“Cut me, Mick!”
The eyes are
blurred, the opponent a dim figure in the haze from vision that is dark around
the edges … Ok, make that the edges and most of the middle … anyway, the world
is starting to become encased in a dark fog because your vision is faltering.
Rocky knew what it took to continue in his first fight with Apollo Creed, and
thanks to the Get in the Ring mode feature on the PlayStation 3, gamers are
about to understand what happens to the vision of a face that has been used
continuously to block punches.
EA launched
Fight Night Round 3 way back in February for the Xbox 360 next-gen console
system. Since then the developer has been working on the PS3 version of the
game. Ok, the game is essentially unchanged. The control scheme is the same,
with player utilizing the right analog stick for punches and the left for body
movement.
The graphics
are close, though the PS3 has slightly better graphics when played on a high-def
television. To say that the Get in the Ring feature, unique to the PS3, is a
defining attribute of this version would be spot on. Sure, there are other
features for the PS3, but the Get in the Ring steals the show.
In this mode
you are viewing the fight through the eyes of the boxer. You see two arms in
front of you that obey your commands – jab, jab, uppercut, body shot, block, jab
and so on. The arms appear from the elbow down, and if you get the arm extended
too much, you will see the way it bleeds into nothing. One of the aspects that
does seem to be given up in exchange for this perspective is the ability to
weave and duck. You can back up but even then, when you think you have the
distance to make your opponent miss, there are times when he still tags you.
(It should be
noted that the code EA sent for this review was the same used for the preview.)
Other elements
that are PS3 exclusives are the integration with ESPN to provide streaming news
if your machine is online. Split-screen head-to-head fights are part of the
package, as well as online fights against other players. Overall, the
multiplayer is pretty good.
Just like the
360 version, gone are the health and energy meters. Instead you have to watch
your fighter and listen to his breathing, and judge the way he throws punches.
These will clue you in to the fact that no matter how wide open the target is,
if the punch lands there may not be much steam on it. Block, back away, get some
breathing space and recover some stamina.
This is very
much a game that asks gamers to watch for openings, as well as keep an eye on
their own fighter. There are several game modes available in the title as well
as three new punches known collectively as Impact Punches (the Haymaker, the
Flash KO punch, and the Stun Punch – more on these in a moment). The game modes
include Get in the Ring, Play Now, ESPN Classic (historic fights in which the
gamer can take on the role of one of the fighters, such Ali versus Frazier,
Robinson vs. Lamotta, Leonard vs. Duran to name but a few), Career, Game Mode
and Create A Champ.
There is a
routine to this game’s career mode that is very easy to step into. You pick or
create a fighter, begin in the amateur ranks, sign a fight contract, hire a
trainer, train up attributes, like power, agility, stamina, the ability to take
punches on various parts of the body, and then enter the ring and go toe-to-toe
against a smart AI foe. Different fighting styles are represented. You earn
money in the bouts, can hire trainers to improve stats, or afford better gear
that provides boosts to stats as well. You will get a rival in the amateur
ranks, who will pull off the same dirty head-butting tricks when you first face
him regardless of how many new fighters you create, who will shadow you through
your pro career.
Fighters move
and punch like their real-life counterparts, and you can create styles for your
fighter and even establish rivalries. Don’t expect to get much help from the
PS3’s SIXAXIS controller. The control scheme works well, and the SIXAXIS can but
used in only one way. Push it forward quickly (in a thrusting motion) and you
will perform an illegal move. But that is it.
The musical
score features hip-hop and some rap, but it blends into the game very well. The
announcers are very good with the only audio drawback being the crunching bones
heard regularly with the impact punches.
The graphics
are advertised as being cinematic and they are. Of course, there are pieces of
fly-away hair on some of the fighters – hair that clumps and sticks up. And
there are a few graphical stumbles, like clipping problems, moments when the
collision paths seem to disappear and the random framerate stutter. Some of the
rag-doll animations lack realism and are downright comical.
The PS3 online
component is far more robust than the 360, and there is a bit of a graphical
upgrade, utilizing the high-def functionality of the system much better than the
360. The Get in the Ring feature doesn’t just put you in the boxer’s shoes, you
see the fight through his eyes, and the ring movement is terrific, allowing
gamers to really feel like they are part of the fight. As you take damage, the
edges of the screen begin to blur out and the more damage you take, the worse
your vision becomes and the slower your reaction time. You can’t quite feel the
punches, thankfully, but the game does an excellent job or relaying the damage
and effects of those punches. Try to go toe-to-toe, and you may end up trying to
put the knockdown cursors together to rise off the canvas. In many regards, the
game becomes much more tactical.
With the added
components it is fair to say that Fight Night Round 3 is an overall better title
than its 360 counterpart. The visual enhancements are minor, but the online is
more robust and the Get in the Ring gives the game a whole new feel.
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Gameplay:
8.4
One SIXAXIS
move seems
likes a missed opportunity but still the game controls very well and the UI is
easy to navigate through. The Get in the Ring feature is fun and offers a brand
new perspective on the fight genre, though it seems odd how you can move beyond
your opponent’s reach – on occasion – and he still hits you.
Graphics:
8.7
A few clipping and
collision problems but the graphics are very nicely done, and positively sparkle
on a high-def screen.
Sound: 8.3
Sometime the
announcer seems a little too generic in how he is calling the fight. The musical
soundtrack grows on you.
Difficulty:
Medium
The game does have
several difficulty levels for players to set their own challenge level.
Concept: 8.4
A nice job done with
some extras to differentiate this title from its next-gen counterpart, but still
not enough to make this truly feel unique and a thoroughly different game.
Multiplayer:
8.7
Robust multiplayer
and other online features allow this game to shine. As is usually the case, it
is more fun to fight another player rather than the AI.
Overall: 8.4
A solid fight title
with some great features. There are a few stutters but generally this game will
keep you engrossed for a long time.
