Victorious- UFC Undisputed 2010 Review

Like many other gamers who grew weary after a steady succession of substandard mixed martial art recreations, I found unexpected fulfillment within UFC Undisputed 2009. After spending the first half of the decade drudging through titles such as 2002’s UFC: Throwdown and 2004’s UFC: Sudden Impact, Japanese developer Yuke’s offered octagon enthusiasts the first viable interpretation of the sport. Undisputed 2010 retains last year’s technical intricacy and visceral pugilism while polishing some of the title’s unrefined elements. Both casual and hardcore Ultimate Fighting fans will find plenty of enjoyment in this year’s iteration, as the title has made some significant changes which will appeal to both camps.

Undisputed 2010 retains its predecessor’s  intricate control scheme with one signification addition- the ability to sway. Last year, fighters were unrealistically compelling to block against imminent  strikes, removing a key hand-to hand fighting tactic. Now, a quick press right bumper along with a flick of the right analog stick will initiate a duck or lateral evade. When combined with an left or right punch button, players can now counterattack- a strike which when successfully landed can stun or even flash KO an opponent. Fortunately, swaying has a drawback to discourage overuse: players can inadvertently swing toward an incoming blow and receive supplemental damage.

On the ground, the grappling game has been revised with a number of new submissions, mounts, and transitions embedding the title with additional strategy. Transitions now play an increasingly important role, as prevailing fighters can alter their techniques, forcing struggling opponents to reverse their stick-spinning evasion maneuvers. Additionally, standing clinches have been modified, allowing fighting to press against the cage, and shifting from button presses to stick movements in an effort to mirror the elaborate mechanics of the ground game.

One of the greatest complaints against Undisputed 2009 was the title’s utilitarian single-player campaign, which meandered through a series of mechanical matches and training diversions. Now, the game’s AI reacts to players, adjusting their strategy against KO- oriented opponents, allowing matches to feel more dynamic. Post-competitions are highlighted with brief sequences which allows gamers to make selections from dialog trees; it’s a nice touch, but a bit underdeveloped, as players responses are fairly limited. The title’s create-a-fighter component element has been nicely augmented, allowing participants to send green-haired gargantuans into the octagon.

Beyond requiring second-hand purchasers to divvy up $5 before jumping into a match, the game’s online component remains largely the same as last year’s iteration. Competitions proved to be  solid and lag-fee, with little of the disproportionate transitional blocks that hampered last season’s matches. Downloading actual Fight Night events is an inspired  addendum, allowing players to play out the genuine pay-per view matches. Additionally, the inclusion of a clan-like camps allows players to create teams which can recruit fighters, as they vie for supremacy.

Visually, Undisputed 2010 maintains its predecessor’s 60 frame-per-second delivery, allowing every match to feel sinuously responsive. While graphical purists may notice sporadic instances of polygon clipping during grapples, otherwise the title’s fighters are convincingly animated and fastidiously detailed. From realistic (but restrained) amounts of blood on both faces and the canvas, to solid sound effects that accompany solid strikes, UFC 2010 presents a accurately brutal portrayal of MMA action. Although the game’s commentary has a received an infusion of new phrases, the banter lacks specificity and after a half-dozen matches, Joe Rogan is prone to repetition.

With Electronic Art’s MMA looming on the horizon, UFC Undisputed 2010 is poised to face some serious competition in the approaching months. By refining their campaign mode, bolstering their online component, maintaining their impressive roster of fighters, and adding a year’s worth of refinement and polish, the THQ-published title seems prepared to take on the most formidable challenger. In two short years, Undisputed has climbed the ranks from underdog to prevailing champion, through an effective combination of diligence and proficiency- the dominant traits of any triumphant fighter.