

Unlike previous editions, getting back to your feet can be a real battle of attrition. Minute visual cues give away when your opponent is about to attempt a transition, reversal or submission, which can make them frustratingly difficult to block. They are also accompanied by an optional guide of what moves are available in what positions.īut being taken down opens a whole new world of complications.
#Ufc 2 review series#
Grappling has been made more straightforward this year – escapes and advances require the right analog stick to be held in a certain direction, rather than a series of complex rotational turns. Previous efforts have felt like entirely different games from the feet to the mat, but these transitions have been tightened enormously. It combines numerous disciplines, from boxing to jiu-jitsu, which real fighters move between in the blink of an eye. Mixed martial arts is, by its very nature, a tricky sport to make into a user-friendly game. A well-timed leg kick, for example, has the tendency to send a fighter flying off in a gravity-defying manner, a flaw which gave the previous game a real reputation. This is still a work in progress, however, as the graphics system is prone to the occasional glitch. The new physics system means fight-ending punches or kicks crumple your sorry opponent in the fashion you would imagine, providing a kind of macabre satisfaction that neither the previous EA game or the THQ editions before it achieved.
#Ufc 2 review skin#
Skin ripples when hit, fighters wince in pain and welts and bruising clearly form as the contest progresses. This attention to detail is especially noticeable during the fights, which boast all the authenticity of real combat. You can see every bead of sweat, every flick of the hair and every heavy breath. Each fighter is the spitting image of their real-life counterpart, with many of the sport’s marquee names boasting all the same mannerisms too. UFC 2 builds on one of the last game’s real strengths – awe-inspiring realism. However, with an extra division in the form of women’s strawweight and enough fighters to keep the most die-hard fans happy, this is an easily ignorable issue. There is an argument to be made that making him too under-skilled would make his inclusion in the game pointless, but giving jiu-jitsu white belt Punk a rating of 82 on the ground, while awarding black belt submission wizard Nate Diaz 83 is borderline laughable. This year’s noticeable addition – besides the inexplicable inclusion of Mike Tyson – is former WWE superstar CM Punk.Īlthough yet to debut in the UFC, Punk will be a big draw for the casual fan, but, as expected, his stats might raise some eyebrows. With more than 250 fighters available to take into the cage, UFC 2 has more depth than ever before.įrom fan favourites Ronda Rousey and Anderson Silva to relative unknowns Ruslan Magomedov and Derrick Lewis, every corner of the UFC roster is covered. This is not a pick-up-and-play classic, it is a game that rewards effort and is the most successful attempt to date to bring a complex sport to consoles. Striking requires patience and timing, while grappling demands a lot of practice to stop yourself being mauled. Gimmicky KO animations have given way to brutally realistic finishes and, finally, the days of painfully clunky transitions between ground fighting and stand up battles appear to be over.īut for the first-time gamer, this will be an uncompromisingly difficult challenge. A mixed martial arts video game that is actually worth playing.ĮA Sports UFC 2 is the first offering in many attempts which successfully makes the combat sport into a fluid and realistic gaming experience, and it is about as visually rich as it is possible to get.Ī two-year hiatus since the last edition has really given EA the space to make much-needed tweaks to the gameplay, centred on a stunning knockout physics system. To steal UFC Octagon announcer Bruce Buffer’s catchphrase – this is the moment fans around the world have been waiting for. Review: EA Sports UFC 2 is a triumph for the true fan, but a nightmare for the novice 8 months ago
