EA SPORTS UFC 4

Every fan of the franchise will be happy to see a great evolution in the gameplay of UFC 4, like the grapple system or the better and immersive career mode, full of enjoyable content and way better than past games, with social media, relationships and training points to make your fighter even stronger and faster. Although technically delivers some minor improvements like better physics of the muscles and animations, it has some tiny drops on intro/outro that doesn't happen on the last game and must be fixed via future patches. All the main body of the graphics was made in UFC 3 and you can tell that by watching many copy/paste animations through the entire game, but yet, there are some notable improvements on how the hair look or moves. More online/offline multiplayer modes are added too, and overall there's still not a game as perfect as the UFC series on realistic body-combat.

Because it is practically the only game in the genre, EA Sports UFC 4 is the uncontested champion. The fact that it singlehandedly fills a nice isn’t the only reason to play it, though. Once you grasp the basics, EA Sports UFC 4 is a deep game that lets you engage with it on your own terms. You can get by on easy mode, or you can rely on skills and abilities to compensate. You can simulate training if you just want to fight. If you want to develop a mastery over the game, the training menus offer a wealth of information and practice mode is very accommodating. If you want to learn about optimal builds and “hit boxes,” there are already a variety of communities online who excitedly welcome the opportunity to geek out about the game’s technical side. That’s where I’ll be going to improve my ground game. A week ago, I couldn’t imagine saying such a thing.

Trimming away the fat to reveal a lean and mean sequel, EA Sports UFC 4 puts Career Mode in the spotlight, turns Knockout Mode into an arcade-style one-on one, and throws in backyard bouts for good measure. And while it's a gross oversight that Jean-Claude Van Damme and the soundtrack to Bloodsport are missing from KO Mode's Kumite, EA Sports UFC 4 is nonetheless a worthwhile new entry. We're just surprised there's no Fight Island.

EA Sports UFC 4's gameplay is overall better that its predecessor and the online now has a new mode.

Although not as popular as other sports franchises, EA Sports UFC 4 is one of the best simulation games out there today. EA Vancouver struck a balance between realistic and video game elements to deliver a game that meets MMA fans' expectations.

EA Sports UFC 4 keeps all the good features of the successful previous episode, further improving the Campaign mode and adding some welcome changes to the combat system. It still needs some refinements especially regarding the ground game and transitions management, but it undoubtedly remains the best fighting sports game around.

Whether you want to challenge the best in the world online or simply claim your throne in career mode, this is a terrific next step for EA Sports’ MMA franchise. UFC 4 effectively evolves its gameplay and career mode, giving you more than enough reason to step back into the Octagon.

Ultimately, while not offering any real conceptual or structural revolution, UFC 4 proves to be a surprisingly solid product capable of offering a satisfying and above all satisfying experience regardless of one's degree of familiarity with the world of mixed martial arts.

EA Sports UFC 4 on Xbox One is essentially a one-trick pony on the game mode front – the Career – but what a thing of beauty it is. Especially as it’s complemented by the most enjoyable and fluid gameplay to date, providing a real adrenaline rush. The online modes are fine and will keep the best fighters engaged for a little while, however it really could do with just something else bringing added substance for the sake of longevity.

No doubt there is a lot more that could be done with a mixed martial arts game and, as a biennial release, you wonder if UFC 4 could have moved the needle a bit further on for the genre. Perhaps EA could do with a new contender to keep it on its toes, not so much undisputed as unchallenged. But for all its faults, where it matters most - in the octagon- UFC is a genuine thrill.

UFC 4 is undoubtedly the best representation of the sport yet. It may not have a great deal more content than previous offerings, but what has been added injects a lot of fun into the game, and the removal of Ultimate Team isn’t likely to be a great concern. It’s the improvements to the game’s actual combat systems that make the most impact though, giving the action a more authentic and dynamic feel while also providing a much-needed lifeline for those who previously struggled on the ground.

UFC 4 is not without its flaws, most notably in its ground game and its lackluster career mode, but there are much welcomed upgrades virtually everywhere else. Meaningful character progression, a reworked striking system and an array of other improvements makes this easily the best of the series.

Once mastered, the combat experience is enjoyable, and the license increases in rhythm with the new gameplay, whether it's takedowns or clinches.

EA Sports UFC 4 is a largely iterative sequel that tightens up some looser parts, makes a few smart tweaks here and there, and doesn’t rock the boat all that much. And in that sense, it’s a success. The new submission system is a big improvement over prior years, there are some great changes to career mode that make it much more fun to mold a fighter that suits your own playstyle, the new grapple assist system is a great tool to help complete newcomers not feel lost if they get taken down, and as a whole, the fighting system remains incredibly deep. Longstanding problems still remain in the ground game and some dated visuals, but without any competition for the title, EA Sports UFC 4 still remains the king of combat sports.

EA Sports UFC 4 is a fun return to form for EA Sports. With a simplified approach to fighting and the inclusion of a more in-depth career mode, the UFC franchise is on the right track to building better things.