the middle of an attack animation. Astaroth’s lack of mobility is made up for by his ability to easily ring out foes. If you enjoy playing evil characters, Astaroth might end up becoming your favorite.

In the game’s storyline, Astaroth leads an army of lizardmen to Europe in search of Soul Edge. Little stands in his way. In the process, he is victorious, but ends up serving a new master: Nightmare. His relationship with Nightmare lacks any sense of trust, as Astaroth believes he can kill Nightmare at any juncture.

Character Power Rating: 70/100

9. Heishiro Mitsurugi

"Heishiro Mitsurugi is not afraid to die!"

Mitsurugi is an iconic character of the Soul Calibur series. He debuted in Soul Edge, later ported as Soul Blade for the Playstation 1. Orphaned at a young age, he took to training with swords. A clan accepted Mitsurugi into their fold and trained him. His character was inspired by the Japanese swordsman, Miyamato Musashi. Mitsurugi was so well-received by fans that Namco wanted to make a sequel to Soul Edge, starring Mitsurugi and a new cast of characters. He is one of two characters from Soul Calibur to have appeared in Namco x Capcom, another popular series of fighting games.

Mitsurugi works best in close-range. He has a variety of attacks that keep opponents on their toes. When playing Mitsurugi, crouch and move in close to avoid high attacks. You are then able to follow through with an attack like Shin Slicer. If your opponent is standing, use a low attack to mix things up. Mitsurugi’s low attacks are some of the best in the game, and crouching opponents aren't safe from him either. A lethal hit like a full combo Heaven Cannon decimates health pools quickly.

Like the rest of the cast, Mitsurugi is intent on finding Soul Edge. He heads west, honing his skill to defeat enemies who stand in his way. He fights in order to restore his memories, as recommended by Edge Master. The ninja Taki is canonized as his rival due to their long history and her being able to hold up against him battle.

Character Power Rating: 75/100

8. Tira

"Hey Gloomy, can I kill this one?"

Tira is a one of the newer characters in the franchise, introduced in Soul Calibur III. She is often regarded as a “breath of fresh air,” due to her moral complexity, contrasted with a mostly pure-hearted female cast. Tira belonged to a group of assassins called the “Birds of Passage.” She abandoned the order after the leader went insane and now wanders on her own. Tira is unpredictable with her unstable temperament. While not a part of the original roster for Soul Calibur VI, she's purchasable through DLC.

New Tira players often complain about the character’s steep learning curve, and this hasn't changed in the new game. Her two stances, or moods in this case, are Jolly and Gloomy. Jolly is her range and acrobatic style; it's suggested for defensive play. What makes her dangerous is being able to switch into Gloomy, but you need to be as quick as possible. When in Gloomy, her damage increases and you have the added extension of her ringed weapon. If you are able to change her moods nine times, her Gloomy side activate for the rest of the match. If you are able to master her mood swings, no one will be able to stop you.

Tira is a wandering soul with no real purpose other than to kill indiscriminately. That is, until she stumbles upon the knowledge of some creature reaping souls and makes it her personal goal to find him. The greatest barrier she faces is herself, and her ever-changing moods.

Character Power Rating: 80/100

7. Kilik

"I'll show you the way of the Ling-Sheng Su!"

Kilik first appeared in Soul Calibur I as a staff user. His playstyle at first resembled Seong Mi-na, who didn't appear in that game. Since then, he has become his own character with distinctive strengths and weaknesses. The character went through many design changes before his final iteration. One of them included the Chinese folk hero, the Monkey King, before his current design was settled on. Since then, he has appeared in a majority of the Soul Calibur games.

Kilik received a bit of an overhaul in the sixth and most recent installment, but his speed and range remain his greatest asset. Like other characters, he also has many forms. Using the new Soul Charge, Kilik becomes Malfested. With Malfested, you can perform many combos and chain attacks together for a ton of damage. If you want to leave this form to go on the defense, use Critical Edge free of cost. The rule of Kilik is avoiding direct counters. Switching between Malfested and Normal is important, as Malfested saps your health pool.

Kilik is the sole survivor of a terrible massacre during a temple ceremony. It is here that famed weapon master, Edge Master, takes Kilik under his wing to help balance the evil within him. Knowing that Kilik needs real-world experience, he sends him into the wide world to continue his training. Kilik now battles the monster within himself as he conquers his enemies in single combat.

Character Power Rating: 80/100

6. Sophitia Alexandra

"O gods, guide me!"

Sophitia had humble beginnings as a baker's daughter in Athens, Greece. While bathing in a stream, the Greek god Hephaestus revealed himself and gave her a great mission. He tasked her with the destruction of Soul Edge. After deep apprehension, Sophitia agrees to pursue it with Hephaestus’ boon. After locating Soul Edge, she destroyed one of the swords and injured herself in the process. In the latest installment, she is once more on Hephaestus’ mission to destroy the other half of Soul Edge. She is one of the most immediately recognizable and popular characters in the franchise.

Sophitia has the highest single strike damage in the game. Strength and beauty? Absolutely! With that said, it's important to use 8-Way Run to your advantage to punish whoever you're facing. When playing on the defensive, you should toe the max distance from your opponent, which will give you the range to use your strongest abilities and block other oncoming attacks with your shield. Against characters like Ivy who have good range, it's recommended to play as aggressively as possible. Throwing opponents out of the ring ensures a quick and easy victory.

Being kind-hearted, Sophitia is not the type to hate and wishes to see goodness restored to the world. This can only be achieved by the destruction of the malevolent sword, Soul Edge. Even against such a foul being like her archenemy, Nightmare, she never loses sight of what is morally right and just.

Character Power Rating: 80/100

5. Cervantes de Leon

"I'll silence your incessant mouth forever!"

Cervantes is also a returning character from Soul Edge. In the first game, he was the original owner of the twin Soul Edge blades. He became a monster under their influence until Sophitia and Taki, destroyed one of the twin blades. He turned to ash following his defeat until the new wielder, Nightmare, brought him back from the dead. His daughter, Ivy Valentine, is another playable character in the series. Cervantes has always been a fan favorite.

Cervantes is everything Captain Jack Sparrow wishes he was. His gun and sword combined are strong in both long and close-ranged combat. He has stances that change his abilities: Dread Charge, Dread Storm. If at a wall, he goes into Dread Storm Stance, where he's granted three attacks. Those, in combination with his ability to corner other characters against the wall, make him dangerous. Don't bother pressing the offensive until he’s backed up against a wall, because he can scale those, too.

This tragic character is a shell what he once was since being resurrected by Nightmare. With no memories of who he once was, he travels with one purpose in mind: regaining Soul Edge. Being an antagonist, he has few companions and allies. Sophitia and Taki earned his ire for destroying Soul Edge. Ivy's only mistake was being his daughter.

Character Power Rating: 85/100

4. Siegfried Schtauffen

"I will end this nightmare."

Siegfried is another character from Soul Edge who appears in Soul Calibur VI. As a young man, he kills his father by accident and is driven to madness from his grief. In his insanity, he convinces himself he didn't do it, then goes to find Soul Edge to exact his revenge. While he does find Soul Edge, it corrupts him beyond recognition. Despite this, he has become the main character of the Soul Calibur series. His story and the zweihander, Requiem, are both iconic in the franchise.

Siegfried's range remains unchanged in Soul Calibur VI. When playing the character, you need to be careful. With such a massive sword, his attack animations are very slow, which leaves you open to being exploited by quicker. There is a long recovery time after performing each attack. His weakness shows through when the other player is aggressive and closes the distance. Most players are too intimidated to get within range of Siegfried’s swings, so they will generally not play very aggressively against you. Despite his obvious weaknesses, Siegfried is powerful in the right hands and will likely continue to be so.

Siegfried awakes in a strange place, remembering the atrocities he committed as Nightmare. Soul Edge warped him into that creature, and for that, he falls into despair. During his travels, he meets Sophitia. While he tries to reject any help, she just barely purifies him, for the corruption is deep enough that it resists any attempt to remove it. Siegfried realizes that no one else must wield the evil sword to become Nightmare, so he wanders.

Character Power Rating: 90/100

3. Ivy Valentine

"I've had enough of your petty jokes!"

Ivy was born to an aristocratic English family, introduced in Soul Calibur I. Her father's obsession with obtaining immortality through alchemy sent him to an early grave. Her mother followed suit shortly after, leaving her an orphan. Ivy remains one the most popular characters in North America alongside Taki and Nightmare. Though her suggestive outfit causes controversy with every release of a new Soul Calibur game, the reception of Ivy by the gaming industry and Soul Calibur fans has almost always been positive, and she is one of the most beloved characters in the franchise.

Her play style is a reflection of her personal strengths. She is aggressive, intimidating and combative. This femme fatale has a steep learning curve, but rewards players for those who make the effort to learn her moveset. She is able to punish aggressive characters with her mid and long-range abilities. Using this to your advantage will keep your opponent away, where you're able to poke their health down.

Ivy's dying mother told her that they adopted her as a young girl. Ivy was then revealed to be the illegitimate daughter of Cervantes, another character in this countdown. Despite this, Ivy mourned their death before heading out into the world. Knowing what killed her adoptive father, Ivy devoted herself to a life of alchemy. Even now, her main goal remains the destruction of the source of her anguish: Soul Edge.

Character Power Rating: 90/100

2. Seong Mi-na

"How about training at Seong dojang?"

Seong Mi-na is part of the original cast of Soul Edge. The daughter of a famous swordsman, she grew up around learning how to use weapons in his dojo. At the age of sixteen, she surpassed her father as a fighting prodigy. She remains a fan favorite, and consistently ranks high in character polls. Seong Mi-na definitely fits the criteria of a fierce woman. Not wanting to fall victim to tedium, she sets out on her own path. A lot of her confidence shows in how she fights.

Her strength is her range and combos. Hitting someone with the tip of her naginata does more damage than hitting them with the pole of the weapon. Using low-hitting, long-reaching moves depletes health and helps her keep her critical distance advantage. Using the 8-Way Run helps maintain distance. When all else fails, play footsie with them.

She felt that her father and his disciples didn’t take her skills seriously enough, and embarked on her own journey to find the other half of Soul Edge. Now, she feels that her quest will finally help her prove herself. In previous games, Hwang (not in Soul Calibur VI) is both her rival and romantic interest.

Character Power Rating: 95/100

1. Nightmare

"Your nightmare has begun!"

Nightmare is first introduced in Soul Calibur I. In the Playstation 1 port, Soul Blade, there is a glimpse of a prototype Nightmare. In one of Siegfried's alternate endings, the corrupted young man is standing on a cliff. The other ending unlocks a skin called, “Siegfried!” He has no special abilities, but wields Soul Edge. Before the release of Soul Calibur III, Nightmare and Siegfried had identical movesets. The only exception were exclusive moves between the two.

Nightmare may come off as a clone to Siegfried, but that is hardly the case. His long range attacks hit hard. Nightmare also has a unique ability of being able to follow through with “revenge attacks.” They will counter your opponent if they try to attack you while you're attacking them. Revenge attacks also push back, so utilizing it can corner your enemy to apply even more pressure. If you're able to land a revenge attack and also counter, you'll go into Terror Change Stance. In this stance, you can use attacks that once required Soul Charge. Switching between the Grim Stride and Night Side stances keeps the pressure on your opponent Nightmare deserves his high-tiered rank.

Nightmare is the evil dwelling within Siegfried stoked by Soul Edge. Siegfried tries to reason with himself that he is the reason why his father died. Such a truth angers Nightmare, and he vows that he'll kill Siegfried a thousand times to rid himself of the truth. Nightmare exists to visit pain upon others, and nothing more.

Character Power Rating: 100/100

The cast of characters in Soul Calibur VI, each have their own distinctive strengths and weaknesses and equally interesting backstories. If your favorite didn’t end up on this list, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t fun or useful. Often, the best strategy is to stick to a character that most players don’t even consider viable. Learn the movesets and master a particular character, and you will be surprised what you can accomplish with a bit of practice.

I look forward to fighting you in competitive play!