For veterans of UFC games, and the Undisputed franchise in particular, there are a lot of reasons to be excited for UFC Undisputed 3. Bucking a trend in the industry, THQ freed Undisputed from its annual release cycle. The two years since UFC Undisputed 2010′s release have been spent putting together the most immersive and realistic fighting game on the market. That’s right; I said “fighting game.”
THQ has been hard at work, soliciting feedback from top-tier Undisputed players on the things that they wanted most from the next iteration. They’ve also been running the game by competitive fighting gamers, working to incorporate the dynamics that people love about Street Fighter and other titles on the tournament circuit. All of this input has led to a game deeply rooted in the fundamentals of MMA, but with the cat and mouse, cerebral gameplay of the most respected fighting games ever made. The moment you stop thinking in UFC Undisputed 3 is the exact moment when a flash knockout leaves you on the ground wondering what day it is.
There is a ton of new content in UFC Undisputed 3. The title features over 150 fighters in every weight class from featherweight to heavyweight. One of the biggest additions to the latest outing is the inclusion of Pride fighting rules. Pride differs from UFC in a couple of ways. Elbows are not allowed, but you are permitted to kick an opponent in the head when he’s down. There’s no cage, with a more traditional ring keeping fighters in. The presentation for Pride mode is completely unique, featuring over the top announcers, Japanese high intensity techno music and the announcing team of Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros. Not only can you use UFC fighters in Pride mode and vice versa, fighters that have done time in each organization will have two versions with different stats and different appearances based on where they were in their careers while fighting with each brand. There are also two different settings for stamina. The Simulation setting sees players getting gassed much more quickly, making economy of strikes paramount.
Some of the other improvements this year include additional rules options, including “Tournament,” which removes random stoppages and other random presentation elements; and a stat equalizing option that takes the focus off the numbers, putting it on the fighting styles and strengths (and weaknesses) of each fighter. Choosing a fighter is part of the chess match and knowing your strengths as a player is critical. Of course, should you decide to play with the stats enabled, you’ll find that expanded categories make for a more detailed analysis. Footwork has been added and represents your ability to sway and move around the octagon. Grappling has also been split into top and bottom, as many fighters have uneven performance in the two positions.
