Finish the Fight with Pride
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I was a big fan of UFC Undisputed 2010, awarding it a score of 95%, which actually surprised me since I am not what you would call a “major” UFC fan, nor was I that good at it. I’ll watch a fight if it is on and keep up with a few of the bigger names in the sport, though I couldn’t tell you anything about the sport other than it is a bunch of guys beating the snot out of each other in an eight-sided, caged ring.
As much as I liked the game, I remember having an incredibly tough time getting into the flow of gameplay. I eventually got the idea after a couple of hours (and a lot of ticks in the loss column), but would have liked a little more guidance beyond the dry, dull tutorial. It was helpful, but I can’t truly say I knew what I was doing at any point in the game.
With that in mind, THQ is taking a different approach to UFC Undisputed 3. One of the bigger aims with UFC Undisputed 3 is to educate players new to both the sport and the game. The first step is a new, simpler control scheme. Veteran fans shouldn’t worry; the original scheme is still intact and available. The new, completely optional scheme removes some of the more complicated right stick circles and quarter-circles and replaces them with easier up-and-down motions on the sticks. As someone who struggled to get even some of the more basic stick movements down, this is a welcome addition and I can’t wait to try it out for myself.
Another, even more welcome addition is in-match tutorials. Anyone will tell you that just knowing how to do something only gets you so far; you have to know why you’re doing it if you want to get any good at it. During matches, a pop-up will show up at certain times to let you know why a certain technique worked, or how you could better utilize that move based on the situation. You’ll also get feedback between rounds that should go a little deeper than your corner man offering generic words of advice. I loved that UFC Undisputed 2010 challenged me to learn new things, so getting more insight should make that feature better.
UFC Undisputed 3 will also introduce a new submission mechanic that is much easier to visualize and understand. When a submission is initiated, a graphic of the Octagon will appear, showing two colored lines representing the corner colors of each fighter. This sets up a “chase” mini-game of sorts where the attacker has to chase down and cover his opponent’s colored line with their own. Various statistical factors will determine just how big of a line each fighter has, determining how successful they’ll be in locking in the submission.
UFC fans can also look forward to the addition of Pride Fighting Championship in UFC Undisputed 3. Pride matches bring a completely different dimension to the game’s core mechanics. The rules are different and the fights are much more vicious. While UFC fights include certain rules to prevent “dirty” fights, Pride matches almost encourage it. For example, head stomps – literally stomping an opponent's head with a heel while they’re down on the mat – are an instant DQ in a UFC match. In Pride fights, they’re fair game. You can also knee opponents in the head or perform other, more brutal, techniques.
While accessibility is a major focus, UFC Undisputed 3 will also include a number of other improvements. UFC Undisputed 2010 already looked stellar, and while fighters don’t look much different than they did in UFC Undisputed 2010, developers have gone in and reworked many of the smaller details that become even more noticeable when a game looks as great as UFC Undisputed 2010. Fighter animations are much smoother. Developers worked with UFC fighters and motion capture technology to get all of the subtle movements, particularly when it comes to grapples and submissions. Facial animation has also seen a revamp.
Ring entrances will also make their long-awaited appearance. In Create-a-Fighter, you can customize your fighter’s entrance, right down to the lights and music. There’s also a brand new camera system meant to bring players right into the action. Though you’ll drop into the familiar overhead view when appropriate, the camera will come up closer to fighters. The view looks similar to a fighting game and places more emphasis on the fighters rather than everything going on around it.
UFC Undisputed 2010 was already a great game, and based on the improvements THQ is making to the series, there’s no reason to think UFC Undisputed 3 won’t live up the series’ legacy.
UFC Undisputed 3 is set for an early 2012 release.
