[Archived] Ufc Undisputed 2010

[DeadlyDirk]

I mentioned this briefly in the 'New Games' thread but it's now available on the PSN for all users, and also I assume the XBox, and in my opinion deserving of it's own topic.

First of all I really enjoyed the 2009 version and had a lot of fun with it both offline and online, it's one of the few games I've played from purchase to present day around 11 months later. The more I played it the more I realised there were a few problems, especially the more real life MMA I watched, but for a first effort I thought it was a pretty good game.

I then last Thursday, (After waiting till 4am for it to be released because I'm that sad and that nocturnal) played the demo for Undisputed 2010 and was blown away.

I'm not sure if a game which is new to the developers has ever shown more improvement from one version to the next in under 12 months.

The main problems for 2009 that people were crying out to be improved were

* More detailed and thorough Career Mode

* More Fighters

* Southpaw Fighters

* Unique Styles To Make Each Fighter Feel Different

* Use of The Cage

* More Moves

Well it looks like the UFC and THQ listened because almost everything we asked for is now in the game.

The gameplay is much improved since last year, each fighter has their own unique style and moves, for example fighting with Machida really feels like fighting with Machida where as last year he was just any old kickboxer. Each fighter have their own unique moves, this time not limited to their 'style' such as BJJ or Kickboxing. They've now added the cage as another dimension to the fight which works well, allowing you to pin your opponent up against it, using it to help or hinder a takedown, wall walking to transition on the ground and more. The striking itself is much improved, on top of the new moves there is now a sway and lean mechanism to help you avoid strikes and catch them with beautiful counters. Circling instead of just backing away is now a lot more important too, otherwise you find yourself pressed up against the cage and in big trouble. The ground and submission game is very different, you can now transition from one submission to another and they've also taken away the button bashing element to stop those with turbo controllers taking advantage. I like the new ground game, it's a lot harder but it also means that if you're on the bottom it no longer means the end of the fight and that you'll be on your back for 3 minutes.

The career mode, although not featured in the demo, looks very good from the videos. You can style your fighter however you want him with his own moves not limited to certain styles. So in theory you could have things like Machida's straight karate left, GSP's takedowns and the ground transitions of Damian Maia. (I'm not sure exactly how it will work and what will be possible as certain moves will be more expensive but you'll certainly be able to make a much more unique fighter who suits your own strengths.) There seems to be loads more to do in career mode too, training camps are actually used properley this time, where you can go to spar and learn new moves etc. Your attributes will fluctuate a lot more by the sounds of it depending on what you do and how you do so training will be especially important. They've also added the WFA in to the game which is where you start off instead of jumping straight into the UFC, you only get to the UFC if you do well in WFA, although you can also be demoted again if you fail in the UFC.

There just seems to be so much added to include everything but there is also the new Tournament mode where you can do old style UFC events with 4-16 fighters to crown a new champion in one day. (You have the choice on whether or not damage is carried onto the next fight) They've also added a lot more Historic fights which you can replay.

I can't do all the positives without mentioning a couple of negatives I've found but to be honest I haven't found many yet. (I'm sure the more I play it I'll notice a few more but for a demo things are looking very good.)

The one big problem I can see is Shogun (One of the 4 demo fighters) has a omoplata of his back which you can apply more or less at will and then quickly release it to find yourself back on your feet. Now you can go for the submission without any intention, or chance, of submitting them and basically use it as a tool to get back on your feet immediately which makes it useless taking him down. Hopefully not too many fighters will have this transition and maybe they'll look to change it in the full version but otherwise you can pretty much expect every CAF to have this move online which will basically just turn all fights into a standup war.

The only other problem I forsee is the online mode. One of which I've just mentioned but the other is just a hunch really. In 2009 it was almost impossible to time your reversals to a mild lag problem which you wouldn't really notice at any time of the fight. It wasn't the end of the world and most people got by just fine, good players still somehow managed to reverse.

However from what I've played on 2010 on Expert Mode (As close as you'll get too the top online players) it's all about reversals. Well at least to a point anyway, whether it's in the clinch or on the ground you won't stand much chance of doing anything offensive. If the reversal system also suffers from the lag in 2010 then it's going to pretty much turn every fight into a standup war making the ground game almost irrelevant. (I mentioned it briefly earlier that's its easier to get off your back, so if people can't reverse then you'll soon find your way back on your feet as blocking transitions is nowhere near as effective as it used to be, for good reason.)

So all in all I'm very much looking forward to this game, which comes out May 28th/29th I believe but am a little nervous about the online mode.

Anyone else played the demo yet or have any thoughts on the game? I've now pretty much mastered Machida and can beat the other 3 fighters pretty comfortable on expert, probably had over 100 fights already though to get me there!

[Hughesy]

Never really played it last year - as the demo seemed too easy.

Answer this - is there any skill involved or is it just a button basher and you can still pull off wins & special moves??

[Guest Kamy100]

Easy? Maybe on easy level, on the highest difficulty level last year's and this year's game are one of the hardest games you are ever likely to play.

It is not a button masher, if somneone is button mashing it very very easy to beat them, there are so many different moves for each fighter and then you add in the ground game which adds a whole other dimension to the fighting mechanics. I have found that finding a couple of fighters who suit your style and then learning all of their moves is the way to succeed on this game both offline and online.

[Hughesy]

Is there an option to create your own fighter, develop them & create your own moves??

[DeadlyDirk]

Is there an option to create your own fighter, develop them & create your own moves??

You can create your own fighter and put him into season mode where you develop him through sparring, training camps, fights etc and you can choose all of his moves, I'm not sure you can actually create your own moves.

You can check out the career preview here, along with a few other trailers for the game.

It really looks a top game, the only criticism I forgot to mention in the first post is I think it will be hard for the casual gamer to get into, it's now a very technical game.

As Kamy said, if you put it on easy then however you play it is pretty easy but the higher the difficulty setting you put the more it becomes about skill.

Button bash on the new one on any mode and it'll probably end up in a first round KO for the AI.

I've played it a lot more since the opening post and have found a few more weaknesses with it which are hopefully fixed. Machida's takedown's seem impossible to stop even for the AI on expert, the only way it seems that you can prevent it is by predicting a sprawl as there seems to be no struggle initiated. I've now mastered reversals on the floor which took a while but it does mean that I can comfortably beat all of the AI fighters on expert on the demo mode usually within 2 rounds.

It's not a major issue as you can easily choose not to take advantage of it against the AI but if it truly is almost unblockable then not using it online will leave you disadvantaged. It has to be almost unblockable because I can barely take down the AI on expert at all with any other fighter. My standups improving but the clinch game is a big avoid for the time being! Knees and Uppercuts to the face hurt a fair bit it seems

How you getting on Kamy, played 2010 yet?

[American Rover12]

Just replying here cause while I've DLed the demo, I haven't had time yet to get to playing it and learning the new controls with finals the the term ending. Will review soon.

[Guest Kamy100]

How you getting on Kamy, played 2010 yet?

Yeah have played a ton of the demo and am getting to grips with it, I am finding it harder than 2009 and it is definiately more realistic, particularly the ground game. Am looking forward to buying the retail version!

[DeadlyDirk]

Can't wait for this to come out on Friday, really looking forward to the Career Mode, crossing my fingers that the Online play is smooth.

[ihtd]

I played this to death yesterday, totally love it. Shopto.net got it to me a day early like with most releases with a 1gb UFC memory stick chucked in.

Anyway, if anyone wants to start a BRFCS fight camp online add me on PS3 brfc1987 and we'll get a fight camp started

[DeadlyDirk]

I played this to death yesterday, totally love it. Shopto.net got it to me a day early like with most releases with a 1gb UFC memory stick chucked in.

Anyway, if anyone wants to start a BRFCS fight camp online add me on PS3 brfc1987 and we'll get a fight camp started

I'll add you later on, going to try and focus on Career Mode a bit before I do much online though.

I got the game today and had chance to play it for about 3 hours in between a double shift at work. I think it's great and definitely a big improvement from 2009. Haven't had much chance to look around at things much, just kind of rushed through career mode for a bit, choosing all of the individual moves for your fighter just gives you so much freedom and enables you to make a unique fighter.

The commentary picking out things from your previous fights is a nice touch too.

I'll give you a few games, hopefully online is working smoothly soon, heard there are a few issues at the moment. I'm on PS3 as well, 'DeadlyDirk23'

[DeadlyDirk]

Yeah have played a ton of the demo and am getting to grips with it, I am finding it harder than 2009 and it is definiately more realistic, particularly the ground game. Am looking forward to buying the retail version!

Have you or anyone else got the retail version yet Kamy? Me and 'ihtd' have been having some fun online. Well I was anyway

[Guest Kamy100]

I am hoping to pick it up soon, although at the moment I am really into Red Dead Redemption so it could a while before I play another game!

[DeadlyDirk]

I can see why, I bought RDR yesterday and can't stop playing it, that's one hell of a fun game.