Undisputed represents the first UFC game since UFC: Sudden Impact in 2004, and makes excellent use of the license, sporting six fighting styles and over eighty combatants. At the very least, developers Yuke’s Osaka have made THQ’s first foray with the license one which rings true at every turn. Aside from the standard tutorial system and exhibition modes, Undisputed features a ‘Career’ mode which sees players creating their own custom fighter. This involves customizing their physical appearance, weight division and fighting styles and will be the mode most players sink their time into. It truly is one of the better career modes in recent memory, taking the player from amateur to champion by way of training, fighting in promotional matches and signing sponsors. Just as interesting is the Classic Fights mode, which tasks you with recreating memorable and infamous bouts from the annals of UFC, such as using the right move at the right time to win. Success in doing so is rewarded by a highlight reel of footage from the actual match, which depending on your enthusiasm for UFC may be a fun treat.
Stop staring at my nipples... Okay, you can stare.
These features and modes, however, would be nothing if the core game mechanics were not so solid. The fighting system in Undisputed is tight and complex and set up in a way reminiscent of Tekken in that each of the four face buttons on the controller represents one of your fighter’s limbs. Simply pressing these buttons results in quick, dazzling strikes, but pushing in a direction with the left analogue stick modifies these attacks into heavy blows capable of knocking out your opponent. The exact nature of each strike is dictated by the distance between the combatants, which means that pressing the kick button while up close will result in a knee to the torso while kicking from a distance extends your fighter’s leg in a long-range kick.
Fights can be taken to the ground by flicking up or down on the right analogue stick (depending on whether the incoming attack is high or low), and wrestling on the floor becomes a game in itself where the reversal of offensive and defensive positions, countering and submissions are key. All the while, your fighter’s stamina drains as you attack and recovers as you guard, leaving him susceptible to knockouts when his level of exhaustion is high. What all this means is that Undisputed is a game of depth and strategy which will be immensely rewarding for those dedicated enough to become familiar with its intricacies. While the system is superficially simple enough to allow a casual player the opportunity to have some fun by mashing the face buttons, wringing out the game’s full potential requires time and patience. What matters is that the collision detection is solid and the inputs generally responsive –most victories in Undisputed feels like hard-won fights earned by the application of sound strategies and keen reflexes. In short, it is the sort of game where if you want to be good, you can become really good. The mechanics are not perfect, however, and to be clear, there are quite a few instances where you will flick the right analogue stick repeatedly in a futile attempt to have your counter register. The window of opportunity for such moves seems quite generous at times, but niggles will arise.
I admit it, your knee is fantastic; you should be a knee-model.
What will draw most non-fans to Undisputed is its attractiveness. From a reasonable distance, each of the fighters appears photo-realistic, with naturalistic animation and finely detailed trails of sweat trickling down their bodies. Every punch and kick is met with convincing recoil animations and deformation, and there’s something uniquely satisfying about sending your opponent’s mouth guard hurtling from his mouth and bouncing across the mat. The framerate is generally smooth and solid and the bells and whistles, including menus and other aspects of presentation, while not spectacular, are hard to fault. It is a slight shame then that the game’s background arenas cannot quite match the splendour of its character models. Everything appears a touch blocky and lacking in detail, but during a fight when all eyes on the fighters, it is not a significant issue. Overall, the visual impact of Undisputed is impressive and the same is true of its sound.
Every punch and kick and body hitting the mat smacks sounds exactly as it should and the commentary by Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan is varied and interesting enough to never outstay its welcome which is a rarity for most licensed simulation titles. The music during bouts and in menus is exactly what one would expect from a UFC title, with heavy, grating rock riffs and triumphant Rocky-inspired anthems the order of the day. Whether the soundtrack is tolerable to you will depend on your appreciation of rock and UFC in general; what’s clear however is that the game’s soundscape is fitting and consistent with the license. This is merely another aspect of Undisputed for which your mileage may vary.
Chuck, get off me! What if my wife comes home?
The bevy of modes and depth of content in Undisputed makes it a game that if it clicks with you, will sit in your console for quite some time. The career mode is extensive and detailed and the highly-technical bouts will make it an undisputed multiplayer favourite, particularly if your friends are as familiar and adept with the mechanics as you. There is online competitive multiplayer over Playstation Network and Xbox Live, but in our experience the mode was riddled with lag and slowdown which impeded the fights and reduced them to random mashing in no time at all. Further, and even more problematically, there is no consequence for quitting a match, which resulted in quite a few last-minute disconnects immediately prior to a knockout. Ultimately, the online is perfunctory and sloppy and the best fun to be had remains with a good friend by your side.
For fans of UFC, Undisputed is an essential title which showcases one of their favourite fighting tournaments with respect, consideration and accuracy. Likewise, it should represent an appealing proposition for anyone who enjoys technical fighters or wrestling titles. Casuals should be wary that this is not a game whose pleasures are immediate, despite how much fun it is to throw a few punches. Take the time to plumb the game’s depths and perhaps encourage a friend to do so, and you are guaranteed to find the experience rewarding. Undisputed may be something of a niche title, then, but it is well-crafted, authentic and visceral. Get your fight on!
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