UFC Undisputed 2009 - XBOX 360
Right, let's start with a bit of honesty - I expected this to be a bit of a duffer.
Usually niche games are a bit hit and miss and can vary in quality, a game like UFC requires a complete replication of the dynamics of the sport to create a whole new gaming experience for it to even feel close to a realistic interpretation.
Amazingly, and I was amazed this game does indeed replicate the look and feel of UFC to complete perfection.
UFC is one of the fastest growing sports in the World and the need for a quality game was very evident - the quality of the game though is impressive to say the least.
Incorporating the many different fighting styles into a game is one thing, doing it in such a fluent and vibrant manner is a real feat in itself.
I started the game in career mode - you get the usual annoying but necessary 'build-a-character' screens which delay the bloodthirsty desire you have...
You are soon in action though - albeit in front of about 7 people... you will probably find like me that you can just plough your way through the first 7 or 8 opponents without taking it seriously.
You soon find though that after a few meaningless 'boxing matches' you will encounter someone who takes you down and starts pounding away at your head with their knuckles.
The game is more than just a button-masher - sure this plays a big part, but there is a lot of skill involved and the grappling element to the game is excellent.
The tutorial is essential as there a lot of complexities to the game despite it being easy to just pick up an play. If you really want to master all the counter-attacks, attack strategies and grappling then it is worth learning your craft early on through the tutorial, training and sparring sessions.
The magic of UFC is that there are a variety of fighting disciplines - in this case we have six MMA styles, each throw their own magic and complications into the mix.
The action is very realistic and the graphics are stunning... every ounce of effort has gone into making sure the fighters look right, the octagon is as it should be and the card girls are looking as good as they should!
The actual fighting engine is great - not only do the characters move and interact blissfully without any slowdown they also show signs of wear and tear as the fight goes on.
The depth of the combos and moves on offer is impressive and makes the game feel like more of an art-form.
The game is packed with authenticity and a lot of effort has been put into recreating the brand. The biggest joy is 80 of the biggest names in the sport are all included in the game.
Each of these fighters has the uniques styles and characteristics that fans of the sport will recognise.
To conclude this game really is fantastic, it has a delightfully engaging career mode and is definately one of the surprise packages of the year for me.
If you are a fan of the sport you will love this... it is seriously brutal, brilliant entertainment and a first class sports sim.
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Authors
Steve Wollaston - Sunday Mercury games reviewer Steve has been writing about video games for donkey's years. In fact he is probably far too old for it now which is why you will see a lot of reviews been done by kids... He has been nominated three times for Regional Games Journalist Of The Year at the Games Media Awards, but never wins. His major love is sports games and rates Sensible World of Soccer circa 90's as the greatest game ever made - closely followed by Championship Manager 2. Skyrim has currently taken over his life.
