A few years ago, EA changed up their
boxing game substantially with the launch of Fight Night Round 3. The game
boasted a fully analog control scheme, a great roster of fighters, and some
groundbreaking graphics, making it the most compelling boxing game for years.
Now, EA is launching Fight Night Round 4, pushing the genre even further.
Fight Night Round 4 ups the ante
from its predecessor with improved mechanics, including a great counter system,
an even bigger roster of fighters, and an improved career mode (rebranded Legacy
mode). Additionally, the game features a Heads Up Display (HUD), something that
was missing from Round 3, which lets you know your current health, stamina, and
block ability at any time, something that will undoubtedly help out newcomers
unfamiliar with how to read a boxer’s fatigue. Fight Night Round 4 is another
great title in the Fight Night franchise, and well worth a look from fans of the
sport.
Fight Night Round 4 boasts an
impressive roster of fighters. Returning or fan favorites like George Foreman,
Muhammad Ali, and Lennox Lewis. However, the biggest news out of the roster is
the inclusion of Iron Mike Tyson. For the first time, you can actually play as
Mike Tyson at the prime of his career in a video-game, which is a great inclusion
for fans of the sport.
Taking the place of Round 3’s career
mode is the Legacy mode. In the Legacy Mode, you can take a boxer up through the
ranks from an amateur to world champion. Instead of importing your created boxer
over for this mode, you can actually take one of the existing members of the
roster through the ropes to being champion. In the Legacy mode, you must choose
when and with whom to schedule your fights, as well as your training sessions,
while being mindful of your required rest time. You’ll also have to accept or
decline challenges and rematch offers should they come your way. Also, you’ll
earn awards at the end of the year, and have to track the progress of up and
comers in your weight class as well as others. The Legacy mode is very deep, and
should keep fans busy for a long time.
In order to improve your fighter’s
attributes in the Legacy mode, the game boasts six training games, up from four
in the last version. The one problem with these mini training games is that they
are quite difficult if you’re not somewhat experienced with the game’s
mechanics. This can lead to some undue frustration when trying to give your
character some better attributes during his formative early fights. While you
can auto-train your fighter in attributes of your choosing, you won’t get the
biggest improvements unless you master the training sequences yourself.
The game takes a much more visceral
approach to its counter system than previous years. In order to pull off a
counter, you must block or dodge an opponent’s punch at just the right time, at
which point the camera will shift indicating that your opponent is wide open for
a hit. Hitting them at the right time will cause the screen to flash yellow
briefly, taking a nice chunk out of their health (more than a regular punch) and
even has the potential to stun them, allowing you to unload a torrent of punches
that won’t cost you stamina while at the same time preventing your opponent from
regenerating health.
The game’s AI is great, adapting
realistically to your fighting style and exploiting your weaknesses. For
example, if you attack your opponent with a flurry of punches, they’ll
eventually start countering you pretty heavily. Additionally, if you favor
punching on one side, you’ll find yourself blocked often as tire yourself out.
This requires you to be a defensive player going in, and countering your
opponent’s attacks and changing up your strategy often in order to win.
Graphically, the game is a tour de
force, looking even better than its revolutionary predecessor. The character
models sport even better animations and boast tons of realistic details like
flexing muscles and dripping sweat as they fight. The licensed fighters look
very authentic too, capturing the essence of their real-life counterparts very
nicely. While it seems that they toned down the bruises and swelling that your
boxer gets as they fight (perhaps due to the return of a HUD), the game still
looks amazing, and moves at a very solid 60 frames per second as well.
The sound effects are also well
done. The soundtrack is composed of rap and indie tracks, and is generally only
heard in the menus and ring entrances, and the commentary does a great job of
reflecting the fight action, and will even talk about your fighting style and
career highlights in the legacy mode. The impact noises are the only true
disappointment, as face hits and body hits sound far too similar.
Fight Night Round 4 is a great
addition to the Fight Night franchise, with improved mechanics, a great roster
of fighters, and amazing graphics. Boxing fans should definitely give it a look.
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Gameplay: 9.0
The game makes subtle improvements to the franchise’s pugilism, with a great
counter system, a much improved Legacy mode, and a fine roster of boxers,
including Mike Tyson for the first time.
Graphics: 9.5
Although the bruises and facial damage that your boxer experiences may have
been toned down a bit, the character models still look absolutely amazing,
featuring an insane amount of detail and fantastic animations. The smooth new 60
fps framerate is also an awesome new addition.
Sound: 8.5
The music is nicely done, and the grunts and sounds that your boxer makes as
they fight do a great job of reflecting the fatigue that sets in. Some of the
impact noises could have been mixed up a little bit, however.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 9.0
The game adds some subtle updates and adjustments, turning the game away
from being a button-mashing experience to one that employs a lot of strategy
thanks to a great counter system. The changes to the career (Legacy) mode also
make it a title that you’ll undoubtedly sink a lot of hours into.
Multiplayer: 8.5
The biggest online addition are the Online World Championships, which create
a lot of potential for online tournaments.
Overall: 9.0
With a solid new counter system, a great Legacy mode, and incredible
graphics, Fight Night Round 4 is one game that no boxing fan will want to miss
out on.
