This has to be EA Canada's most difficult issue to address. Why? Because the insanely complicated control system of EA Sports UFC is at once the most glaringly obvious problem, and the one problem which no one seems able to get around. THQ's take on MMA gaming had the same problem; EA Sports MMA made a few minor steps to simplify matters; but EA Sports UFC has to be one of the most vexing, brain aneurysm-inducing controller layouts of all time. You can't be too harsh on the developer though - in reality mixed martial arts is a sport of instinct and adrenalin, but in video game form it becomes a process of complicated, calculated input sequences. Where your average beat-em-up places all its emphasis on perfectly tuned stand-up striking gameplay, an MMA game needs to incorporate striking with fists, elbows, knees and feet, from normal standing position, from the clinch, and on the ground, as well as the intricate inner workings of grappling, wrestling, and more, across a number of fight disciplines. And so what you're left with is a game which uses every button on the latest consoles' fancy new gamepads, with the exception of the "start" and "menu"-type buttons. And not just one button at a time: often its a combination of three inputs at once, just to pull off one unremarkable move. Fans are quick to complain, but what are the other options? Is there any fathomable way to implement submission holds, clinch transitions, ground superiority struggles and the rest without calling the gamepad into action in its entirety? There's no solid solution right now, but if EA Canada can conjure up some way to streamline even just a few of the gameplay elements they could dramatically improve the MMA gaming experience. They built a strong base with EA Sports UFC, so lets hope that they can build on it for the sequel. What else do you want fixing from EA's latest effort? Let us know in the comments!
Game-obsessed since the moment I could twiddle both thumbs independently. Equally enthralled by all the genres of music that your parents warned you about.
