UFC Undisputed 2010 Hands-On Preview

UFC fans were delivered an experience in 2009 that was somewhat unexpected; a stellar one via the release of UFC: Undisputed 2009. It was fine tuned and delivered on almost every level imaginable. This year, fans will once again be treated with UFC: Undisputed 2010. In just a few short weeks THQ will unleash the follow up to last year’s hit and lucky for us we’ve had the chance to sit down and play a portion of the game and the game was far from a letdown. Once again, the controls and characters movements are phenomenal. The addition of the new Sway System allows your head and body to dodge your opponent’s jabs with some measure of grace. The weekly training also remains, as you can select light, medium, or heavy workouts on the three different character attributes all while trying to keep your fighter at a low level of fatigue. But some new additions to the weekly training include stats that will fall if you don’t maintain each. There was also the addition of “auto” training which will allow you to skip out on the training, but in doing so you won’t always achieve the maximum gain possible. There are also plenty of opportunities to go to camps, which are optional this time around without the requirement of an invite. You more or less have more opportunities to micro-manage fighter from week to week, keeping them in the best possible shape or if done poorly, setting them up for a quick trip to the floor.

You’ll also have plenty of chances to voice your fighter’s thoughts with plenty of dialogue options before and after fights as well as in interviews and other opportunities. This can positively/negatively affect others opinion on your fighter, building a good rep or setting up your fighter to stand in a negative light which will also directly affect your paycheck. One of our favorite changes/additions to the game is the new “The Game is Watching You” mechanic. As you progress through the 12-year campaign, the game will keep an eye on your fighter, his fighting style, wins/losses, and general characteristics. Using collected data, announcers will talk about previous fights. It will also clue other fighters into common tendencies you use in fights, allowing them to defend better against attacks you might try to spam. This adds an element not typically seen, in which you, the player will be forced to change up your fighting style. For the most part, it works well and gives the game the vibe that it is intelligent and learning from your every action. Choosing to do specific actions, or winning/losing certain fights will allow you to call out rivals or fighters that you want to take on. There is some repetition in within these mechanics, but it is definitely a step forward for the game, not a step back.

Character creation is once again a stellar element as you can choose from over hundreds of first and last names as well as the ability to develop your fighter’s characteristics. You also can fine tune fighting style however you feel instead of having to pick between specific load outs. It gives the player a great deal of freedom in creating the fighter they want to see. There are plenty of additions and upgrades that we guarantee will please the masses once again and we have no doubt that THQ will really deliver a love letter to fans for the second time in a row. UFC: Undisputed 2010 feels and looks more real than before, giving fans the feel that they are following a real person as opposed to a clunky, robotic fighter. It’s a much more human experience this time around, improving on almost every aspect including the smooth as silk control scheme. This is the whole package people. The UFC: Undisputed series continues to prove to be the best mixed-martial arts experience out there and in just a few short weeks you’ll be able to step into the Octagon and introduce your opponents to the mat when the game releases on May 25th. PlanetXbox360.com will have a detailed review around that time-period for you to check out, until then make sure to watch a Chuck Liddell inspired UFC Undisputed 2010 trailer below: