UFC 4 Review: 6 Ups & 3 Downs

5. Grappling System

There's no way around it. The grappling system on UFC 3 wasn't exactly what you'd call accessible for many a casual MMA fan. If you didn't know your Half Guards from your Side Controls, the majority of your time spent rolling around on the ground felt like an arduous process.

In an effort to make the all important ground game feel approachable again, EA have brought in a streamlined version of the guided attack and defence system. Now gamers have the straightforward option of leaning towards the Get Up, Ground and Pound or Submission choices when scrambling and simply hold the left stick in whichever direction fits their intentions.

This makes battling for position less of a slog, but if you were a fan of the old ways there's a Legacy option which sees the return of the more advanced system used in UFC 3.

Clinching has also become a more fluid adventure, with fighters now being able to wriggle free from and tie up their opponent much easier than before. Again, making the use of the tool feel a bit more appealing when your striking strategy isn't working out as planned.

Also, the introduction of two joyous submission mini-games, one for chokes and the other for joint attacks, encourages newer fans to embrace the jiu-jitsu side of the game like never before. Though, it can be jarring to flit from the left and right trigger to catch (or escape) your opponent's submissions, there's a left analogue-controlled circular variation used for chokes as well.

All in all, UFC 4 has made grappling cool again, and equips players with a marvellous tool to extinguish any roundhouse kick-spamming nuisances online.