UFC 2009 Undisputed

Review written by Zikron on 5/18/09
Last edited on 5/18/09

UFC Undisputed was announced with an enormous amount of skepticism after its predecessors received poor reviews and didn't do a good job at depicting a real UFC fight. Well aware of this and the demand for a UFC game Dana White (president of the UFC) promised UFC fans there would be a new game and that it wouldn't suck. He came through with his promise.

UFC Undisputed is the MMA equivalent of Fight Night. Developer Yuke's clearly based UFC 2009 Undisputed around Fight Night: Round 3. From the detailed player models, slow motion knock outs to the career mode the game are nearly identical. And there is nothing wrong with that as Fight Night: Round 3 was an awesome game. So chances are that if you like Fight Night Round 3 then you are going to like UFC Undisputed.

The gameplay is rock solid in UFC 2009 Undisputed. There is a learning curve and going through the tutorials is an absolute must but 360 users are rewarded with a a nice 25pt achievement upon completion. The training is dull but stepping into the octagon without it will get you knocked the fuck out. You want to be on the other end of the knock out because knocking someone out in UFC 2009 Undisputed is one of the most gratifying feelings you can experience. Seeing the mouth piece come flying out of their mouth and then throwing in some extra shots after the stoppage as blood drops speckle the canvas is a wonderful sight. However, the game isn't just about striking and getting knock outs. If you focus on striking too much you will get taken down to the ground and be faced with an uphill battle and possibly submitted. Another great thing about the sport of MMA that is captured in this game is anything can happen at anytime. It is possible to knock someone out 20 seconds into a match and there is an achievement for doing just that. It is also possible for you to be on your back getting wailed on close to a stoppage only to pull a reversal and submit your opponent.

The career mode does a good job to capture what it is like to be an MMA fighter. You schedule your fight and have several weeks to train and/or participate in events to promote yourself all while managing your stamina until fight night. The biggest problem with the career mode is that it takes too long to get from one fight to another. Sparring takes 2 minutes, training with another gym takes 5 minutes and then you have to plan your time to ensure you maximize training and get your stamina to 100% on fight night. Another problem with the career mode is that you are able to quickly climb the ladder and win the title, Fight Night had you fight many more opponents before you the undisputed champ so don't expect a long lasting single player campaign.

The biggest problem with UFC 2009 Undisputed is the presentation. The menus and interfaces in the game are clunky and hard to read. The game is constantly playing highlights from past UFC PPVs but they are all on the disc and will eventually become annoying and repetitive although they are a nice touch at first.

UFC 2009 Undisputed is a must buy if you are a gamer and follow the UFC. The characters have the moves that you have seen them use throughout their career and the Classic Fights feature lets you relive some recent fights. However, the complex gameplay and learning curve may cause push away UFC fans who are not gamers. While gamers who do not follow the UFC will be less interested in the game and may not see it as the great simulation that is is.