May 19, 2011 17:41 GMT  ·  By

The developers at Namco Bandai who are working on Soulcalibur V have said that they are aiming to create a character rooster for the game made up of at least 26 fighters, a mix of the favorites from the old games and new faces.

The team is aiming for a lot of diversity for Soulcalibur V with a lot of new weapons and armor, even for old faces, a decision that might prove divisive for the player base.

Special characters, like Yoda and Darth Vader in Soulcalibur IV, will also appear.

Namco Bandai has revealed that Soulcaliber V will be launched during 2012 and about 10 percent of it is done at the moment, according to information offered by Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.

The main character of the game will be Patroklos, who is the son of Sophitia and will use a similar fighting style, with a short sword and the Arcadia Shield.

The developers have also offered some non-combat oriented information on him, saying that he was born on September 13, is 19 years old, has the B blood type and is 1.77 meters tall.

Soulcalibur V is being described by the development team as being a “generational shift” although it’s now clear whether this refers just to the characters that will make appearances or whether the changes will also affect gameplay mechanics.

The game is supposed to feel “lighter, sharper, and more elegant.”

One area of the game that will be new is the special weapons section, with new tools of killing that will open up new attacks and will change the power balance of the characters.

Namco Bandai is also saying that the team is working on the online features of Soulcalibur, aiming to make it easier for players to find opponents of similar skill online and to eliminate any lack that could affect the matches.