The Ultimate Fighting Championship franchise has been an outstanding one for THQ. The company has produced two successful games so far, with both 2009 and 2010 versions of Undisputed scoring well with both fans and critics. But what if you want to go beyond fighting with your dream MMA superstars and want to get into the action yourself? Fortunately, THQ and Heavy Iron Studios are presenting such an option with the forthcoming UFC Personal Trainer, which is set to make an impact on June 21st. Originally set for release during the Kinect’s launch period, THQ delayed the game in order to give it time to cook, so the developers wouldn’t rush it out the door to compete with other exercise-based games for Microsoft’s motion device, including its own The Biggest Loser and Ubisoft’s Your Shape: Fitness Evolved.
As a result, it looks as if time has been kind to this simulator, with refined workouts and a variety of UFC superstars to help you get in shape, without resorting to those “girlie” workouts. Heavy Iron worked alongside not only the folks at UFC (including several top-name trainers like Javier Mendez, Greg Jackson and Mark DellaGrotte), but also the folks at the National Academy of Sports Medicine, so you know it means business when it comes to creating a fitness simulator, rather than leaning so heavily on the franchise itself. The program features more than 70 exercises to choose from, which in turn can be modified into 30 or 60 day workouts, however you choose. The Kinect device proves quite useful with this program, as it reads your body motions specifically through each of the exercises. These include knee thrusts and lifts, punches, uppercuts and other moves, including dodges, which you incorporate into one lengthy workout. This game will no doubt make you break a sweat – but that’s the idea. It isn’t called Richard Simmons Personal Trainer, now is it? (No Sweatin’ To the Oldies here.)
Unlike other vigorous workout programs, UFC Personal Trainer manages to keep you motivated, thanks to trainers who actually encourage you during your workout, rather than focusing on the negatives. That doesn’t mean they’re going soft on you, though. The point here is to make sure you’re getting the most out of your routine, but also keeping you from giving up on it. There is a medium ground, and from what we’ve seen, UFC Personal Trainer reaches it with much success. We were only shown the one basic workout during the course of our presentation, but it really gives you an idea of what this UFC product is all about. We did several exercises pieced together into one “Hit the Mitts” workout, with a trainer shouting commands and then executing his own moves after we did them, such as swinging as we duck or telling us what kind of punches we should hit. It’s a very effective and fast-moving program, one that will no doubt teach you the basics. The only downside is that it’s much more physical than others, not relying so much on the ground exercises and instead going for full=on physicality. That won’t be everyone’s cup of VitaminWater, but, hey, the UFC isn’t known for going soft.
This feature preview concludes on the next page, please click Page 2 below to see our final thoughts on THQ's UFC Personal Trailer.
