25-Jun-2009 Coming back to knock your block off your shoulders all over again, the big hitter of PS3 beat' em ups gets back into the ring for a really brutal, but fun, punchfest
Clearly we're all spoilt for choice when it comes to PS3 fighting games. While there's something satisfying about connecting a Hadouken or locking in one of Tekken's outrageous grapples, sometimes you just want to pummel your foe's face until it looks like a piece of used chewing gum.
Massively impressive Fight Night Round 3 satisfied that urge by providing a glitzy arena and two meticulously modelled boxers attempting to flatten each other's faces. Fortunately, the series has managed to bob and weave past the EA tradition of pumping out a seasonal update every year, and Fight Night Round 4 is a thoughtful and, as a result, massively impressive sequel.
While the intuitive and tactile Total Punch Control system, which maps all the punches to sweeps and taps on the Right stick, makes a triumphant return, it's fused to a completely overhauled fighting engine. It's impossible to understate how much this changes the game for the better. Each boxer is now a totally physically modelled object. There's no chance of clipping issues and cheap impacts or dodges, and the fighters interlock realistically allows for true up-close fighting. In Round 4 every blow that's landed connects with a meticulously calculated impact.
Fluff your swing slightly and you'll only score a glancing blow, with realistically minimal damage inflicted. Land a haymaker square in the other guy's mush and you'll rock his skull.
The system applies as much when it comes to dodging punishment as it does to dishing it out. Now it's not just a case of a punch being avoided or eaten, you can dodge a moment too late, but still minimise the damage. There's still a reward for perfect timing of a block or a dodge, though, and it's a huge one.
Every time you manage to slip a punch, the camera dips slightly to indicate that your opponent has left himself wide open and vulnerable to a counter-attack. Manage to get a punch in the window of opportunity and it'll land with crushing force - even jabs get a healthy boost. If you react quickly enough to throw a haymaker they'll be stunned and prime fodder for a knockout.
Adapting to the importance of counters can be tough to begin with, but once you get the hang of it, there'll be a wry smile on your face as the camera drops and you deliver your face-rippling revenge. The other upshot is it minimises the chances of you being beaten by your mate whose primary tactic is flailing about on the stick until they or the other guy giddily hits the canvas.
Variety and longevity Round 4 also boasts far more variety and longevity than the previous game thanks to this physics model. For a start, just by virtue of the fact it's not canned animation, no fight is ever quite the same, and you never feel like you're seeing the same punches and dodges each time.
Random flukes and quirks such as interlocked arms (which also leave you wide open) keep things spicy, but never feel unrealistic. Because the height and reach of the boxer is now taken into account, no boxer or opponent fights in quite the same way.
Choose Muhammad Ali and you're able to keep smaller fighters such as Tyson at a distance with your greater reach, but you have to watch out for them ducking into the inside and delivering damaging uppercuts and body blows.
Every boxer in Round 3 was a variation on the same slugger - in Round 4 they're noticeably different fighters. While the Career mode is still a very traditionalist combination of bouts and training, with the odd challenge from a cocky boxer, the opponents are now different enough that it's far less repetitive than the last game.
As if the remarkable new physics system wasn't impressive enough, the entire thing runs at 60 frames per second, meaning it's twice as smooth as the majority of games on the PS3. It makes a huge difference to the feeling of fluidity to the fight and, even better, allows for extreme slow motion replays from any angle you fancy.
Want to relive the experience of clobbering Tyson for his crimes? You can watch the moment his eyes glazed over from inches away, and even upload edited clips online for others to see.
Fight Night Round 4 is not only the most realistic simulation of the sport of boxing that's ever been produced, it also translates into a hugely satisfying game. Polished and accomplished, Fight Night truly is king of the ring.
PSW Staff
// Overview
Verdict
For fans and non-fans alike, EA delivers another absolute knockout!
I can't seem to get to grips with the controll system on this game!!!!!!!! How on earth do people memorise how to do all the moves on this game?! And you also have to be so precise with it!
The thing I like is that they made use of the one good feature from Facebreaker - being able to upload faces to your created characters. So you can really take on your friends and even add and create other boxers that aren't in the game.
Might create Chris (Cwiss) Eubank - "because one would very much enjoy the opportunity to knock him the f*** out" - I'm a Lover, Not a Fighter!
I am undecided on this one. I was left very disappointed with FN Round 3 (Hated the controls) but like the sound of this one, just hoping they have altered it enough to warrant a buy...
Aweome. Cant wait to play this tomorrow. Loved round 3 and from what i've seen this is a nice step forward. Cant understand why people didn't like the stick controls, they were superb and felt very natural to me. I never used the buttons so dont care that they are gone. Definately looking forward to it.
I am undecided on this one. I was left very disappointed with FN Round 3 (Hated the controls) but like the sound of this one, just hoping they have altered it enough to warrant a buy...
If you used the face buttons you're in for disappointment, as they made it stick only. Although they're apparently releasing a patch due to complaints.
Had an hour or so on this last night and it seems like a brilliant boxing sim. I spent most of that time creating my boxer and found it especially amusing to be able to scan my face using the camera.
I played my first amateur tournament and won it fairly convincingly with a knockout in the 3rd round of the semi.
You don't lose the skills.
Looking forward to getting stuck into the Legacy mode proper.
I may even kick your cheeks online, if anyone thinks they're 'ard enough.
I'm just waiting for my pre-ordered copy now. Loved the demo. The UFC demo pretty much bored me to be honest so I'm going with FNR4 (never played a Fight Night game before).
open sparring- jab. jab a lot and this one should be easy. if u see an opening then go ahead and lay a few hooks on ur partner but in general, focus on the jab and not getting hit
stay on your feet- same thing with a little extra attention on blocking and leaning. u get a big bonus for not getting knocked down but ive been floored 5 times and still got champion so dont worry if u do
heavy bag combos- this one is self explanatory and it really depends on how good u are with tpc. i didnt find it hard but thats just me. one tip that i can give anyone whos having trouble is to make sure u throw ur hooks right (body and upper). when u flick the stick to the side, make sure that it is exactly on the horizontal or a little above. if u are even the slightest bit under the horizontal, u will throw an uppercut. also, take ur time. u get more points for streaks with no mistakes and if u go super slow the entire time but make no mistakes, youll get champion
heavy bag push- this one got me for a while but some guy on gamefaqs gave a tip and it worked for me. wut u do is imagine your fighter throwing 2 or 3 hit combos at a time. in your head u should be like: 1-2-3, pause, 1-2, pause, 1-2-3, pause, etc. how long ur pause is is dependent on how fast ur reaction time is. just make sure u pause long enough to know that ur hitting the right part of the bag. using this method, if u hit the wrong part, u will only hit it once and youll immediately hit the right part so that the bag moves forward again. i used all hooks with this exercise, too. it moves the bag more i think
double end bag- the 2nd hardest game. just make sure u think before u move. if u move in the wrong direction then switch directions, youre screwed. try to get perfect on this. sounds really bad but if u take a second to think before u move, youll make it on time to land a punch. i threw all body hooks on this one. if ur target is far, throw 1 punch. if its medium, throw 2. if its right next to where ur standing, throw 3
maize bag- not that hard if u kno wut to do. wait for the bag to cross the middle then weave twice. if ur fast, weave three times but u dont hav to. when it says punch, make sure the bag is not in the center cus ur body might hit it. i always threw right body hooks cus it was easiest for me. overall, just take ur time cus if u go slow but make no mistakes, youll get it easily. u could prolly make 1 mistake and still get it
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