EA Sports UFC 2 Review: It’s All Over
Game Reviewed: EA Sports UFC 2
Release Date: March 15th, 2016
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: [Reviewed: Xbox One], PlayStation 4
Genre: Fighter
Rated: T for Teen
There are so many variations of how we can tune into Fight Night, a name well known when it comes to EA Sports. There’s boxing, the sole of the sports entertainment; wrestling, the true level of entertainment; and there’s UFC, where there’s no squared-circle, it’s the octagon. On all levels, two fighters step in and only one will have their hand raised.
EA Sports launch of UFC 2 knocked us out, but always left us wanting one more fight. UFC 2 is the year where former WWE superstar CM Punk, real name Phil Brooks makes his appearance and EA stepped up from preorder bonus and greatest martial artist ever Bruce Lee to the baddest man on the planet, Iron Mike Tyson.
UFC 2 starts off similar to most EA Sports titles where you are the deciding factor in a scenario, this one being between Robbie Lawler and Rory McDonald. Finishing the fight earns you coins for the all-new UFC Ultimate Team.
UFC 2 utilizing Ultimate Teams when creating your fighter just might be a genius move for EA Sports. UFC 2 allows up to five fighters that will become your team as you fight to earn XP and coins that will unlock team packs to better customize your player skills, moves, attributes and more. As FIFA and Madden Ultimate Team modes you are also able to potentially purchase UFC Points to buy individual packs.
Thanks to EA Sports and the pregame match, you earn coins to splurge on packs to immediately upgrade your character and earn an early advantage, that is if you’ve been sparring. Fight Night and Premium packs showed immediate promise for my fighters awarding me high level stamina, new moves and more. In UFC 2 the cards you earn can literally be the determining factor between winning or losing your very next fight! The perks and attributes are critical for building your road to glory, keeping in mind they’re all customizable and able to be replaced.
When you’re ready to put it all on the line you can engage in either Ultimate Championship (online fights) or Single Player Championships (offline), earning your coins either way, ranking however as two separate modes.
For the punch, jab, kick and knockout fans you can partake in Knockout Mode where the match only ends when you or your opponent is lying on their back. You can also take your experience on the road and let your dream become reality in career mode as your start in the gym and fight to the stardom.
Other available modes are Skill Challenges, teaching you how to fight; Practice Mode that allows you to spar with an AI; and Quick Fight placing you in an unranked, online matches.
So let’s discuss what you truly want to know about, the fight and fighters. Thankfully in UFC 2 players can again upload Game Face and get yourselves in the octagon. If you prefer to pick a fighter in the lineup you may choose from a handful of welterweights, including CM Punk. Though he’s yet to have a
fight in the UFC he’s preset at 82 overall. Questionable, maybe, but even Bruce Lee had a high ranking last year.
What stands out most this year are physics. As fighters swing and land punches you can see a huge difference in each swing and it’s velocity based on your normal swing and using L1+Face Button.
The ground game is more technical, yet easier than in the previous UFC game. Whereas in the last installment of EA Sports UFC you would partake in a mini-game to attempt a submission, this year is more involved on both offense and defense. Offense will require you to perform individual transitions with the right thumbstick until finding a potential submission lock with the left trigger. Meanwhile on defense the objective is to gain offense or break free, again by using the right thumbstick.
Personally I am a boxer in the octagon and found myself pulling off some of the most beautiful knockouts ever.
I noticed in the Ultimate Team when winning the title, Bruce Buffer said “here’s your winner and still…” rather than “new” as I just won the title. One other thing that stuck out to me was a few of the ground attacks not physically connecting, however managing to attack the opponents. Also the referee seems to be nowhere near the competitors when calling the fights, knockouts as an example.
Online matches were fluid, no lag issues, and great sportsmanship in most of fights. With L2 you can touch gloves in a sense of wishing each other luck; a small, yet nice addition to UFC 2.
EA Sports UFC 2 is the real deal and must have for any UFC fan and ultimate fighting gamer. With over 250 fighters, what more could you ask for?
The Scores
Gameplay: 4/5
Visuals: 4.5/5
Audio: 3.75/5
Controls: 4/5
Replay Value: 3.75/5
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