Fight Night Champion
EA Canada (2011)
Reviewed by JParks34 for Vizzed.com
The boxing series from EA has historically been a pretty memorable experience, starting with the Knockout Kings franchise. Knockout Kings featured a mixture of classic and current boxers, and of course the ability to create your own boxer and enter through the career mode.
EA Canada did things a little differently this time. First off, the new name is Fight Night Champion, which is a result of the main new feature, Champion mode, and what an excellent edition it is.
When you start the game, you aren't greeted with a menu. No difficulty settings, no options. You're in a fight, and you just got knocked down, and it's time to get up. You play the role of Andre Bishop, a fictional boxer who is in a prison fight. Take care of your opponent, and progress through the deep story.
Anything and everything happens along your way, and no one fight is exactly the same. Often there are twists to your fights, for example there is a crooked ref, and if you throw body shots he will always dock you for a low blow. You gotta go to the head, no other option. Another time you broke your right hand and gotta fight southpaw.
The story can seem a bit cliche at time, but really what all of these fights are doing is to train you how to be an overall, complete, and precise boxer. And you will need it for your showdown with Isaac Frost, which will likely be the toughest AI opponent you've had in a game since Mike Tyson himself on the NES. I don't want to spoil any specifics on the fight, just encourage you to experience it for yourself.
The controls are fluid and responsive, and feel natural. Fighting with the analog stick to control your punches is highly recommended, but you can use the traditional punch layout if you wish. But again, using the analog stick is highly recommended for maximum efficiency. Flicking the stick right throws a right punch, left a left punch. Drag the stick down, and then circle it up for a viscous uppercut, or circle it without going down for a quick cross.
Blocking and weaving and counter-attacking is also a big part of fighting. Some of your most critical attacks will be after a weave and a counter, and don't forget to block those quick jabs your opponent will try to wear you down with. Don't think you can win just from absorbing punches and punching them back, it won't happen.
Other than champion mode, Legacy mode is back from previous games. It is very similar to Fight Night Round 4, but that's not a bad thing. You earn experience points for your boxer, and you work your way up one fight at a time, training every chance you get a long the way. It's a very well done and very worthwhile journey, but you owe it to yourself to go the Champion mode route first.
Unfortunately, despite the favorable reception from the game, EA is focusing its efforts on UFC fighting now, and the Fight Night franchise is on hold for the time being. However, you can pick this up for a bargain price of under $20 from just about any video game retailer. You can even purchase just the Champion mode on the PSN (not sure about xbox live).
Graphics (9/10): The blood in this game would make Dexter Morgan proud. Realistic cuts are aplenty, boxing animations are very well done, overall the greatest looking boxing game available hands down.
Sound (8/10): Music is your standard hip-hop affair, but the dialogue in champion mode, and the feedback from your trainer during a fight are all very well down. Just not crazy about the music.
Addictiveness (9/10): It's hard to put down the champion mode, and for good reason. You won't want to stop, and it doesn't take long to reach the end. But once you get there, the final fight could take you longer than the rest of the mode combined. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did!
Story (9/10): A story worthy of a big budget movie honestly, it is really well done and feels just like a movie the whole time you are experiencing it. A bit cliche, but it doesn't ruin it.
Difficulty (9/10): There are a few difficult fights during champion mode, and they all combine into one for your final showdown against Isaac Frost. You have to have a defensive strategy, or you will fail, in just about every fight. You can't just sit there and be a swinging punching bag, it won't work.
Thank you for reading another of my reviews. Again, it isn't 100% fresh, but this is one of my top 5 current gen games and it didn't have a review, or even a rating, so I couldn't let it just sit here empty.
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