UFC Undisputed 2009 provides wannabe mixed martial artists a glimpse of fighting in the octagon. It is a great game for hardcore and casual fans of the UFC.
First thing you'll notice is that the fighters are the closest representation of their violent counterparts. The game looks absolutely gorgeous. MMA fighters are exactly what they're supposed to look like. None of that down-syndrome player models that plague NBA and NFL games.
No one will disagree when we say that UFC Undisputed 2009's visuals are on par with Fight Night Round 4. Not only do the fighters graphical representation look great when they enter the octagon but after a first round of knocking each other around, bruises and cuts can clearly be seen on the fighters faces. The fighters drip of sweat and blood stain the matt after a violent action-filled round.
But THQ paid too much attention to the fighters and forgot to polish other aspects of UFC Undisputed 2009. The referee stares blankly into space and doesn't seem interested in the match. They could've done a much better job translating the action in the octagon by making the referee pay more attention to the match.
There are two major modes in the game. Exhibition mode, where you select two fighters and duke it out in the octagon, and Career mode. In career mode you get to create your very own UFC fighter. You select your fighters' two fighting disciplines: one for the stand-up game (boxing, Muay Thai etc) and one for the ground game (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling etc). Your fighter will gain attributes by fighting and winning matches. THQ also gives a ton of customization options for your fighter. You can choose sponsors on your shorts, tattoos, facial expressions, hairstyles etc.
After creating your character to whatever likeness you decide on, you simply train and fight. If you win enough matches, you'll get a call from UFC president Dana White. He will offer you fights against elite and championship-caliber fighters and will eventually give you a shot at a championship belt.
Career mode is an excellent feature because it gives a glimpse of how the politics are in the UFC but it is not without its flaws. Once you choose a weight class for your fighter you can't climb up in weight. For example, you chose to compete in the light heavyweight division, there is no way you can gain weight and fight in the heavyweight division. This hinders overall experience.
Another blow to the feature is the inability to use existing UFC fighters in career mode. This is a far cry from Fight Night Round 4 which allows players to use existing boxers and model them according to your preference. In addition, your created fighter will not age throughout the years. I guess the UFC has found the secret to eternal youth.
The controls are easy to learn but hard to actually master. A single button is assigned for different strikes and kicks. The ground controls are a completely different story. To execute and counter submission moves you have to either mash the buttons or rotate the living hell out of the analog sticks. Whether or not you submit or get submitted by your opponent feels totally random. I wish there was some sort of tug-of-war bar that shows the progress of the button mashing. Aside from all the flaws in the controls, it's responsive and tight.
Collision detection is right on point. Strikes will snap the head of your opponent and body shots will cause your opponent's body to fold. You'll also notice that the cheeks of your opponents vibrate after receiving blows. Flash KO's don't happen as often as you'd like but it prolongs the action.
The tutorial mode will prepare you for battle in the octagon. Make sure to practice first because if you don't you'll become frustrated by the way the AI cheats fights.
Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg offer inquisitive and exciting commentary. They are accurate at describing the action happening but it does become repetitive after some time. Be ready to hear a lot of Chuck Liddell ass-kissing. Phrases such as 'Chuck Liddell is the only guy who is capable of knocking out an opponent while moving backwards' gets tired after hearing it thrice per round.The crowd reactions are also a high-point of the game. They chant wildly for fan favorites and cheer for every strike that land. Overall they add realism to the game.
Online play is rather laggy and is not enjoyable by any means. Most of the time a match starts lag happens: you will most likely find yourself lying on the matt without any idea of it happening.Overall this is a great game for THQ to build on. Despite its many flaws it has solid controls, great visuals and exciting sounds. The best way to enjoy this game is playing and trash-talking with friends.
So put all your mixed-martial arts dreams on hold and play this game because it offers all-out action sans the bruises and bloody noses.
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