From the windows to the walls, until the sweat drips off and fighters fall, “UFC 4” delivers gamers a fresh knuckle sandwich. But is it a knockout or will it be enough to tapout of the franchise for good?

“UFC 4” was released for Playstation 4 and Xbox one on August 14, 2020. Like its predecessor, “UFC 4” is a fighting game based on the real-life adaption of “The Ultimate Fighting Championship.” The game features over 200 unique fighters such as Bruce Lee, Jon “Bones” Jones, and Connor McGregor. 

Gameplay

The game’s career mode was designed to be an introduction to the basics of different fighting styles, which include boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and jiu jitsu. Players can choose to accept or decline fights, which affects the development of the fighter. Depending on if the players choose to fight, some fighters may develop rivals. Promoting a fight may generate followers, which may attract endorsers. Players can attract followers through social media by uploading videos of practice matches between trainers to build their popularity. The more popular the fighter, the more money earned after the fight.

The controls have also been simplified for grappling and ground combat. In past games, players would have more complex button sequences for grapples and escapes; moves are accomplished with the indicator on the right analog. 

Graphics

Graphics and presentation are not too different from “UFC 3.” Fighter models are more refined with the help of motion capture. Cuts and injuries can get gruesome.  

The physics align directly with each character’s stamina drainage. Each move impacts how well stamina drains and is recovered. Missed hits will take more stamina and slow recovery, whereas hits landed will drain less and offer more opportunity for combination attacks. Overall, the graphics are so well done that when capturing the motions of the screenshots, you can notice the range of blurs.

Verdict

“UFC 4” improves from the previous games by tightening up some looser combat impacts for the authentic pay-per-view fighting experience. The new submission system is a big improvement over prior games, the career mode gives players more freedom to create avatars that suit unique play styles, the grapple assist system is a great tool to help newcomers not feel lost if they get taken down, and the fighting system remains incredibly deep. There may be still some misfires with the “ground and pound” combat, but the presentation still delivers big blows in more ways than one. “UFC 4” would be a nice introduction to anyone looking to become a fan of UFC fighting.

The Spinnaker rates this game a 3.75 out of 5 sails.

__

For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact editor@unfspinnaker.com.