UFC 4 Review: 6 Ups & 3 Downs
And the winner by majority decision...
After what feels like the longest five round slog in mixed martial arts gaming history, UFC 4 has finally landed on the current generation of consoles. But two and a half years on from the release of UFC 3, have EA finally managed to craft the perfect combat sports video game?
It's tough to say.
While the latest Ultimate Fighting thrillride is definitely an improvement on the last offering - and therefore can rightly be classed as the best game in the series so far - that doesn't necessarily mean the folks behind the project nailed absolutely everything here and there is still sizeable room for improvement going forward.
For every welcome addition of the arcade-like KO Mode and no-nonsense Stand & Bang options, there's a deeply disappointing letdown in the form of current hard-working stars being overlooked in the roster and visuals which don't quite live up to the initial trailers... yet.
As with the vast majority of games today, UFC 4 will likely morph and improve as time goes by.
Yet, after playing the version fans all over the world rushed to download upon release, it's already looking like the company could be onto a decent amount of winners... and perhaps the odd loser.
First, the positives...