PlayStation 3

Fight Night Round 3 Review

System: PS3
Dev: EA Chicago
Pub: EA Sports
Released: Dec. 6, 2006
Players: 1 - 2
ESRB Rating: T
Review by Maria Montoro

Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

Fight Night Round 3 for the PS3 has nice graphics, but not nearly as impressive as originally claimed by EA. We all thought the game would truly show what the PS3 was capable of doing, but it just doesn't. We know by now that the PS3 is ready for much more than that. With all that said, the resemblance of the classic fighters is surprisingly good and the detail with which you can create your characters is higher than average. The graphics are solid and I didn't notice any visual glitches that often appear in other games of this kind. The Xbox 360 version is very similar in this regard.

Fight Night Round 3 screenshot

Sound effects are lifelike and accurate. Commentaries from your corner man are fairly insightful. He will let you know what you're doing wrong and how you should proceed in the fight. The voice over work is good in every facet of this game. It's quite believable but not very deep in its content. You will end up hearing the same commentary over and over. Of course, this is by no means Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The soundtrack is good, as it is in all EA Sports games, but it's all hip-hop, so find yourself getting a bit annoyed after a while if you're not a fan of the genre.

Fight Night Round 3 is one of the best multiplayer games available for the PS3. Challenge your friends and have fun! You will battle head to head in the standard split-screen fashion. The online mode will allow you to use your own customized characters and fight as an amateur, a medium-level boxer, professional, etc., depending on your skill level. There are always people out there waiting to fight, this is not one of those games where you go to the lobby just to find yourself alone.

Fight Night Round 3 screenshot

Overall, Fight Night Round 3 for the PS3 is not what we expected but it's not that far from it. Good graphics and sound effects, stable gameplay, a wide range of options, and a pretty good career mode make FNR3 for the PS3 a solid title you may want to include in your library, especially if you love boxing and have friends that you think would enjoy the game as much as you will.

Features:

Get in the Ring-Rely on your instincts in this PLAYSTATION�3-exclusive game mode that allows you to fight through the eyes of your boxer from the moment he enters the ring.

ESPN Integration-ESPN raises the bar with this all-new level of integration only available on the PLAYSTATION 3. Get the latest scores and news with ESPN Motion's streaming video content, live ticker updates, ESPN Radio and ESPNEWS.

Split-Screen Multiplayer Action-Punshi your rival and go head to head against your friends in PLAYSTATION�3-exclusive split-screen battles.

Super Punch - Clench down on that mouth guard rookie! Players will feel the impact of a devastating punch as the boxer's face ripples from a super punch knockout.

One Punch Can Change A Fight - Devastating Impact Punches keep you in the fight. Instantly trigger a Flash KO moment, Stun Punch, or EA SPORTS Haymaker to take control.

Boxing's Greatest Rivalries - Watch recreations of ESPN Classic footage of bouts or re-create the greatest fights from past and present including Arturo Gatti vs. Mickey Ward, Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Eric Morales, and Ali vs. Frasier.

Online Gameplay - EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 3 features online play with PLAYSTATION 3 online.

By Maria Montoro
CCC Assistant Site Director

Rating out of 5	Rating Description
4.0	Graphics Somewhat disappointing. They didn't live up to the hype of this game, but still very good.
4.5	Control The best part about this game. Controls are easy to learn and use, but difficult to master. They easily separate the gamers from the noobs.
3.3	Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting Standard voice over work with good sound effects. Quality music tracks, but no variation in the genre.
3.7	Play Value Once you beat the single player mode you might never play it again, but you will love knocking out your friends over and over again.
3.9	Overall Rating - Good Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.