Gameplay impressions
What do we like?Utilising the whole range of fighting moves takes some skill to master, but the in-depth tutorial and practice modes give everyone a fighting chance. The clash of different fighting styles make each bout a compelling battle of skill and precision, thanks largely to the smooth combat mechanics and impeccable animation. The meaty fight engine ensures that every punch and kick feels like it has real weight to it, whereas the real-time damage modelling impressively leaves your opponent battered, bruised and cut after each strike. The lack of a HUD intensifies the action because instead of watching a health metre run down you’re looking for signs of weakness on your opponent, which you then need to exploit. UFC is all about skill and timing and the developer has grasped the technicality of the sport with some flair.
The extensive control scheme works extremely well, with grappling, submission and takedown moves mapped well to the controller. Fighters respond unequivocally to your commands which makes each battle feel like a measured and fluid battle of brains as well as bodies. Photo-realistic and highly defined character models that drip with beads of sweat help to create an authentic fight experience. Some solid audio work, including commentary that runs perfectly with the gameplay, also ensures that UFC 2009 captures the whole Ultimate Fighting Championship experience with some style.
Click for larger imageWhat don't we like?
While Exhibition mode is the bread and butter of most games in this genre, the Career mode will be where most people begin their UFC experience. Unfortunately though, it’s very disappointing. You’ll spend a lot of time sparring to build up points to spend on attributes but it’s not very exciting. Your sparring partner will generally be a weakened clone of the person you’re about to fight, so it’s basically a practice mode for the battle ahead. Though mini-games are gimmicky, we'd have preferred earning points this way because they would have probably broken up the boring spells in between fights where you'll be choosing training schedules, sparring or resting. Frustration and boredom is compounded by the poor design of the menu system which makes things a little too time consuming.
In the ring the fights are particularly slow, with a lot of grappling and time spent on the floor of the ring trying to make your opponent submit. Those who know the sport will know this is deliberate, but anyone hoping to string together a flourish of swift punches or chain together quick combos may be disappointed. Rather than being a negative aspect of the game though, we'd say the speed of the action is actually a positive in this case, but still, it's going to depend on personal preference.
Final Thoughts
There's a bit of steep learning curve to get to grips with all of the moves on offer (we lost our first few fights easily,) but once you do you'll soon start to enjoy the tactical side to UFC. Career mode is boring, but the streamlined fight engine and smooth animations will soon distract you from its imperfections. When all is said and done, UFC does the sport great justice in the ring.
Final Verdict: 8.5/10
