Octagon action for the console: UFC 4 invites you to a demanding break from fighting

Climb the throne of the cage fighters yourself – UFC 4 makes it possible. The player slips into the skin of Conor McGregor and Co. or brings his fighter to life. A successful career mode and improved gameplay not only leave bruises but also make a good impression.

Video game adaptations of mixed martial arts have long resembled the origins of the sport itself: wild backyard brawls without shine. That time is finally over with UFC 4. Octagon action in prime time mode is the order of the day. In the martial arts simulation from EA Sports, the player can slip into the skin of Conor McGregor and Co., as well as start his own career. With an entertaining career mode and dynamic fights, the fourth part of the series succeeds in what the sport already did in the Corona period – a sensational comeback that should inspire gamers.

With major US sports on hold at the start of the pandemic, the UFC resumed fighting back in May. Instead of screaming fans you could hear the clapping of leg kicks and uppercuts. However, nothing of the current state of emergency can be felt in the video game adaptation, the arenas are packed with virtual spectators. But the player is not cheered on by them: UFC 4 begins with the story mode, as a nobody you are discovered by Coach Davis in a street fight and taken under his wing to sign a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) – and later to become GOAT ("Greatest of all time").

Accordingly, the first thing the player can do is choose what his character looks like, what style he should fight with and in which weight class he should compete. Tattoos of all kinds, bizarre hairstyles or brightly colored clothes – there are no limits to the imagination when designing your own cage fighter. The career mode also functions as a tutorial to get to know the complex controls. The combinations of boxing, muay thai, wrestling and jiu jitsu are multifaceted and ensure a successful individualization of your own martial artist.

Amateur fights work your way into the professional field and learn more about the mechanics of the game with each fight. Once you have reached the top fighters, you have to market the upcoming duels yourself. Poster advertising, social media feuds or interviews … the more hype the fight gets, the better the pay. With the hard-earned money, the player can buy additional fighting techniques that are taught by the big UFC stars in a sparring round. However, the story sometimes lacks protagonists. Cutscenes with the stars of the scene would have been an asset.

Endurance and timing determined the battle

But the bread and butter business is extremely extensive: Players can improve their move set by repeatedly using attacks, blocks or task grips in training or in battles. Attributes such as endurance or punch and kick power must be upgraded with skill points that have to be earned. What is exciting about it is that injuries reset skills – regardless of whether bones and muscles give way in training sessions or in fights. Anyone who trains carelessly or regularly gets on their hats in the Octagon runs the risk of weakening themselves permanently.

For players who haven't played the predecessor from 2018, the combat system will be a challenge. Not only that there are countless move combinations of punches, kicks, takedowns and submissions. The whole thing must also be carried out with the right timing, forward-looking blocking and a constant view of the stamina bar. If you run out of breath due to hasty actions, you will be an easy victim for your opponent.

While in games like Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, wild button mashing occasionally leads to success, in UFC 4 only those who develop a feel for their own qualities and the weaknesses of the opponent are rewarded. Even striking range, weight and fighting styles have a noticeable effect on the duels in the Octagon. The gameplay is convincing: Above all, the changes between fist, clinch and wrestling are very fluid and convey a realistic MMA feeling.

Like a big event in Las Vegas

The staging is accordingly gripping. From the entry into the hall, the intro by ring announcer Bruce Buffer, to the faithful referees – UFC 4 feels like a big event in Las Vegas. The fans frenetically go along with successful actions, the US commentary by UFC legend Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik is always entertaining and to the point. The German commentary and also the synchronization are more of a weak point of the game, but you can turn it off at will.

In addition to the career mode, the game offers various online modes, but remains manageable. Ranking battles and a flash mode with modified rules, that's it. In contrast to its predecessor, EA also does without an "Ultimate Team" mode, which guarantees annual revenue of billions for series offshoots such as Fifa or Madden. To what extent a team mode makes sense in an individual sport was not clear to many MMA fans anyway. There are still microtransactions in the game, but these are mostly minimal cosmetic adjustments made by your own fighter.

With UFC 4, EA Sports has definitely taken the next step. In addition, there is an enormous selection of prominent fighters – more than 220 cage fighters are available, including UFC boss Dana White, Bruce Lee, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. The convincing career mode and improved gameplay are the great strengths of the martial arts simulation, in which you can hang around for hours or just take a short, entertaining break from fighting.