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After a long stretch between games, the UFC finally returns to the Playstation 3 and X-Box 360 with the release of UFC Undisputed 3. With many improvements and one horrendous issue, UFC Undisputed 3 has made a lot of great strides since UFC Undisputed 2010. Just a note before the review continues on, I am doing the review based on the Playstation 3 version of the game, not the X-Box 360 version.
The best feature of this edition of the game is the addition of PRIDE, which was the biggest MMA promotion in the world before the UFC purchased it years ago. The presentation is off the charts here, from the ring announcers to the fighters entrances and referee wearing the camera on their heads. An even better feature to this mode is that PRIDE announcers Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros return to provide fight commentary.
While the obviously returning UFC mode is in the game, outside of full ring entrances, nothing much has changed from a presentation perspective. The major change comes in the new submission system, which makes it easier for rookies and veterans alike to play. Essentially, when a submission is attempted, a red and blue bar appear around an octagon and it is up to the player attempting the submission to cover the other persons bar long enough to force a tap out.
The roster is simply stunning with this game, with well over 150 different fighters that are playable right off the bat. What is even better is that when defeating fighters in title defense mode, you can unlock them to play in the rest of the game. In a short amount of time, I was unable to unlock Royce Gracie, Akihiro Gono, Chuck Liddell, Dan Severn, Heath Herring and others through title defense and shop modes.
Career mode has been revamped in this game as well, with the main improvements coming in the fighter training and video cut scenes. This third entry in the genre feature many mini games that help train your created fighter in strikes, submissions, transitions, takedowns and more. Also, there are videos featuring various UFC fighters spliced throughout career mode as your fighter advances that talk about fighting, UFC debuts, injuries, training and so on.
The lone problem I had with this game is the online mode, which has been the best feature of the previous two UFC game incarnations. It seems that finding a fight in this year’s online mode is a real challenge, taking many minutes before an opponent can be found. The UFC has admitted to server issues with the online mode of the game and hopefully this can be rectified before it’s too late.
Online issues aside, UFC Undisputed 3 is easily the best game in the series and it would be a true shame for MMA fans to miss it.
You can purchase it at the PWInsider Store for only $59.99!
Follow me on Twitter @DaveTeesMMA
Contact me at bigteesps3@yahoo.com
