Is UFC Undisputed Realistic or Not?

This new UFC game which has hit the shelves around  May 19^th 2009 gives UFC and MMA fans a new interaction with the sport. There have been a couple UFC games in the past but THQ’s version is the newest for PS3 and Xbox360.  From what we can look at from the game play, we can see that there are a lot of fighters to be played. You have multiple fighters in heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight and lightweight. There are over 100 personalities and 30,000 polygons used for fighter models. The sweat, bruises and blood in the game are quite good, not the best but decent and after a good first round in the game you can see sweat running down the fighters body.

The different styles which are present in this UFC game are Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, Kickboxing, Judo and Muay Thai. Of course the standing fighting positions are the boxing; kickboxing and muay Thai styles and the throws are judo and wrestling as well as the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for submissions and ground work. Other then these styles, nothing else can be seen present in the game. These styles are heavily used in the real UFC fights, so this can be considered a realistic compound of the game.

Watch those Up-Kicks!

As far as the game play goes, it is difficult at first to understand the controls and what button does what. It will take some time to get it down and understand the buttons and how to throw, clinch, and do various submissions. There are a couple submission moves that the fighters are able to do as well as punches kicks, elbows and knees. One thing that I have tried while playing this game with another friend is the use of just using submission and grappling without any punches or kicks. It is almost impossible to get the other opponent to submit and it seems like the only way to really win a fight it is by a knockout. So the grappling moves and throws used in this game are mostly for the use of “ground and pound” with not such an emphasis on grappling. It is way too easy to get out of a submission by rapidly tapping one button. There is a 90%+ chance rate that you will get out of it if you constantly push buttons on your controller. It is also pretty easy to knock out your opponent with button mashing and around the 2^nd round it is quite simple  to get a K.O if you deliver one clean kick or punch.

The other concept I found quite odd is the use of blocking. The blocking can be at times unresponsive, especially when the fighters are in a grappling mode and on the ground. It is almost impossible to get away when the opponent is on top and is constantly punching down on the fighter on his back. The grappling on the ground is kind of weak and you are submitted to a few moves on what you can do depending on the fighter you have chosen. The one thing that is good about the game is the background of each fighter and how they are able to tune and make that character like they are in real life. So a student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in real life will have those same advantages in the game. They also have the real announcers like Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg giving their commentary too. They also use common ring girls as well that are seen in real UFC matches.

So should I buy it?

Overall, the game is pretty good, but not the best. I believe that they still need to fine-tune some aspects of the game and especially improve the grappling section of the game. Having a game were you only win by systematic K.O’s of punches and kicks in a UFC game does not seem very realistic to me even though that seems like its nomenclature now days in UFC. I guess I am expecting too much? Who knows, but in this fast paced society, it seems like people are always going to want that bigger better deal. I recommend going out there and first renting the game to see if you like it first and give it a whirl. I am looking forward to future UFC games and see how they compare to this one. I give it 6.5 out of 10.

Get great Martial Arts Gear at fantastic prices.

Related posts:

1. MMA Bloopers: Not Always So Serious Just Beat it Beat it Beat it… This is a funny video, and shows that sometimes MMA can be comical and not so serious at times too. The video shows some interesting clips...
2. First Ever UFC Gym to Open on June 17th in California! The UFC along with New Evolution Fitness Company (NEFC) has decided to give everyone of all ages a chance to train and fight like the UFC fighters you see in the Octagon. The...
3. New MMA game by EA Sports due for 2010 Soon after the release of UFC undisputed 2009, a new MMA game is in the making for mixed martial arts fans all over. EA Sports (which has created numerous sports games including the...

Tagged as: MMA, UFC, Undisputed, Video Games