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UFC 2009 Undisputed Hands-On Preview for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

UFC 2009 Undisputed Hands-On Preview for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

Doing the Sport Justice

May 11, 2009 – If you ask someone what the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is, you’ll probably get a lot of answers. Despite being the fastest growing sport in the world, it has its critics. However, after spending some serious time with UFC 2009 Undisputed, I have definitely come away with a lot more respect for what the UFC is and what this game is trying to accomplish. Although games based on properties like the WWE focus on over-the-top moves and theatrics, in UFC Undisputed it is all about stats and strategy. Just like some of the bigger sports titles, UFC 2009 Undisputed sets out to really give players the experience of the sport, and on that note, this title is really looking to succeed.

UFC 2009 Undisputed screenshot

During my time with UFC 2009 Undisputed, I got to experience all three of the game’s main modes: career, exhibition, and a classic fights. The career mode is certainly the deepest of the three modes, having you create a unique UFC fighter. Although the creation options aren’t the deepest I have ever seen, making your own unique MMA fighter is easy enough, and there are enough tattoo, hair, and shorts options to make the process quite enjoyable.

In addition to your looks, you will also be able to customize your character’s fighting style as well as level of experience in certain areas. You will be able to choose from all the major MMA-recognized fighting types, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and kickboxing. You can also assign stat points to your characters offensive and defensive moves, both on the ground and standing. There are also overarching speed, stamina, and power attributes that you can assign your fighter. The fighter attributes customization is really immersive and impressive, and once you are finished, you can definitely feel confident that you have made a one-of-a-kind fighter.

Once you have made your character in Career mode, you will need to go through the ranks and gain “cred” as a UFC fighter. You can do this by participating in matches and taking on the big names in the UFC. However, the game is not as simple as other arcade-style sports titles, and it seeks to really involve you in the managerial and strategic elements of being a UFC fighter. When you are scheduled for matches, generally you will have a few weeks of lead time, which allows you to train and spar. Your training will help you increase your speed, stamina, and power stats, and the results of sparring matches will allow you to assign extra points to specific fighting attributes. You will also need to manage a rest mechanic that will allow you to go into sparring as well as matches with higher stamina.

UFC 2009 Undisputed screenshot

Although it will take quite a few rounds before you are even close to the level of the regular UFC fighters, the format of the career mode makes it very rewarding. I have to say that even though my fighter was slow and couldn’t land a decent punch to save his life, I really felt compelled to push onward with him in the game and couldn’t wait to see him get better. Although it is not possible to max out a fighter 100%, after you finish the game’s career mode (which spans 7 years in the UFC), you can retire your fighter at the peak of his ability and use him to play online.

In addition to the career mode, there is also a classic fights mode. This mode features classic matchups from the UFC’s past, allowing you to recreate history. Each bout is preceded by video footage and interviews from the fighters who participated in it, and I was very impressed with the amount of historical value that was put into the game.

Of course, what would a licensed sports game be without an all-out exhibition mode? Although the UFC 2009 Undisputed exhibition mode features over 80 of the franchise’s best fighters, there are a few limitations. For example, most fighters will only be able to fight in one weight division, and only against others in that weight class. So, if for instance you wanted to pit Brock Lesnar against BJ Penn, there is no way in the game to do that. However, instead of finding this limitation as a bone of contention, I think it really strengthens the game. It makes it feel like much more of a real sports title, complete with rules and regulations.

UFC 2009 Undisputed screenshot

As far as control is concerned, UFC 2009 Undisputed is one of those titles with a mix of straightforward yet relatively nuanced controls. Standard strikes use the controller’s face-buttons, but in order to do a submission-style move or attempt a takedown, you will need to use a combination of the shoulder buttons, the face buttons, and the correct thumbsticks in order to succeed. At higher levels, it becomes very necessary to master these controls, and you will have to employ a fighting strategy that can wear your enemy down and prepare them for show-stopping moves.

Visually, this game is awesome. The character models are incredibly realistic, and the animations on screen do a great job of mimicking the action of the UFC. Of special interest is the damage system in UFC 2009 Undisputed, which uses a real-time engine to create bruises and cuts on a fighter as they would be inflicted in the real-life octagon. As my character was pummeled in the face, swelling and blood began to gradually pool until my character’s face was almost unrecognizable.

UFC 2009 Undisputed is a great game for both UFC fans and for aficionados of deep fighting games. Though I definitely won’t purport to be a big MMA fan, I was really impressed by the way this sport is being handled in video game form. Instead of just being another beat’em-up with celebrity faces, a lot of time and effort has gone into making UFC 2009 Undisputed into a legitimate sports title, and as such, it is definitely worth playing when it releases May 19th.

Game Features:

  • Authentic UFC Personalities: Explore a deep roster of more than 80 top names in UFC competition across five weight classes and enter the Octagon surrounded by the sport’s popular commentators, announcers, referees, trainers, Octagon girls and more.
  • Photorealistic Models and Effects: Experience the world of UFC as it appears on television with photorealistic fighters who breathe, sweat and move like their real-life counterparts. Players will also view amazing ripple effects across the faces and bodies of their fighters from the impact of devastating punches and kicks.
  • Constant Control: Gain the upper hand in matchups with a brand new fighting game engine designed specifically for next generation systems. Emphasis on innovative, responsive and easy-to-play controls will give players unparalleled command of their fighters in the Octagon.
  • Fighting Disciplines: Take down opponents and get the submission with a variety of mixed martial arts disciplines, including Judo, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Kickboxing, Boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
  • Create-a-Fighter: Jump-start the career of a future champion by customizing your fighter’s physical appearance, learning new fighting techniques to use in the Octagon and managing the training process through attributes such as strength and cardiovascular health.
  • Career Mode: Develop attributes, perfect moves and fight for entry into the UFC Hall of Fame.


  • Ground and Pound

    March 2, 2009 – I’m a sucker for success stories, but aren’t we all? For my money the UFC is one of the best around, and Dana White is the poster child. White is probably responsible for one of the most incredible sports franchises around. The UFC President got together the partners to form the original group that purchased the UFC from the Semaphore Entertainment Group. It was White who transformed the UFC from boxing’s rough and tumble cousin to the mainstream cash cow it is today.

    UFC 2009 Undisputed screenshot

    Alas, for all the UFC’s marketability and pocket-lining there has yet to be a solid entry for gamers to kick around. Despite a few attempts at a reputable treatment of the license, the best fans of the UFC have been left with are a couple of C+ entries on the PS2 and Xbox. Amidst the discussion about the UFC’s catapult to fame, gamers have had little to talk about… until now. Leave it to White to get the UFC back in the game.

    UFC 2009 Undisputed is the first next-gen liberty taken with the license and, with any luck, the best of the group. So far the game seems well underway to heavyweight champion. Gaming giants Yuke’s and THQ are developing and publishing, respectively. With their previous experience partnering on the Smackdown series in the equation, business is picking up.

    Having practically invented the modern brawler, the two companies are sticking all their know how into Undisputed and it shows. From screenshots, trailers, and match videos, it’s obvious that an incredible level of attention has gone into the game’s presentation. Each fighter has been meticulously and beautifully rendered from tattoos and hairstyles to specific movements and fighting styles. Cut-men, managers, and cameramen hang off the fenced edge of the octagon and authentic sponsor logos and ads adorn the ring. The result is a visual arrangement that mimics a UFC bout without the price of a ticket.

    UFC 2009 Undisputed screenshot

    The fidelity doesn’t stop there, though. Audio is also clean and memorable and establishes the atmosphere to an amazing degree. Audiences scream and cheer as fan favorites are introduced by the enthusiastic announcer, but we’ve seen it before. What is new could be the audience’s reactions. The crowd seems to know exactly when to scream and when to mellow, and every blow has its own soundtrack. The action is observed and commentated by real life announcers Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg. I’ve read the pair provided nearly 30 hours of commentary for the game. On top of that, the sound crew recorded and mixed audio from live fights and included it in the game. None of these are entirely new concepts, but they are employed impressively here.

    But any UFC fan comes for the fight, and it is here in abundance. Variety and authenticity are the name of the game when it comes to the in-ring action. Players can choose fighters in any of 5 weight classes (80 fighters total so far) and all the best are here. Rich Franklin, Wanderlai Silva, Brock Lesnar, Matt Hughes, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and Forest Griffin are each represented with attention to individual appearance, fighting style, and movement patterns right down to Griffin’s signature auburn chest-mane.

    UFC 2009 Undisputed screenshot

    The fighting itself seems to take inspiration from a number of THQ’s own efforts, but the control scheme is closer to EA’s Fight Night series. The face buttons control strikes (left and right) and the shoulders are modifiers and control blocking. Grappling is handled through the right analog stick. Unlike EA’s ‘sweet science’ series, players will not have to choose specific strikes, only the strike itself (punch or kick) and its location (left or right, head, body, legs). The game’s A.I. determines the best strike (jab vs. elbow, for example) for the situation based on distance to an opponent, position, fighting style, etc. It is a stripped down system that provides gamers with the essentials without complicating the fighting too much.

    Ironically, fighting seems to maintain its complexity as gamers attempt to change positions and catch enemies off guard to score something akin to a ‘flash KO’ or counter strikes into submissions. The all important ‘ground and pound’ is the best example. As players takedown opponents, they will have to hammer their foes while being careful to look for opportunities to squirm into more powerful positions. The give and take of the system offers a level of true UFC action absent from other titles.

    Undisputed seems to be coming together nicely, but the animations (while mostly natural) become a bit more canned when transitioning between positions and switching mounts, and missed clutches smack of, well, the early Smackdown games. There hasn’t been much about play options, but expect an online match mode and a title chase to figure prominently into game time. With the release date still not announced, there is much work that can be done. We’ll have to wait until the game’s release to see if it’s worthy of its title.

    Game Features:

  • Over 80 real life UFC fighters.
  • Authentic match presentation.
  • Fighting styles from boxing to Jiu-Jitsu are included.

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