Fight Night Round 4 [PS3] Review: "Fun And Problematic"

Flashing Lights, Glistening Sweat The Rest You Can Pay For Via DLC

If there is something positive to be said about this current generation's need to sequel-ize popular games, it would be how well developers listen to consumers. While there are plenty of exceptions to the rule -- look how long its taken Madden to release a more accessible "arcade" game. Electronic Arts publishing Fight Night: Round 4 says a lot about this franchise and the gamers who love the series. With a fight system as deep as a Madden playbook, Round 4 is balanced with an approachable tutorial and a collection of current and classic boxers. Though Round 4 is the best boxing game of this generation, loose controls and inconsistent fight mechanics may turn hardcore fighting fans off.

Protip: Keep Your Hands Up And Excercise Better Tattoo Decisions

As a fighting game fan it took a lot to pull me out of my dragon punch or fireball manner of thinking. Aside from UFC's Undisputed 2009, Round 4 pulled me back into what makes fighting sims [the best way for me to broadly describe this genre] a welcomed change of pace. Upon creating my player, I was still struggling from Japanese-made fighting game withdrawal. "Wait. So there is no Bruce Lee inspired boxer?" It has been quite a while since I have seen or played anything boxing related. The last fight I watched involved Manny Pacquiao beating some old guy's face into a bloody mess while the announcers complained about the barbarism in mixed martial arts. Cycling through the dozens of Ali's, Jones Jr's and Tyson's -- I recognized why Fight Night is important. Sure Round 4 can be played in quick bursts and is the suggested method of play to get use to game play, but the depth in Round 4 lies in the rich Legacy Mode.

Legacy Mode allows you to create a slugger and climb the ranks of your preferred weight class. To the benefit of the more casual gamer, don't expect a create-a-player system as in depth as the eyebrow ridge adjusting found in last year's UFC Undisputed game. Take your fighter online and rack up wins, rank and the occasional trophy. There is not a lot to hate about Round 4 considering the game is balanced for such a large age group. Setting up a fantasy match between Muhammad Ali playing as Frazier or Toney and being educated on the sweet science of what boxing was and what boxing could be.

I 'Almost' Want To Buy The Holyfield DLC Just So I Can Bite The Hell Out Of Him.

The few negatives against the almost-perfect pugilistic sim are poignant. Why put boxers in the trailer and opening of Round 4 when later it is shown that the only way to unlock said boxers is by paying. Fight Night isn't the first game to withhold content already on-disc, but its a stink gaming doesn't need. The hit detection is slow and staggered making most of the advanced fights strictly rely on counter-punches and haymakers. Lastly, the seasoned announcers [Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore] clearly have recorded plenty of dialog for the play-by-play action. It is unfortunate that a little under half of the dialog is centered around what's wrong with boxing. Though boxing and gaming may have its ethical issues, it is a little cool to see these issues addressed in this game. And yes, you can bite a boxer's ear.

I Give Fight Night: Round 4...

Let's Hope Games Don't Get Too Comfortable With This Award
The "Glorious Nickel And Dime" Award