UFC 2009 Undisputed was a very good game, especially for that to be the first installment. Here are a few suggestions to make it better.
Moves: The developers took the easy way out with this one. Instead of making every fighters move set unique, they just bunched them into categories and gave certain fighters a special move or two. All Boxers have the same strikes, all Kick Boxers have the same strikes, and all Muay Thai guys have the same strikes. This is not the way it should be. They should take the time and individualize each fighter. Also add southpaw. For example: Guys like Thiago Alves have different styles mixed together. He throws ducking hooks (Boxing), superman punches (Kick Boxing), and he has the Muay Thai clinch and Flying Knee (Muay Thai). When you fight with him it doesn't really feel authentic because your moves are limited. His move set should be something like this: X= jab, Y= cross, Forward+X= left hook, Forward+Y= right hook, LB+X= ducking left hook, LB+Y= ducking right hook, Forward+LB+X= left superman punch, Forward+LB+Y= right superman punch. The kicks are ok, but you should not have to be 5 feet away in order to throw a flying knee. It should Forward+LB+A or B from any range. The grappling is the same way. All Wrestlers have the same slams, all BJJ guys have the same trip, and the Judo guys have the same throws (there are only 2 so no big deal). First off, the BJJ trips are absolutely terrible. Royce Gracie and Minotauro are the only guys that I've ever seen do that in a real match. Rarely would a fighter in an advantageous position such as double underhooks, just drop down and let his opponent get into his guard. It should still be an option, but not the only option. Another example: Lyoto Machida. He should have some trips and Judo throws. He should also have the Muay Thai clinch. The guys at THQ should mo-cap all the moves that they want in the game, watch a ton of tape on all the fighters that are in the game, then decide which moves the fighters get instead of just saying since Machida is a BJJ specialist he will only have BJJ moves or since Thiago is a Muay Thai specialist, he only has Muay Thai moves. Machida should still be a BJJ specialist and Thiago should still be a Muay Thai specialist, but their moves should not be limited because of it. That would help to make the game a lot more authentic to the UFC.
Gameplay: The ground grapple and strike/ kicks defense ratings do not really matter this year. I can dominate Frank Mir on the ground with Cheick Kongo. I can land about 20 power punches with Rampage or head kicks with Machida without getting a knockout. It's the UFC, the fight can end at any moment (at least that's how I thought it was). That makes the gameplay feel a little arcadish. Players should be forced to keep their hands up at all times. If I land a clean counter punch to the chin with Rampage, it should result in a KO or at least my opponent being rocked. Also fighters should be rocked more instead of flash KO's. Being tired should affect the the amount of damage you can take before being knocked out. A fighter may be able to take a few punches to the head in the first round, but not in the fifth round when he is spent. Also, a fighter should not have to be exhausted in order to get submitted. It should be harder to get into a submission and be more of a risk reward system. Also change the effectiveness of the submissions based on positioning. Kimura's from half-guard should not be very threatening, but if I take my opponent's back a rear naked choke should be almost automatic no matter how much cardio he has.
Those are just a few suggestions to make the game better. What do you guys think?
Moves: The developers took the easy way out with this one. Instead of making every fighters move set unique, they just bunched them into categories and gave certain fighters a special move or two. All Boxers have the same strikes, all Kick Boxers have the same strikes, and all Muay Thai guys have the same strikes. This is not the way it should be. They should take the time and individualize each fighter. Also add southpaw. For example: Guys like Thiago Alves have different styles mixed together. He throws ducking hooks (Boxing), superman punches (Kick Boxing), and he has the Muay Thai clinch and Flying Knee (Muay Thai). When you fight with him it doesn't really feel authentic because your moves are limited. His move set should be something like this: X= jab, Y= cross, Forward+X= left hook, Forward+Y= right hook, LB+X= ducking left hook, LB+Y= ducking right hook, Forward+LB+X= left superman punch, Forward+LB+Y= right superman punch. The kicks are ok, but you should not have to be 5 feet away in order to throw a flying knee. It should Forward+LB+A or B from any range. The grappling is the same way. All Wrestlers have the same slams, all BJJ guys have the same trip, and the Judo guys have the same throws (there are only 2 so no big deal). First off, the BJJ trips are absolutely terrible. Royce Gracie and Minotauro are the only guys that I've ever seen do that in a real match. Rarely would a fighter in an advantageous position such as double underhooks, just drop down and let his opponent get into his guard. It should still be an option, but not the only option. Another example: Lyoto Machida. He should have some trips and Judo throws. He should also have the Muay Thai clinch. The guys at THQ should mo-cap all the moves that they want in the game, watch a ton of tape on all the fighters that are in the game, then decide which moves the fighters get instead of just saying since Machida is a BJJ specialist he will only have BJJ moves or since Thiago is a Muay Thai specialist, he only has Muay Thai moves. Machida should still be a BJJ specialist and Thiago should still be a Muay Thai specialist, but their moves should not be limited because of it. That would help to make the game a lot more authentic to the UFC.
Gameplay: The ground grapple and strike/ kicks defense ratings do not really matter this year. I can dominate Frank Mir on the ground with Cheick Kongo. I can land about 20 power punches with Rampage or head kicks with Machida without getting a knockout. It's the UFC, the fight can end at any moment (at least that's how I thought it was). That makes the gameplay feel a little arcadish. Players should be forced to keep their hands up at all times. If I land a clean counter punch to the chin with Rampage, it should result in a KO or at least my opponent being rocked. Also fighters should be rocked more instead of flash KO's. Being tired should affect the the amount of damage you can take before being knocked out. A fighter may be able to take a few punches to the head in the first round, but not in the fifth round when he is spent. Also, a fighter should not have to be exhausted in order to get submitted. It should be harder to get into a submission and be more of a risk reward system. Also change the effectiveness of the submissions based on positioning. Kimura's from half-guard should not be very threatening, but if I take my opponent's back a rear naked choke should be almost automatic no matter how much cardio he has.
Those are just a few suggestions to make the game better. What do you guys think?