This can mean instead of throwing an uppercut the player might use a leg kick because of how a player’s fingers land on the controller leaving the fighter open to a devastating counter. Depending on what arm the player wants to swing with, utilizing an uppercut means tapping one of the punch and kick buttons at the same time. Another issue with the controls is throwing uppercuts. The input delay when it comes to blocking the body or to catch an incoming body or leg kick is rather annoying at times and can prove to be detrimental. Now the player is forced to block the head with the right trigger and block the body with both the left & right triggers. In the first two “EA UFC” games, blocking the head by pressing the right bumper and blocking the body with the right trigger felt natural. Unfortunately the control scheme still feels a lot more awkward compared to its previous offerings especially when it comes to blocking. Holding the left bumper while moving the body allows for stamina-draining sways. Using the right analog stick to move & sway the upper body of a fighter to set up a well-timed counter strike if done right or a potential knockout for the opposition if a player moves in the wrong direction really helps this version stand out compared to its predecessors. Holding the left trigger while tapping a face button focuses on body strikes.

Pressing the bumper button(s) alongside the face buttons allows a fighter to throw modified strikes such as roundhouse kicks and spinning back fists. Every character’s base strikes are mostly the same with jabs, leg & body kicks, hooks & uppercuts attached to the face buttons. Each type of strike is connected to the face & bumper buttons. A majority of what was changed in regards to the stand-up a game ago remains the same in “UFC 4” with the fights being faster and stamina being less of a factor early in this development release (the latter being modified in “3” after several updates). In its place became a focus on body movement, bobbing & weaving, swaying, distance judging & stamina conservation in a slower paced fashion compared to its predecessors. Gone was the reliance on parrying strikes to complete counters & combos that could knock out an opponent in a flash. Another twenty hours went into completing the game’s “Career” mode with the focus on becoming the greatest of all time once again doing so on “Hard” difficulty as “Normal” proved a little too easy after getting the hang of the in-game systems.ĭid “EA Sports UFC 4” Live Up to the Hype?Īfter two iterations and many improvements across the generation, “EA UFC 3” completely changed the basis of its franchise’s stand-up fighting system. I would have to defeat six online opponents in a row during various stipulation fights including only punching in “Knockout Mode”, only having one minute to win an entire fight, and the kicking-focused “Taekwondo” session that I eventually succeeded in becoming the “Ultimate Victor”. Moving online, I earned championship glory during a session of Middleweight fights after coming up short when the only division available was Welterweight while the game’s new “Blitz Battles” became the only thing temporarily stopping me from achieving platinum trophy status. After creating my first fighter meant to be both my on-screen avatar and the character who will attempt to go up the ranks of “UFC 4’s” “Career” mode, I took to playing around with some of the new arenas that are essentially just skins of every MMA setting including someone’s backyard and the “Mortal Kombat”-inspired “Kumite”.

Unlike the last two UFC games, “UFC 4” doesn’t provide too many things to entertain a player both online and offline. Following the beta and a ten-hour trial, I found myself excited to get back in the Octagon while worrying about how much longevity this experience will have compared to its predecessors. After the developers allowed gamers to take part in a beta test to see what is different, improved, or made worse, “EA UFC 4” has arrived. “UFC 3” changed a lot about the stand-up presentation compared to its predecessors setting the stage for a direct sequel. Since the start of gaming’s eighth generation, EA Sports UFC games have seen three iterations with each being a mostly rewarding experience with action against real people and AI opponents.

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