UFC Undisputed 2010 Xbox 360

Released on 28/05/2010

• UFC Undisputed 2010 Review

  Bring it

  UFC Undisputed 2009 was both a critical and commercial success. This meant an added lick of paint and a few tweaks to an already winning formula would probably have managed to please fans eager for this follow-up, but developer Yuke's chose not to rest on its laurels.

  Instead, by adding a wealth of content that addresses most of the first game's minor flaws, it has bucked the trend usually associated with annual franchise updates, and in doing so it has thrown down the gauntlet to sports genre kingpin Electronic Arts, which is due to release the first in a new fighting series, EA Sports MMA, later this year.

  Strategic combat

  Last year's UFC game was particularly good at simulating the competition's wider format, including the announcers, the stars of the Octagon and the official licenses. While the mixed martial arts on offer was also more than proficient, UFC Undisputed 2010 makes big strides in the areas of strategic combat and varied fighting styles.

  UFC Undisputed 2010 makes big strides in the areas of strategic combat and varied fighting styles.

  The key new feature to the stand-up game is a sway system which lets you adopt a counter-attacking strategy. Evading an opponent's strike before countering while they're off-guard is highly satisfying, and never more so than when you manage to land KOs, which are harder to come by in UFC 2010. In addition, a southpaw fighting stance has been introduced.

  The ground system has also been revised, most notably through the introduction of posturing to grappling floor gameplay. This enables you to better position your fighter to launch fight-ending strikes from every position, although it also leaves you open to counters, a combination that mixes risk and reward in equal measure. It's tougher to mount opponents in order to pound them into the canvass in UFC Undisputed 2010 too, while the ability to interact with the Octagon fence adds another layer of depth to combat.

  Real-world-ism

  Improvements to the combat system are mirrored in other departments as well. UFC Undisputed 2010 sees a massive update to the franchise's roster of fighters, with the accuracy of its stars extending from their appearances right down to individual fighting styles. The man count has been upped significantly to more than 100 fighters, from legends of the sport right through to promising newcomers. And if you find that someone's missing, they're made easily available via UFC 2010's massively improved create-a-character mode.

  The sheer attention to detail in UFC Undisputed 2010 is never short of impressive.

  In addition the commentary is excellent, with play-by-play announcer Mike Goldberg and sidekick Joe Rogan realistically reacting to and reflecting upon the action. Combined with the Octagon ring girls, referees and trainers, the sheer attention to detail in UFC Undisputed 2010 is never short of impressive.

  The game's Career mode is painstakingly challenging. Starting out as a lowly fighter with a basic range of skills, you'll have to work your way up the ladder, from the lowly ranks of the World Fighting Alliance to the UFC's pay-per-view cards and Hall of Fame, attending training camps along the way that reward you with one new move at a time. You'll take plenty of beatings in the process as the AI can be really unforgiving, but then, inexperienced as we are, we imagine the real thing is too.

  Fight Camp

  There are some meaty updates in UFC Undisputed 2010 to other single and multiplayer modes. The Ultimate Fights mode allows you to relive some of the most memorable battles in UFC history, you can fight through one of the sport's five official weight classes to earn and defend a championship belt in Title and Tile Defence modes, and Tournament mode offers a range of up to 16-player individual and team tournaments. The biggest addition to UFC 2010's online features is arguably the Fight Camp mode, which lets you assemble ranks of up to 40 people to train together.

  More tactical and feature-heavy than its excellent predecessor, UFC Undisputed 2010 is arguably one of the best sports titles of recent years, and undisputedly one of the top fighters around.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • Deeper combat system.
  • Enhanced single and multiplayer modes.
  • As authentic as sports games come.

  

  • The Career mode can be a little too punishing at times.
  • Cinematic cut scenes are a bit cheesy.
  • Strictly for fighting fans.

  Review by: Tom 'In The Octagon' Ivan
  Version Tested: PS3
  Review Published: 27.05.10

  Published: 26/05/2010

• UFC Review

  So you want to be a fighter...

  The success of last year's UFC 2009 Undsiputed was something of surprise. Not that the game itself was lacking: in fact, its thoughtful, exciting representation of mixed martial arts was well-realised and enjoyable. But many doubted the game could make much of a splash in the realistic fighting genre, dominated by heavyweights such as EA's Fight Night and Yuke's own vast numbers of wrestling titles.

  However, sales of the game were sufficient to not only inspire this sequel, but also to turn the opinion of EA, the giant publisher who had previously turned down the UFC's offer to make an MMA title.

  Now, as EA's own MMA title nears release, Yuke's puts out its own sequel, making full use of the license that EA shunned by including over 100 fighters from around the globe. Despite the WWE presentation, all 20 foot-high gold lettering, lithe female assistants and bombastic hip-hop soundtrack, the underlying sport is brutal and uninterested in showy entertainment.
  

  Kick, Punch, it's all in the Mind

  Rather, two men trained with a mixture of different combat styles from Tae Kwon Do to Karate to boxing to Brazilian Ju Jitsu face off against one another with one aim: to see who can make the other unconscious first. For that reason the game is unpredictable and reactive: for every three bout match featuring a merry-go-round of roundhouse kicks, rapid fire punches and complicated transition on the mat, there's a match that ends in a knock out three punches in thanks to a well-timed sway and counter.

  Combat in UFC Undisputed 2010 takes place either standing or on the ground. As in Tekken, each of the face buttons controls a different limb. By holding down the left trigger or bumped you can add modifiers to these stock punches and kicks, which can all be strung into combos. Blocks are either high, to cover your face, or low to protect your torso.

  However, it's in the reversals and counters that most of the technical play occurs. Flicking the right analogue stick will cause your fighter to grab hold of an incoming opponent's punch of kick, allowing that to then be turned into a throw to the mat, or a clinch. When on the ground the game style changes to wrestling, with a series of chess-like transitions between the two combatants as they vie for a dominant position. Manoeuvre yourself into an advantageous hold and you'll be able to go for a submission hold, which, if maintained will cause your opponent to tap out.

  As well as being careful to manage your character's health, you'll also need to watch their stamina, which quickly depletes with repeated moves and whiffed attacks. You'll have to quickly learn the rhythm of attack and recovery else risk opening yourself up to a stun from a well-timed opponent's hit. It's a smart system that discourages button mashing and asks that players consider every strike carefully before wading in
  

  Fight for your Right

  A slew of game modes flesh out the package, with the main meat of the experience to be found in the expansive career mode. Here you create a fighter and take them on the long road through the amateur circuit through the World Fighting Alliance and into the UFC itself. While you set your initial character's setting at first touch - specifying their name, weight, height and lead fist - it's not until you start training in between your scheduled fights that you begin to diversify their moves.

  Different martial arts houses (based on real life outfits) can be visited, each one offering a set of moves, which can be learned and incorporated into your fighter's palette of moves. By mixing and matching moves pulled from karate, judo, Brazilian ju-jitsu, Greco-Roman wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai and Sambo your fighter has the potential to become a multi-discipline fighter, the perfect embodiment of the mixed martial arts approach.

  Career mode demonstrates the huge variety of different fighting styles on offer in UFC 2010, and with over 100 characters to play as, and some of the best commentary seen in any videogame, the game is a dream package for the MMA aficionado. There are rough edges such as the long load times, convoluted menu system and the need to enter a code if you want to access the multiplayer features (or buy a new one if you bought the game second hand).

  But despite this, UFC Undisputed 2010 is the best entry to the small MMA genre at this point, exciting, diverse and full to the brim with knock out moments.

  

  Undisputed
  + Comprehensive roster.
  + Exciting, unpredictable matches.
  + Deep fighter customisation.

  Disputed
  - Rough edges.
  - Convoluted menus.
  - Long loading.
  

• THQ invites fans to vote on UFC Undisputed 3 cover star

  Mixed martial arts fans are being invited to pick their favourite athlete to appear on the front cover of the upcoming UFC Undisputed 3.

  From now until September 30th 2011, publisher THQ is encouraging fans to get online and cast votes for one of five renowned UFC combatants, who will act as the face of the new Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 title.

  Gamers can choose between Frankie Edgar, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Jon Jones or Cain Velasquez, all champions in their respective weight divisions who are keen to claim the honour of becoming a cover star.

  UFC President Dana White said: "We love making our fans a part of the process and we'll leave this one up to them."

  THQ is billing UFC Undisputed 3 as the best MMA title to date, with the game set to feature more than 150 real-life fighters, a simplified control scheme, new moves and improved visuals.

  It is set to make its console debut in January next year.

  Published: 01/09/2011

• UFC 2010 Undisputed - Review

  
  

  

  So you want to be a fighter...

  The success of last year's UFC 2009 Undsiputed was something of surprise. Not that the game itself was lacking: in fact, its thoughtful, exciting representation of mixed martial arts was well-realised and enjoyable. But many doubted the game could make much of a splash in the realistic fighting genre, dominated by heavyweights such as EA's Fight Night and Yuke's own vast numbers of wrestling titles.

  However, sales of the game were sufficient to not only inspire this sequel, UFC 2010 Undisputed, but also to turn the opinion of EA the giant publisher who had previously turned down the UFC's offer to make an MMA title.

  Now, as EA's own MMA title nears release, Yuke's puts out its own sequel, making full use of the license that EA shunned by including over 100 fighters from around the globe. Despite the WWE presentation, all 20 foot-high gold lettering, lithe female assistants and bombastic hip-hop soundtrack, the underlying sport is brutal and uninterested in showy entertainment.
  

  

  Kick, Punch, it's all in the Mind

  Rather, two men trained with a mixture of different combat styles from Tae Kwon Do to Karate to boxing to Brazilian Ju Jitsu face off against one another with one aim: to see who can make the other unconscious first. For that reason the game is unpredictable and reactive: for every three bout match featuring a merry-go-round of roundhouse kicks, rapid fire punches and complicated transition on the mat, there's a match that ends in a knock out three punches in thanks to a well-timed sway and counter.

  Combat in UFC Undisputed 2010 takes place either standing or on the ground. As in Tekken, each of the face buttons controls a different limb. By holding down the left trigger or bumped you can add modifiers to these stock punches and kicks, which can all be strung into combos. Blocks are either high, to cover your face, or low to protect your torso.

  However, it's in the reversals and counters that most of the technical play occurs. Flicking the right analogue stick will cause your fighter to grab hold of an incoming opponent's punch of kick, allowing that to then be turned into a throw to the mat, or a clinch. When on the ground the game style changes to wrestling, with a series of chess-like transitions between the two combatants as they vie for a dominant position. Manoeuvre yourself into an advantageous hold and you'll be able to go for a submission hold, which, if maintained will cause your opponent to tap out.

  As well as being careful to manage your character's health, you'll also need to watch their stamina, which quickly depletes with repeated moves and whiffed attacks. You'll have to quickly learn the rhythm of attack and recovery else risk opening yourself up to a stun from a well-timed opponent's hit. It's a smart system that discourages button mashing and asks that players consider every strike carefully before wading in
  

  

  Fight for your Right

  A slew of game modes flesh out the package, with the main meat of the experience to be found in the expansive career mode. Here you create a fighter and take them on the long road through the amateur circuit through the World Fighting Alliance and into the UFC itself. While you set your initial character's setting at first touch - specifying their name, weight, height and lead fist - it's not until you start training in between your scheduled fights that you begin to diversify their moves.

  Different martial arts houses (based on real life outfits) can be visited, each one offering a set of moves, which can be learned and incorporated into your fighter's palette of moves. By mixing and matching moves pulled from karate, judo, Brazilian ju-jitsu, Greco-Roman wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai and Sambo your fighter has the potential to become a multi-discipline fighter, the perfect embodiment of the mixed martial arts approach.

  Career mode demonstrates the huge variety of different fighting styles on offer in UFC 2010, and with over 100 characters to play as, and some of the best commentary seen in any videogame, the game is a dream package for the MMA aficionado. There are rough edges such as the long load times, convoluted menu system and the need to enter a code if you want to access the multiplayer features (or buy a new one if you bought the game second hand).

  But despite this, UFC Undisputed 2010 is the best entry to the small MMA genre at this point, exciting, diverse and full to the brim with knock out moments.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good

  • Comprehensive roster.
  • Exciting, unpredictable matches.
  • Deep fighter customisation.

  The Bad

  • Rough edges.
  • Convoluted menus.
  • Long loading.

  Published: 26/05/2010

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