SoulCalibur 6's New Characters Are Ivy and Zasalamel

Bandai Namco has revealed Ivy and Zasalamel will be playable characters in SoulCalibur VI and released short gameplay trailers for them both. The two characters have been in previous entries, so their returns to the new PS4, Xbox One, and PC game will certainly be welcome news to long-time fans of the weapon-based fighting series.

Ivy Valentine makes her comeback wielding the tricksy Ivy Blade, which has the ability to switch between a solid sword or a barbed whip. She's still on a quest for revenge and hopes to destroy the evil sword at the centre of the game's story.

"Ivy's father was driven mad and finally died while researching the history of Soul Edge with her mother following not long after," Bandai Namco explains in a press release. "Since then, she thirsts for revenge and wants to destroy the cursed sword that took the lives of her parents, using her alchemy skills to craft a weapon tailored to her needs. She combines Western European sword with Eastern European whip techniques, making her attacks graceful and absolutely deadly at the same time."

The gameplay trailer for her (above) shows she's still got plenty of big combo opportunities and is handy at controlling space thanks to the two forms her weapon can take. She's also got a pretty cool ethereal bow and arrow.

Zasalamel, meanwhile, made his debut in SoulCalibur III and, based on the gameplay trailer, his Kafziel scythe looks like it's still just as devastating at mid-to-close range. As with Ivy, Bandai Namco has opted to provide a brief overview of his story as a whole, instead of his motivations in the new game.

"[Zasalamel] was born into a clan called Guardians of the Spirit Sword charged with protecting the legendary swords Soul Calibur and Soul Edge. While he was exiled from the clan for breaking their sacred laws, Zasalamel nonetheless managed to discover the secret of reincarnation, making him a mighty magician and dangerous foe."

The last SoulCalibur VI characters to be revealed were Kilik, Xianghua, and Nightmare--all series veterans--and Groh, a newcomer. You can read our hands-on with SoulCalibur 6's new characters to find out what we thought of them.