There's something deeply satisfying about the way the Undisputed series simulates the sheer physical brutality of fighting. It doesn't have the depth and purity of the best beat-'em-ups, but every blow feels heavy and real. And while the third game isn't a radical reinvention of the formula, Yuke's have done their best to refine the experience.
The biggest new addition is Pride mode. (Footnote for non-fans: before being bought by the co-owners of the UFC in 2007, Pride was the biggest MMA organisation in the world.) As you'd expect from a championship that gained notoriety for its violence (and brought us some of today's biggest fighters along the way), matches take place in a ring rather than a cage, last only three rounds, and work from a slightly different rule set than UFC.
This is the violent part: unlike UFC, you can stomp opponents with soccer kicks and knee them in the head when they're down - though you can't use your elbows. Legends like Bob Sapp, Royce Gracie and Don Frye are playable, as well as younger versions of current UFC fighters.
The penalty card system, however, hasn't been implemented. This would see fighters penalised for stalling or wasting time, and many consider it an intrinsic part of the Pride rule set. From a game design perspective we're not sure it would add much to the experience - but some fans will undoubtedly bemoan its loss.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
In the main game, career mode has been streamlined, and stat decay has been axed completely. Between scheduled fights you get two action points to spend on training. At the most basic level you can raise your stats with heavy bag drills, focus mitts, tyre flip sessions and sparring. You can take part in these mini-games yourself, or automate them for an instant (but less bountiful) result.
Comments
9 comments so far...
Black Mantis on 15 Feb '12 said:
I enjoyed the demo, Pride mode really sold the game to me. Pretty brutal!
adison on 15 Feb '12 said:
You can't beat this game for 2 player chaos.
Its a must buy "if" you have friends.
Micheil794 on 15 Feb '12 said:
Got this on the way from ShopTo, really glad you can have real fighters in Career mode now as well, also so glad stat decay has gone. Made UFC 2010 feel like a chore rather than a game.
BG88 on 15 Feb '12 said:
Im not a big MMA fan, im more into boxing and love the fight night seriers although online you get spammers but its to be expected. I played the demo tho this and realy enjoyed it, think i might wait untill its about £25 but i will be getting this.
smascherano on 16 Feb '12 said:
I liked the demo and actually I think they have done a fantastic job, especially graphically and the amount of fighters etc that's on the game. The only gripe I have is still the combat. Each punch, kick, block and feint etc still look a bit robotic and shows little real technique that you would find in a fighting situation. EA MMA's combat is still better and it still feels as though there is still too much emphasis on button mashing.
wishface on 16 Feb '12 said:
Since when does the UFC allow people to fracture each other's skulls by stomping on their heads?
It's bad enough that this gladiator bulls**t has to exist for real in our inner cities under the guise of mixed martial arts, but now we have to have a video game where you can do this sort of s**t?
disgustingtramp on 17 Feb '12 said:
Bit of an over reaction don't you think. I mean, it's a videogame review, not a debate over whether or not UFC itself is right or wrong.
I'll also correct what you said, UFC doesn't allow it, but Pride did, Pride allowed head kicks and stomps. You can only do these things in that mode.
I have been playing the game a fair bit, I agree with this review. The game has been simplified slightly and streamlined and has made the controls and the game itself, feel a lot tighter. It is a lot of fun.
wishface on 19 Feb '12 said:
Like it or not, video games DO influence people. Giving the idiot masses the opportunity to stomp their opponents heads (which is attempted murder in my book - any promotion that allows something like that should be closed and it's owners prosecuted for attempted murder) in a game is too much. I am not opposed to proper licensed and controlled martial arts. But this macho world of cage fighting is sickening. It is appealing to the base instincts of an insecure male population and just becuasuse this is a video game is no reason to treat it any less so. Do people play these games because the sweat looks real, or because it's 'deep'? f**k no, they play it because you can punch a dude in the mouth, knock him spark out, jump on his head and make him bleed or choke him senseless. Why not go all the way and have Gypsy Bare Knuckle Fighting game? Society's got enough problems without the sort of thug that likes licensed violence. it's nto about sportsmanship, it's about animal violence and it sickens me when I see posters for this s**t all over town. I played EA's MMA game online (unbalanced as f**k) and all people wanted to do was soccer kicks to the head.
disgustingtramp on 20 Feb '12 said:
Dude, I take your point on board and to a degree, I agree. BUT, I assure you, I have never been involved in a violent altercation in my life, other then being jumped and mugged myself, but I love kicking people in the head in this game because its fun, its kind of like, when you steal a car and run everyone over in GTA, yeah I chuckle to myself when I do it. I don't think I'm opening this dark door in myself as a person and I'd hate to see anyone doing that to someone in real life.
But sure, while I am mature enough (over 30) to not take it seriously, there might be others who do.
Personally, I am not a fan of the sport, for basically the reasons you posted above, I do think its just controlled bare knuckle fighting and its a bloodsport, its not boxing, its raw f**ked up entertainment for the toothless hicks in the USA and the lager louts of the UK. But the game? I kind love it.