I wasn't quite ready for EA Sports UFC 2 when I first got the game up and running. I figured I would step into the Octagon, land some haymakers, a few roundhouse kicks, slap on a submission and call it a day. The difficulty was on easy, after all.
Not 0:45 seconds after the fight started, my limbs were flailing in the midst of the triangle choke, and I was down and out before my opponent worked up a sweat.
That's what UFC 2 will do to you if you're not careful. It will pound you and demoralize you, but you'll find yourself working and working to avoid any more embarrassing moments in your next fight.
In short: it's as authentic a UFC experience as a console's ever offered.
EA took a tough sport to accurately translate to a game, and actually cracked the code. Striking, grappling, submissions — it's all done better than any MMA title before it. Also, as engrossing as the gameplay is, the presentation is that much better.
It all comes together in a tight, explosive package of controlled violence, but after mastering the movements inside the Octagon, UFC 2 does suffer from some flimsy content that prevents it from reaching the heights of other sports titles on the market.
Presentation
There isn't anything in sports quite like the atmosphere of a UFC fight night. The crowd is a mixture of students of the game, amateur enthusiasts, gym rats and drunken rabble looking forward to a human car wreck wrapped in chain link.
EA had to bring that same feeling to the screen, or else none of this would have worked. By having that authentic crowd feel — complete with boisterous chants and some pained "oohs" and "ahs" — each fight has a real impact. Nothing here falls on deaf ears; there's a reaction to everything, whether it's Ronda Rousey's entrance to Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" or a pummeling courtesy of Conor McGregor.
It's not just the fans that made the journey to the gaming world, though. The music, the entrance theatrics, the in-depth announcing, the thunderous voice of Bruce Buffer — it's all here, and it all works.
Graphically, there aren't many sports games outside of MLB the Show that can compete with UFC. Each fighter is crafted down to the most minute details, including hair styles, musculature and some of the most impressive tattoo-work I've ever seen in a game. However, it's more than just the models. Fighters also have a range of facial expressions to sell the agony of a fight, the thrill of victory and the deflation of defeat. Submissions in particular look like life-and-death struggles, complete with clenched teeth, dripping blood and bent appendages.
Gameplay
Say what you will about UFC as a sport, but it's a lot more scientific than most people want to believe. It's not only about two guys or gals wailing on each other in a cage for five-minute rounds. There's a science behind it, and with science comes strategy. UFC 2 emulates much of that, while still balancing a casual gaming experience for even non-fans.
Fighters have a variety of skills in the game: some are kickboxers, strikers, karate technicians, grapplers, submissions experts, etc. Each skill is modeled off the fighter's real-life strengths and weaknesses, so expect Ronda Rousey to be a Judo pro, or Conor McGregor to come at you with feverish kicks. Know that a featherweight will handle far differently than a heavyweight.
Outside of the basic striking comes the grappling, which involves analog stick movements, in conjunction with perfect timing to branch into deeper and deeper holds. You can switch from position to position in order to confuse your opponent and get into that perfect spot for either a big takedown or submission move.
None of this is as simple as that, though. The submission system takes time to learn, and with the wrong fighter can be a complete waste of time. Another factor is the stamina, which gets depleted easily if you're not economical with your movements and strikes. This is where that strategy comes in, and it's why Practice Mode is so important here.
You can try and pummel your way to victory, and you might succeed at times, but as you progress to higher difficulties and more challenging opponents, it's important to know the ins and outs of what UFC 2 has to offer.
Game Modes
This is where UFC 2 falls a little flat. There is the usual online content, with fights and rankings to wade through, and then, there's career mode, which is the centerpiece of the single-player experience.
Here, you can make your own fighter and compete on The Ultimate Fighter, UFC's reality show that tries to find the next big thing. You start from the bottom, with barely any skills, and you have to build yourself up to the main roster and eventually challenge for the title.
To do this, however, is a grind. It's a grind of training, it's a grind of skill exercises and it's a grind of small-time bouts before you make it to the big leagues. It makes you earn your spot, but the repetitive nature can wear on you a bit.
Still, for those that would love to live a day in the shoes (or ankle tape) of these fighters, making a name for yourself and working through the ranks does have its charms. Like any RPG, seeing your character evolve and advance can become addictive.
Another of the game's highlights is Knockout Mode, which is exactly what it sounds like. Here, UFC is actually boiled down to two fighters going to town on each other in a cage. No takedowns, no submissions, no clinching — just fists and feet. It's like a classic fighting game, and it's useful if you just want to take some aggression out on the CPU or a friend.
Outside of those modes, and the create-a-fighter mode, which is fine but not overly impressive, UFC 2 doesn't have a whole lot going on. While other sports games have huge rosters to manage and seasons to play through, and WWE 2K16 touts dozens of match types, UFC doesn't have much to fall back on. What it does well, it does exceedingly well. There's just not a whole lot to do after a while.
The Verdict
For fans of the sport, UFC 2 is a no-brainer. It has top-notch presentation, an authentic feel and absolutely addictive (and punishing) gameplay. Though it might not have enough to hook casual gamers for weeks and months, hardcore loyalists won't find a better option out there.
EA Sports UFC 2 was reviewed on a PlayStation 4 on a copy of the game provided by EA.
