EA Sports UFC Review (Xbox One/PlayStation 4)
 

A lot of people have been excited for the next MMA product, and it's been a long two-year wait as EA has secured the UFC license and drip-fed information to the public. Most of the info about EA Sports UFC has come rushing out in the last few months, so a lot of people didn't really know what to expect when it came to EA's first foray into the world of UFC. All things considered, THQ was a decent steward of the brand, and they managed to implement some decent systems for their UFC games. Still, everything never quite came together in one cohesive package, and the online play in their games wasn't up to snuff.

A lot of the hoopla around this game was centred on the visuals — and those are good, to be sure — but I was actually surprised that the matches allow for a lot of variety and adaptation. This isn't to say there aren't some annoyances with stamina and move-spamming, but the game engine does allow all aspects of MMA (striking, grappling, submissions) to have a use in the game, which is no small feat.


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Great review. IMO the fact that head damage regenerates is negated by the fact that you can have a guys leg damaged and blinking red and it'll go back to normal. If you're busting up a dudes leg it's just not going to return to normal.

Pretty accurate there. I think after some more time in the gaming chair, I've given it a better nod than I initially did. Not a bad game, definitely room for building and hopefully they are able to do so.

I have only played the demo but this annoys me. Along them same lines is that I will be working the body and or leg and then the guy will pick me up and slam me. Sure this is possible but it is not logical that a fighter would attempt to pick up and slam their opponent after taking damage to a leg and their body. I would atleast like to see the animation change. Maybe he struggles a bit with the slam or his body/leg gives out and he is unable to perform the move. But in no way should a fighter who has taken damage be able to slam their opponent as effevtively as if it were the start of a match. I think stamina, fatigue, and fighter health is my biggest issue with the game so far. Hopefully it will be adjusted with a patch.

For those who have played both the demo and retail game have you noticed any differences? Visually, feel or gameplay was, AI logic? Any thing at all?

I played both the demo and the retail version and I have noticed some important differences in the retail version, which I'm surprised aren't being discussed more on the message boards. The striking in the retail version is not as fast and frenetic as it felt in the demo. Don't get me wrong, it's still fast but much more fluid than in the demo. And while the AI is still far more aggressive than is accurate, it does not spam the kicks and whatnot to the degree the demo did. With regard to the move sets, they certainly are not simulation accurate but the concerns expressed in the demo about everyone having the same moves or everyone having flashy, highly athletic kicks has proven to be false.

When I played the demo, I was fairly disappointed, but I have been very pleased with the retail version. Historically, I have always been an offline gamer (in part because I am not particularly talented in the eye-to-fingers coordination area, apparently), but I figure now that I have the PS4 I would like to give online gaming a shot. I can tell you I have been thrilled with my online experience with this game. By and large, I have found my online matchups to be fun and challenging. The game really does a good job making striking, clinch, and ground work all feel different and like a viable strategy. Online, I have found that frequently my opponent seems most comfortable with one of those strategies and I find myself reacting and adjusting much as I imagine a real fighter must in these instances. It's really been great.

While the offline AI is still universally too aggressive, I have enjoyed good fights there as well. My one major complaint is the lack of CAF spots and lackluster creation options. Historically being an offline gamer, I was fully prepared to create as many fighters as possible, and had anticipated 40-60 slots. Having only 10 is a big disappointment. In theory you can create a new profile for each division, allowing you to add 10 fighters per division. Unfortunately, with GameFace not providing the quality expected and the lack of body and tattoo options it really isn't possible to create fighters as accurately as I would like. I will likely just wait and hope for DLC to add guys.

But I genuinely recommend you pick the game up if you're on the fence. I feel confident in saying you will like the retail version more than the demo. I really think you'll be happy you did.