UFC 2 Review
Written by: Adam "ManKorn" Korenman, CC2K Video Games Editor
First, let’s talk about the biggest change, because she’s right on the cover. Ronda Rousey, the fan-favorite female fighter of the UFC, has finally received her video game debut. Just like her real-life persona, the digital Rousey is brutal and powerful, combing strength and technique in a relentless combination to ruin your day. Female fighters finally join the roster of UFC 2, opening up the game in bigger and better ways.
Another new change is the simplification of the grappling system. In previous iterations, movement on the ground required careful twists and flicks of the thumb sticks, as well as an understanding of quantum physics and the latter works of Dostoevsky. Now, tumbling around on the mat is as simple as holding the right stick in the appropriate direction. Want to go for a reversal? Hold one of the bumpers. Need a submission? A different bumper.
Strikes have also been refined, with modifiers coming from the direction of the movement stick, bumpers, and situation dependence. You’re no longer flailing wildly hoping to connect. Each punch and kick is controlled, directed, and exactly what you meant to do.
Fighting overall feels tighter and more in tune with the sport. This isn’t your usual brawler, where landing the most punches wins every time. You need to keep a steady eye on your stamina and pick targets of opportunity. Maybe you’re a stand-up fighter going for that knockout punch. Time your strikes and mix up your highs and lows to trick their defenses. The more you hit a particular area, the more likely it will take a serious hit later on. Heavy strikes are great for heavy damage, but they aren’t your only tool. Kicks to the shins and thighs slow your opponent’s movement, and can even cause them to cramp up and fall down. A liver shot can end the fight, as can a solid knee to the solar plexus. Rocking the brain cage is a great way to knock your opponent out, but those swings open you up to attack as well.
Thankfully, you’ll have a pretty good idea of where your fighter stands from two simple UI’s. One is a simple silhouette in the top corner of the screen. When a body part glows red, it’s hurting. Over the course of a fight, you might have taken so many blows to the chest that a light tap will break you. The other indicator is your fighter’s body. The damage modeling is frightfully realistic. Skin bruises and cracks under the relentless onslaught, eyes swell shut, and blood flows freely. It is easily the most detailed damage simulation in fighting games to date.
The game looks incredible, sucking up all the power of the PC, XBOX One, and PS4. Fighters breathe and sweat and suck up hideous strikes. By the end of the fight, if you go 5 rounds, it’s like you’re looking at two different people. They seem aged by the tremendous effort. Overall, this is one of the most realistic fighting games out there.
Out of the ring, the UI is simple enough, though not very intuitive. Navigating through menus can be a confusing, and there are simply too much detail on some screens. The opening menu is particularly odd, with the smallest of boxes being “Continue Career,” while the largest invites you to watch a UFC fight or play a recent match up. Like all EA titles, there is the looming presence of DLC and online leaderboards, as well as an insistence that you get into these activities.
With regards to the online gameplay, lag is limited but does happen. We had one instance where a withering strike passed harmless through an opponent’s face, only for him to magically warp into a takedown. For the most part, the servers were passable and the experience was fun.