Maybe it's because UFC fighting is actually real, compared to the soap opera dramatics and story writings of the world of WWE wrestling. Maybe that's why it seems to translate better from what you WATCH on screen to what you PLAY on screen. Every punch and kick that you throw feels like it has some real weight behind it, that they're actually doing some damage when they land. The first time I kicked my opponent square in the head, I winced in one of those 'oh, that HAD to hurt' ways. You'll be able to see when it hurts too - fighters will begin to show cuts and bruises on their bodies when they start taking a beating. It is unbelievable how realistic this game is, from the way matches play out, right down to the commentary, giving a spot on perfect play-by-play of each match, as well as occasionally throwing in random facts about the different fighters (such as how Chris Lytle used to be a fireman).
The controls are amazingly intuitive and easy to get to grips with. The face buttons are each mapped to a different limb, so pressing square will always swing the left arm, pressing circle will always kick out with the right leg, etc. That may sound like a limited move set, but the kind of attack you do depends on how far away you are from your opponent. If you're an arms length away, you'll jab at them. If you're in clinching range, that same button will make you elbow them in the face. You can also modify where you aim by pressing the L1(high) or L2(low) button. The amount of diversity this opens up for different combos is staggering, and it only helps to add to the realism of the bouts, especially when you take into consideration the different fighting styles (Boxing, Kickboxing or Muay Thai for the standing up portion of the fights, and Wrestling, Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for floor grappling) . Even when grappling on the floor, the number of options you have open to you on both offense and defense is amazing. You could be on your back, taking a pounding and have the fight looking close to over, but within a few quick stick twists and button presses, you could be on top going for a submission move. Top notch stuff.
The best thing is how not one single fight is only about smacking your opponent around the Octagon until he falls over, although that will work. It's not just about where you hit them or how often, as when you hit them is just as important. If you punch someone when they're standing still, it's not going to have much of an effect on them, If you hit them with the same attack when they're moving around or shaping up to hit you, there's a bigger chance that you will cause them to stumble and possibly put them on the canvas. It is entirely possible to win just by throwing a lucky punch at the right time - for instance, I managed to knock an opponent out after 8 seconds of round 2 with a simple step forward and straight jab to the face. The commentary too, is just as polished as the fighting. Giving faultless descriptions on exactly what is happening, they seem to be perfectly aware of what is happening in front of them, commenting when a takedown attempt fails numerous times, when you nail a body shot and it stuns your opponent, going so far as to mention real life fights of the fighters in the game, who they beat, who they lost against, etc. It sounds like basic stuff, but it's amazing how many other games don't even come close to this level of commentary quality.
As far as gaming modes go, it's pretty much the standard fare here. You've got exhibition matches, tutorial/practise matches, online matches, create a fighter, career mode and classic matches. All of which are pretty much self explanitary, with Classic Matches allowing you to recreate, well, classic matches from UFCs history, giving you a video montage of the actual fights for duplicating the outcome.
It's actually quite difficult to find fault with this game. Every aspect of this game has been given enough polish that you could slide across it like a glass on a western saloon bar. The only minor gripe I can think of is in regards to when you create your own fighter and choose a nickname for yourself. You get given very few options, and it's this nickname that the game refers to you as in every single fight. It would've been nice if they had given you a selection of actual names to choose from, as well as nicknames - anyone who has played Racedriver: GRID will know what I'm talking about. But like I said, a minor gripe and by no means a gamebreaker.
In closing, this game deserves to be in many a game collection. Any UFC fan should own this game. Any fighting game fan should have this game in their life. And everyone else? Give it a try. You might just like it.
GRADE:
A
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