EA Sports MMA Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

System: PS3, X360	Review Rating Legend
Dev: EA Tiburon	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: EA Sports	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Oct. 19, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-2	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Teen	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

The career mode itself is fairly deep, and players will definitely have some fun joining the different MMA leagues and participating in matches in familiar locales. However, the real replay value for EA Sports MMA will come from the online modes. The game has an immersive online mode which includes an online mode that allows you to fight against ranked opponents to earn online belts using XP earned in the ring.

EA Sports MMA screenshot

There are over ninety belts you can earn (separated into two classes), and as you work your way through the ranks, your character progresses too. Although if you slip up too many times, you can lose belts just as quickly as you earn them. The belt progression is definitely a great hook to keep you immersed in the game and provides a career-like experience with your favorite MMA fighters (you can only use custom characters in career mode.)

The online fighting modes are probably going to be your go-to modes for online play, but there is another mode which is definitely exciting, and a first for a sports game. Live Broadcast is an online mode where two players (selected by EA Sports) can get together and fight live once a week. The live broadcast will be publicized both on the game's main menu and the EA Sports MMA website, and fans can tune in every week to watch the selected players battle it out. Of course, if you aren't at the top of the leaderboard, you might feel like you will never have a shot at Live Broadcast. However, I recently sat down with members of the EA Sports MMA team, who assured me that many factors will be taken into account when selecting players for Live Broadcast, including community activity and creative hype videos.

EA Sports MMA is definitely an interesting take on the burgeoning MMA genre of sports games. Although other games have focused on adding a plethora of modes and abilities, it seems the folks at EA Tiburon were solely focused on bringing an experience to the table that faithfully replicated the MMA sport, and creating a combat system filled with nuance and strategic detail. And on those notes, they have certainly succeeded. EA Sports MMA is a solid start for this new franchise and it will be interesting to see where EA will take it from here. But no matter what the future holds, EA Sports MMA is a title that MMA fans should appreciate, and is a refreshing take on the MMA genre.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC News Director

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.7

Graphics
MMA fighters look good, but animations sometimes look awkward and there are occasional framerate drops.

4.6

Control
Controls offer a large amount of depth, and the total strike control option gives advanced players a lot to work with.

4.1

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Voice-over work in the career mode is extensive and well-done. Announcers sound realistic and are never repetitive.

4.0

Play Value
There aren't a lot of single player modes, but the online modes definitely pick up the slack.

4.1

Overall Rating - Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

The Definitive MMA Experience Featuring multiple disciplines, rule sets, locations, and fighters from the worldwide sport of MMA, all represented authentically. Throw down in a ring or a hexagonal or circular cage. Environments come to life with ring girls, corner men and the best referee in the business – Big John McCarthy. Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. provides fighter introductions, while MMA legend Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo call the action.

EA SPORTS Live Broadcast – Create your fighter, post a hype video online, enter the cage, and fight it out in front of thousands of online spectators with live play-by-play in EA Sports Live Broadcast.

Total Strike Control – Go on the offensive with Total Strike Control, an intuitive control system for striking, elbows, knees and kicks. Total Strike Control is accessible via analog sticks or face buttons, providing the utmost flexibility.

Advance Defense System – The best offense is a good defense, so get ready to master parrying, slipping, countering, and dodging to gain an advantage over your opponent.

Feel the Fight – Controller rumble acts as an alert to simulate body movement when an opponent attempts to advance position. Take notice and use the small window of opportunity to counter or defend.