Drawing upon the history of the sports itself is always a big plus as it adds personality to the usual static commentary, but mix it with the right dose of bone-crunching thuds and cracks and Fight Night Round 4 becomes not only a visual feast, but offers a somewhat impressive game sonically. Unlike many other sports games, Round 4 has attempted to realistically portray boxing and how it’s supposed to be played via a new Total Control scheme. Button controls (Y, B, X, A) to pull off punches have been scrapped and instead replaced solely by the Right Stick, resulting in a more satisfying experience. Though we can see why many button-using players will be put off by the absence of such option, the accessibility of the fight stick is easy enough to grasp and its responsiveness is impressive. Right off the gloves, you’ll notice that the game’s been sped up a little to combat what I thought was Round 3’s main problem in warfare; sluggishness. The game feels more fast-paced, allowing for speedsters with reach such as Ali to utilize their strengths and capitalize on them. Boxing styles have also been refined; instead of your standard punch-and-retreat strategy there are more ways to fight in Round 4.
This time, fighters from the same weight class such as Ali, Foreman, and Tyson all feel different when manoeuvring or moving in for a quick hook, heavy punchers being noticeably slower. Most players will probably be inclined to fight in exhibition matches and take part in the online expedition but the main draw of the game would be the Legacy Mode. It’s probably a subjective issue, but I was never one to enjoy watching my fighter or team make their way to the top as it just seemed more of a chore than a fun-filled night as you train, manage and fight your way to become the Greatest of All Time. Though it’s been improved from Round 3, training in FNR4 feels more like a mandatory duty than an incentive to strengthen your boxer. The rinse-and-repeat nature of it gets tedious and it never really leaves that zone. On the contrary, there are merits to be seen in its Legacy Mode such as the unbelievably comprehensive stat-recording system they’ve placed in the game and a proper calendar to help you manage your career. Still, we can’t help but to think of the possibilities the mode might’ve been if it had included more innovation to spice up the career mode, or at least create stronger incentives for gamers to play through.
Regardless of its shortcomings, Round 4 offers a myriad of features that are worth noting such as the Create-a-Boxer mode that allows you to use your own face (or anyone’s for that matter) to use to pummel down. The significance of counter-punching is also one of the changes we liked as it added a sense of realism to the fights. Though not earth-shatteringly revolutionary, FNR4’s additions to its Legacy Mode, greater cohesiveness and focus of its controls and enhanced pseudo-realism has made it the definitive boxing experience on both the current-gen consoles. Despite it not making the splash it did in its last outing inside the ring, Fight Night Round 4 offers more than enough visceral, brutal action for casual gamers and boxing fans alike delivering its promises with a strong left jab and a punishing right hook. The franchise has proven itself to be one of EA’s long standing highlights and has achieved longevity through the brevity of its appearances, and this, this is something one should much prefer over a Fight Night Round 2010 – because we really can’t imagine ploughing through 2,010 rounds with the likes of Ali and Tyson.
