Every now and then there are always a handful of sports titles that aren’t artificial enough to be slapped on by the last-two-digits-of-the-current-year EA sticker where the lack of direction and ever-so-present limitations in time tend to be self evident in its final product. Avoiding the ‘churn every year’ two-step dance EA Sports have done with the likes of FIFA, NBA Live and Madden, the Fight Night franchise has enjoyed a prosperous life thanks to its sporadic release runs. Round 3 was in every sense a knockout back in 2006 when it glistened with next-gen visuals and intuitive controls; a surprise comparable to that of Tyson’s ear-chomping foray 10 years before considering EA’s track record. Almost 3 years after the release of its critically acclaimed big brother, it is indeed safe to say that Fight Night Round 4 has excelled in almost all of the areas that were unrealised by its older siblings. To say that the visuals in Round 4 are stunning would be an understatement. From the painstakingly detailed character models, the thick brooding bustle of the venues to the top-tiered trademark polish in presentation present in every EA game; the fourth iteration of this boxing franchise is one hell of a looker. As an individual title amongst its peers, Round 4 seems to visually trump even the most anticipated games on the platform.
As a title born of its siblings, FNR4 doesn’t radically depart from the previous version. It has done enough to make sufficient steps in ensuring that the standards are kept, if not raised adequately. The newly-implemented physics engine is a more-than-welcomed addition allowing for a more fluid, natural unfolding of a fight as opposed to Round 3’s more rigid brawls. Fights are paced quicker, and trading jabs feel different almost each time thanks to the physics engine coupled with Round 4’s improved lighting and particle effects. Not only do the overall fights feel and seem to handle better; boxers ranging from the legendary Jake LaMotta to more recent iconoclastic figures such as Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson collectively look more detailed and refined as the game boasts visuals enough to best character models from the likes of Gears. Both the fighters’ spit and sweat seem more exaggerated and help to detail the characters better than Round 3’s comparatively grittier, blander models, while others such as the blood and facial injuries have unfortunately been toned down in Round 4. Few may be interested in the sport itself; but guaranteed many gamers will be attracted towards the game’s graphical glitz n’ glamor alone enough to warrant a purchase.
After all, if one can’t convince one’s peers and parents that Marcus Fenix and Machismo Co. look human-like, especially the Cole Train, then let’s cross our fingers that Manny Pacquiao soaked in Digital Veggie Oil will. There’s really no surprise that the soundtrack in EA’s summer sports blockbuster contains some of the finer Hiphop cuts around. Though mainstream, commercialized songs aren’t present in the game’s soundtrack; the all-round solid offerings from the likes of familiar artists such as Mos Def, Damian Marley, RZA and Snoop Dogg do more than enough in supporting the game’s audio department. Yes, most of these tracks are rap-oriented but thanks to EA, players who prefer to listen to Air Supply or Nirvana while knocking Frazier’s lights out can add their own playlist to the game via “My Corner”. Commentary is also solid, albeit a little repetitive. After playing for an amount of time, you’ll definitely start to realize that these commentators love to recycle their not-so-special quotes. But on the flipside, matchups such as an Ali v Foreman fight will ignite commentators to reminisce stories from the past, referring to their previous bouts in Rumble in the Jungle and other various events.
