Overview:
SoulCalibur IV is the fifth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games. It takes place a short time after SoulCalibur III and is about a "father who uses the Soul Edge to become a hero. He ends up killing his own son who has taken the Soul Edge and put it to use for evil purposes."
Confirmed Characters (as of now): Hilde, Mitsurugi, Ivy, Nightmare, Maxi (semi-confirmed by his returning voice actor), Siegfried, Yoshimitsu, Taki, Tira, Sophitia, Cassandra, Voldo, Lizardman (semi-confirmed by EGM), Yoda, Darth Vader, Scheherazade
Features:
Based on the "design flow" of Soulcalibur II.
Stages will be much larger than before and be more interactive with breakable objects.
Ring Outs will be less common as this is something the developers want to cut down on.
New characters will be revealed closer to release.
New and improved "Create a Soul/Character."
Customizations will have an effect on gameplay.
Created characters can be traded online.
Online play.
Chronicles of the Sword mode will be replaced with a new mode, Tower of Caliaga.
The vitality meter will undergo a change that will be integrated into a currently unknown new feature.