UFC 2009 Undisputed [360]

20 May 2009 at 17:50:41 by Andy Alderson
Systems used to review this title: (360)

Often hailed as the fastest growing sport in the world, UFC has come a long way since its inception in the early nineties. Once described as “human cock-fighting” (the rules, initially, were pretty lax/non-existent – groin punching, for instance, was permitted), UFC enjoys a much better reputation these days, following the introduction of more rules, fighter protection and a focus on the twin disciplines of striking and grappling. Now an international brand with an ever-increasing fan base, UFC has grown through its clever combination of brute strength, technical expertise and slick presentation. It deserves a game which understands this balance; a game with suitably deep fighting mechanics wrapped up in an authentic package. And, on their first attempt, it seems like THQ and Yukes have delivered.

To anyone who has seen a UFC broadcast, Undisputed will seem instantly familiar. Authenticity was clearly a buzzword for the developer and as you take to the octagon for the first time, with Bruce Buffer announcing, Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg commentating and even the scantily-clad UFC girls err...walking, you’ve got to pay Yukes its dues for the meticulous attention to detail. Even the referees and corner men are based on their real life counterparts and it’s impressive to see such a complete package in terms of presentation. But, of course, this detail would all be for nothing if the gameplay doesn’t match up. Luckily, for UFC fans, this is not the case.

In Undisputed, each of the face buttons corresponds to one of your fighters limbs, with X and Y for punches and A and B for kicks. The left trigger is used as a body/leg shot modifier while the right hand bumper and trigger handle high and low blocks respectively. Holding down the left bumper and hitting a face button will pull off a power shot and the right stick is responsible for grappling. While all this seems fairly straightforward – indeed, you could jump straight into a fight knowing the above and probably hold your own – it’s difficult to stress the sheer amount of moves that have been included in the game. As you take part in the game’s optional (and yet, in this reviewer’s opinion, 100% necessary) tutorial mode, you’ll see just how much Undisputed’s combat has to offer.  Assuming the game is simply punch, kick, grapple and block would be a big mistake as you’ll learn about striking (from various ranges), combos, power shots, standing grapples, takedowns, ground offense, transitions and submissions to name but a few of the skills you’ll need to master to become proficient at Undisputed.

On a basic level, however, you can divide Undisputed’s gameplay into the standing and ground games. When standing, your focus is on striking your opponent with the wide variety of punches and kicks at your disposal. Tap the punch buttons with no direction and you’ll jab which is useful for keeping your opponent at bay, although you’ll be unable to do any real damage. However, throw out some quick jab combos and you’ll find more opportunities to follow up with the big shots and do some real damage. Holding a direction with a punch button throws a more powerful shot like an uppercut or a hook and it’s these that are likely to stun, knockdown or knockout your opponent. And, as in real-life MMA, the knockouts can be spectacular.

All ...

Comment