EA Sports UFC 2: 10 Essential Fixes That Must Be Made

7. The Devil Is In The Details

Make no mistake, EA Sports UFC looks incredible. In certain instances still screenshots of the octagonal action can look almost photo-realistic. There is an seam of authenticity which runs throughout the game's aesthetic that should be applauded. But gamers are never entirely satisfied, and so, dear EA Canada, for the follow-up we're going to have to demand that you go to even greater lengths to make things look, feel and sound like the real thing. The character models are already better than almost anything out there, but there is a bit of work to be done on their facial sculpting - their vacant eyes are especially disconcerting close up - and their animation routines could do with some fine tuning. It's not all about the visuals, though, but the small details which add texture and flavor to the action. Things like the post-match celebrations, which currently start to repeat within only a few matches and quickly grow tiresome. What about post-match interviews, or some level of interaction between fighters other than the actual fight; in real UFC matches you will often see them acknowledging one another, or even the victor checking that his opponent is ok after a career-ending knockout or choke. EA Canada needs to work on filling the gameworld with the small things, those background elements which make a game really come alive. Corner-team variety; more organic pre-fight sequences where the fighters stalk back and forth waiting for the bell; improved particle physics for persistent blood on the mat; these are the things which blur the line between game and reality.