The UFC has been around for quite some time. By giving
the world professional wrestling superstars such as Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn, it made
quite a name for itself. Since the glory days, the UFC has faded from the spotlight. For
the first time, it has entered the world of video games and has come into it with a mixed
bag.Graphically, the game is one of the best looking on the console. The fighter's intros feature some of the most breathtaking visuals ever conceived in a video game to date. Once into the ring, the fighters lose no detail and their facial expressions show the agony of being inside the octagon. Blood flows from the fighters heads, but the effect looks fake and probably should've been taken out.
From the awesome voice intros to bone-crunching hits, you can't go wrong with this game's sounds. Fans taunt while trying to distract the fighters from beating each other. The referee screams orders at the fighters making sure you follow the few rules once into the ring.
Gameplay is a mixture of classic fighters and wrestling games combined. Punches fly freely while both fighters are standing, but grappling is what sets the game apart. As your opponents dive for your legs, button mashing ensues as the player tries to keep his base. Should the fighter fall, it's nearly over unless you manage to flip your opponent. Herein lies the games main flaw. Matches rarely make it past one round, and with the short length of the game, it's simply not fun. There's no time to be involved with the on-screen action.
Many characters are deeply hidden in the game, but most players will find the usual "punch, grapple, cause submission" matches too boring and won't play long enough to earn the extras. There's a certain feel to the game that some will find themselves drawn to, but most will pass on this one quickly. It doesn't seem to contain enough depth to become engaging.
All in all, UFC is not a terrible game as it's realism is unparalleled. Unfortunately, it just doesn't translate well into a video game. Players expect long matches and are used to a more frenzied style of fighting and UFC simply can't keep up. It almost feels like you're being cheated once the match is over.
