Soulcalibur IV/Getting Started

Critical Finish
One new feature of this game is the Critical Finish. Here's how it works: An orb is displayed in the corner of the screen, next to your Health Gauge. This is your Soul Gauge. When you block your opponent's attacks or land your own, your Soul Gauge gradually changes colors, going from blue to green, to yellow, to orange, and finally to red. Blocking attacks shifts the Gauge closer to red, landing attacks on your opponent shifts the Gauge back towards blue. When the Gauge reaches red, your Health Gauge will start flashing red. A few more blocked attacks while you're in the red, and you'll go into a Soul Crush. This is indicated when your character suddenly flares up with red lightning. This makes you vulnerable to a Critical Finish. When your opponent goes into a Soul Crush, quickly press simultaneously (you can map this button combination to another button to make it easier) to perform the Critical Finish. This is a one-hit kill attack; when performed successfully, you win the match automatically, and it cannot be blocked. But do it quickly, as your opponent won't stay in Soul Crush for long, and another non-Critical hit can knock them out of it.