This is a stark reminder to be cautious, but that doesn’t hinder the thrill of a fight in the slightest. What really impresses though are the brutal adverse effects resulting from injuries, which can decrease attributes.

Evolution Points are also earned and spent on increasing accuracy, power, recovery and much more. The character you’ve created constantly evolves and so whether you’re pulling off double leg takedowns or throwing head kicks at the opposition, the stats pertaining to those actions level up. Thankfully, there’s a setup that allows the game to perform the ideal manoeuvre based upon a single directional input and enables the less skilled players to get by. It’s the groundwork however that’ll see difficulties arise if you’re hoping to become a master, as stick movements are complex amidst trying to negotiate a dominant position. Initiating a clinch won’t be a problem, nor will transitions during these predicaments due to the straightforward nature of the controls. The trickiest aspect of the UFC games is usually the grappling, but that’s not entirely the case here. In fact, the advanced crane kicks and superman punches, for example, will be grasped without much difficulty too. The kicks and punches are modified by pressing triggers and bumpers, with the likes of jabs, hooks and targeted kicks easy enough to pull off. It’s probably the most believable bit of storytelling across any of EA sports series, featuring natural interactions credit surely has to go to Scott Manuel Johnson for an acting masterclass as the Coach.Īfter drip-feeding the controls for different areas of fighting in a series of training sessions, you’ll take part in bouts where those learned skills are useful. You’re an amateur spotted by an on-looking Coach Davis who wants to show you the ropes, hoping to steer you towards success in WFA and UFC. Fortunately it includes a well-produced tutorial section, which is seamlessly woven into the narrative. Once character details are finalised, UFC 4 doesn’t mess about and throws you to the wolves via Career mode straight away. Granted, it sounds quite limiting on paper, but this is just for starters and there are a vast amount of attributes to enhance, which provides freedom to mould the skills henceforth. There’s Boxer, Kickboxer, Jiu-jitsu, Wrestler or balanced, which determines the kind of stats possessed by the character in simple terms, Boxers and Kickboxers are better at the stand-up game, while the other two ensure you’re adept at grappling and being on the ground. After fixing your fighter’s hair, body and general attire, the most crucial decision is what type of fighter they’re going to be.

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