Undisputed Game Review – The Rocky V Of Boxing Games

fortressofsolitude.co.za:

Nostalgia is a potent force. Just like you can’t talk about boxing movies without bringing up Sylvester Stallone’s mumbling underdog, Rocky, it’s impossible to mention boxing games without discussing EA’s iconic Fight Night franchise. So, even before stepping into the ring, Steel City Interactive had to know they were entering a title bout with Undisputed, their new boxing game. But much like Rocky in the early rounds against Ivan Drago, while the game lands some strong punches with its mechanics and gameplay, it struggles to stay on its feet when it comes to presentation and delivering a knockout blow of fun.

When you first load up the game, it feels like everything is set for a successful experience: the roster of fighters, the realistic character models and a tutorial that throws you straight into the action.

For the most part, Undisputed plays a lot like Fight Night Champion did. Same buttons. Same punching system. Same camera angles. Same gameplay. It’s clear as day that the developers studied EA’s title and made it their mission to bring that experience into the PS5 and Xbox Series X ring. And on the surface, everything checks out pretty well. Except that the more you play Undisputed, the more its flaws and weaknesses are shown. But before we get to what doesn’t work, let’s discuss what does.

Just like the real sport, in order to win fights, you need to work out a strong strategy. Undisputed doesn’t allow players to come out swinging punches. Those hoping to unleash their inner Rocky Balboa by taking a million punches to the skull will soon find themselves on canvas without Adrian there to cheer you back up. In other words, Undisputed plays like a true boxing sim: fighters get fatigued and sluggish in between swings and jabs, a miscalculated move could see you catch a haymaker to the chin, and using your feet and blocking punches sees you win points.

So, Undisputed mostly excels in the ring, though some of the fight venues and commentary hold it back from reaching