While I've never been much of a sports sim guy, as a relatively new devotee to all things mixed martial arts I decided I should probably at least TRY a UFC game at some point in my life. I must say I'm quite happy I did. It's clear that a lot of work went into capturing the feeling of what it must be like to be in a real MMA match. Fights require a lot of strategy as you have to manage your stamina across multiple rounds while fending off attacks your opponents are directing at multiple levels of your body and trying to break through their defenses with some of your own. It can be a real game of chess and the only way you're going to get a more authentic experience is to step into an octagon yourself.
Most of my time was spent in the "Career Mode" where I created my own fighter and carved out a nice little legacy for myself in the sport's biggest promotion. Rising from an amateur scrub into a reigning, defending UFC champion proved to be a satisfying bit of fantasy wish fulfillment, especially since the time spent in-between fights in training camps leads to a believable sense of growth. As you complete sparring sessions not only do your techniques naturally become more effective as you drill them, but you're also be rewarded "Evolution Points" that can be used to upgrade various stats. It allows for a lot of flexibility in crafting your own fighting style. You can also use these camps to hype your next PPV and build friendships with or trash talk the competition to learn their special moves or establish rivalries respectively. Honestly, outside of the character customization being somewhat limited and awkward to use the only real complaint I have with this portion of the game is that it needed a more natural conclusion. After becoming a double champ and finally achieving G.O.A.T. status there's not much incentive to keep playing, and if you do decide to burn all the way through your characters longevity all your greeted with is an anti-climactic box of text that basically just says "yeah, you retired."
Multiplayer offers a healthy amount of modes and options to customize matches. My personal favorite being Knockout where wrestling and jui jitsu is eliminated, both players are given a health bar like in a traditional fighting game, and every round ends in a finish. Going online is also where you'll find the real test of your skills as things like the new grappling assist system that simplifies the controls are practically useless when faced with living, breathing competition. Plus, the huge roster of past and present UFC stars, each with their own stats and abilities that are constantly being adjusted through a live ranking/rating system being controlled by none other than legendary hall of famer Daniel Cormier himself means the balance is constantly shifting in meaningful, exciting ways.
The overall presentation of the game is kind of a mixed bag. As cool as it is to have the actual Bruce Buffer, DC, and Jon Anik lend their voices to the commentary and announcements helping sell the feeling of being in the UFC, the amount of repeated dialog means the novelty wears off pretty fast. Same goes for standing across from some of the most notable names in the sport as while the movement animations are flawless and lifelike, but the character models themselves are plastic and last gen. Particularly the crowds which are downright ugly and at times filled with too many of the same faces.
Repetitive sound and lackluster looks aside, I thoroughly enjoyed UFC 4. The gameplay captures all of MMA's complexity and nuance without ever sacrificing the fun, which is exactly what you want from a sports simulator. Plus, as someone who has often dreamed of becoming one of the best combat athletes of all time, this provided me with a means of achieving that chimera.
9/10
Most of my time was spent in the "Career Mode" where I created my own fighter and carved out a nice little legacy for myself in the sport's biggest promotion. Rising from an amateur scrub into a reigning, defending UFC champion proved to be a satisfying bit of fantasy wish fulfillment, especially since the time spent in-between fights in training camps leads to a believable sense of growth. As you complete sparring sessions not only do your techniques naturally become more effective as you drill them, but you're also be rewarded "Evolution Points" that can be used to upgrade various stats. It allows for a lot of flexibility in crafting your own fighting style. You can also use these camps to hype your next PPV and build friendships with or trash talk the competition to learn their special moves or establish rivalries respectively. Honestly, outside of the character customization being somewhat limited and awkward to use the only real complaint I have with this portion of the game is that it needed a more natural conclusion. After becoming a double champ and finally achieving G.O.A.T. status there's not much incentive to keep playing, and if you do decide to burn all the way through your characters longevity all your greeted with is an anti-climactic box of text that basically just says "yeah, you retired."
Multiplayer offers a healthy amount of modes and options to customize matches. My personal favorite being Knockout where wrestling and jui jitsu is eliminated, both players are given a health bar like in a traditional fighting game, and every round ends in a finish. Going online is also where you'll find the real test of your skills as things like the new grappling assist system that simplifies the controls are practically useless when faced with living, breathing competition. Plus, the huge roster of past and present UFC stars, each with their own stats and abilities that are constantly being adjusted through a live ranking/rating system being controlled by none other than legendary hall of famer Daniel Cormier himself means the balance is constantly shifting in meaningful, exciting ways.
The overall presentation of the game is kind of a mixed bag. As cool as it is to have the actual Bruce Buffer, DC, and Jon Anik lend their voices to the commentary and announcements helping sell the feeling of being in the UFC, the amount of repeated dialog means the novelty wears off pretty fast. Same goes for standing across from some of the most notable names in the sport as while the movement animations are flawless and lifelike, but the character models themselves are plastic and last gen. Particularly the crowds which are downright ugly and at times filled with too many of the same faces.
Repetitive sound and lackluster looks aside, I thoroughly enjoyed UFC 4. The gameplay captures all of MMA's complexity and nuance without ever sacrificing the fun, which is exactly what you want from a sports simulator. Plus, as someone who has often dreamed of becoming one of the best combat athletes of all time, this provided me with a means of achieving that chimera.
9/10