EA Sports UFC 3

EA SPORTS UFC 3 doesn’t provide a massive change over last year’s entry other than the few extra game modes and the striking system, but the changes that have been introduced are certainly for the better.

By building on its already strong foundation and adding meaningful new gameplay and modes, UFC 3 delivers a terrific MMA experience from top to bottom. Whether you want to play against a friend in a single bout or develop a fighter from local favorite to greatest all time, UFC 3 allows you to live out the fantasy of stepping into the Octagon like never before.

EA Sports UFC 3 is a great game that the MMA and UFC fans will enjoy. With astonishing graphics, an addictive gameplay and a very entertaining Career Mode that will have us playing for a long time.

Brimming with modes, UFC 3 is a massive game. It might only be an incremental improvement over its predecessor, but the gameplay remains stellar and the action is accessible and fun. As far as MMA games go, EA Sports UFC 3 is the G.O.A.T.

With a focus on depth and functionality, the EA UFC 3 development team has created the strongest version in their series. A few minor missteps and the reluctance to embrace or include a true-sim component keeps it from GOAT status. However, there's no question it's a titleholder.

UFC 3 is presented with a visual section of realistic impact, a large number of game modes and all the spectacle that accompanies the competition. However, the low level of novelty compared to its predecessor, its high level of playability and a somewhat repetitive progression system can frustrate the desire to continue playing.

Overall, EA Sports UFC 3 is a great game let down by some modes that just don't entertain as much as they should.

While EA Sports usually manages to avoid the “fullprice update” moniker with its yearly franchise iterations, UFC 3 (on a two year cycle, after all) can’t escape the update screams. There is progress, but the better presentation aside nothing that in the end couldn’t have been put in a patch for the predecessor.

Probably the best MMA game ever done, but it includes a few failures on almost every corner of the game that make this game less excellent and more so-so.

UFC 3 is a title with more strengths than weaknesses. Its basic commands are responsive and allow the player to unleash their creativity in order to knock out their opponent. Although mastering the demolitions is not easy, if you manage to overcome the frustration and control your impulses, at the end of the day you can subdue any opponent.

EA Sports UFC 3 is a solid entry that’s accessible, fluid, and content rich. The visuals and audio go hand in glove to deliver an authentic representation of the sport, but the formula is still far from perfect. With that being said, despite its flaws, this is as good as it gets for fans of MMA and a step in the right direction for the series.

EA went back to the gym with UFC 3 to work on many of the weaknesses that had the previous two games struggling to find their footing. A fantastic new striking system and a much-improved career mode lead the charge, but UFC 3 is still hamstrung by a cumbersome ground game, weird collision issues, and the straight-up terrible Ultimate Team Mode. It’s still not a knockout, but Round 3 is UFC’s best yet.

After the disappointing UFC 2, this new entry is a significant and welcome step forward. It's not perfect, but in this form, the future's bright.

EA Sports UFC 3 is a fine attempt at recreating one of the most complicated sports on earth; a dynamic, exciting and often thuddingly violent fighting game that makes marked improvements to its striking game, but just like poor old Francis NGannou, still needs a lot of work on the ground.

Be prepared to study outside of the game as the tutorials simply do not cut it. UFC 3 is the best game in the series so far, however the developers still have a long way to go before it reaches the heights of the other EA Sports titles.