Penick's Take
UFC Undisputed 3 Review (Xbox 360): THQ improves upon past iterations to provide best MMA experience to date
Feb 14, 2012 - 11:00:30 AM UFC Undisputed 3 Review (Xbox 360): THQ improves upon past iterations to provide best MMA experience to date

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

This review was originally published on February 10. We are republishing today in conjunction with the game's release.

After the poor reception for UFC Undisputed 2010, the second MMA video game for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles, THQ took 2011 off to expand upon previous ideas, fine tune the gameplay, and present a more robust MMA experience for gamers and fans. With the upcoming release of UFC Undisputed 3, it's safe to say they got things mostly right.

UFC Undisputed 3 combines elements of the more critically lauded EA MMA with a much deeper and immersive game overall from the previous UFC Undisputed iterations, providing for the best MMA experience you can find in a video game.

Let's start with the improvements. One of the biggest criticisms of the earlier versions of Undisputed was a daunting learning curve for the different aspects of the fighting game itself. With a ground and clinch system predicated on rotations of the right stick, and a complex striking system incorporating most of the controller, it seemed to be overly complicated in comparison to a game like EA MMA.

However, they've addressed it somewhat in this game with a new option, allowing for a simple flick of the right stick up or down for minor or major transitions. The striking game is similar to previous years, but feels more streamlined with additional moves and positions from which to strike. Becoming at least competent in the striking department is a must (learning how to block and counter well will do you a lot of good), but it's not a hugely difficult thing to grasp once you begin to get a hang of things.

Another issue many had with the past two versions of the game were the frequency of flash knockouts and quick submissions. Both areas have been addressed, with the submission system getting a complete overhaul.

Flash knockouts are a lot rarer, and more difficult to pull off in the game as well. Instead of one punch knockouts happening off of just about any position, strong strikes while countering are essentially the only times a fight is going to end with a single strike. Instead, what is a lot more common is a fighter being put into a "rocked" state and given a chance to recover. If you're able to pounce quickly onto a downed opponent, you can deliver strikes to get the TKO finish. If you are on the other end of that situation, you'll more often than not have time to recover to get back into the game.

Another great new feature is PRIDE mode, with a roster full of familiar names modeled after their time in the now-defunct Japanese promotion. With the new mode, stomps, soccer kicks, and knees to the head of a downed opponent are allowed, and it comes complete with Lenne Hardt as the ring announcer, with Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros on commentary.

For submissions, they're not only more difficult to pull off, they're easier to defend, and you have a visual representation of how close or far you are from pulling one off. Much like in EA MMA, there is an on-screen graphic where you need to chase your opponent around a circle with the right stick, and as you cover their marker the submission comes closer to being locked in. However, you have a short window to attempt it before losing position. Another addition to the submission game is the ability to chain multiple attempts, but again, the window of opportunity is small.

But it's not just in the gameplay itself that you'll find improvement, as the career mode is much more streamlined than in past versions as well. Getting from fight to fight is a much quicker process, and to improve skills for your fighter you have a number of different options available, including training mini-games, gameplans, sparring sessions, fight camps and more. You also have the option to begin a career with a fighter already on the UFC's roster instead of a created fighter, and you can use those same skill improvement options to change the attributes of the fighter of your choosing.

Then there's Title Mode, in which you take a fighter and run through a division en route to capturing a title. Once you have gotten through Title Mode with a fighter, you open them up in Title Defense mode, where you defend the belt with that fighter and attempt to accomplish a number of goals as well. Throw in historical fights and an improved online game as well, and this game provides fans with hours upon hours of playability.

On top of the gameplay improvements themselves, the production is much better this time around as well. Full ring entrances (including techno and pyro-filled walkouts in PRIDE mode), improved commentary, smooth displays, and an improved replay system really bring the feel of UFC and Pride events to the screen.

There are still some issues, and it's certainly not a perfect game. There are four difficulty settings, but if you're not well-versed in every area of the game you may have a difficult time at anything outside of the beginner setting. The submission game, while less taxing than rotating the right stick rapidly, is very difficult to master, and there are a few glitchy moments here and there from a collision detection standpoint.

Still, the minor issues don't overshadow what is otherwise an excellent game. It's the best virtual MMA experience to date, and those that were overly frustrated with Undisputed 2010 should be pleased with the improvements made in this game.