Critical Finishes are fatal one-strike attacks that are performed under specific criteria. The new Critical Finish system in Soul Calibur IV is targeted to punish players who routinely damage their armor with frequent blocks, encouraging them to play more aggressively and speeding up the pace of the game.

Players will notice a color-changing gem next to the Health Meter. This gem represents the Soul Gauge. The default color of the Soul Gauge is green. When a player begins an attack, the Soul Gauge continues to fill and the gem changes to blue. The Soul Gauge empties when a player is on guard or blocking and the gem color changes to red. When an opponent's meter empties, a player may perform an attack that breaks off a chunk of that opponent's armor. In addition to missing part of their defensive gear and changing their character's appearance, the opponent is also then weakened for the remainder of the match.

Once the armor is broken and the gem remains red, empty the Soul Gauge again for a small window of opportunity to trigger the critical finish move. This is performed by pressing all four face buttons at the same time. If timed correctly, the critical finishing move triggers a unique video in which your character attacks, ending the match instantly.

Each character has a uniquely personal Critical Finish move.

• Soul Calibur Wiki: Critical Finish