UFC Undisputed 2010

[Turd Ferguson]

I'm not really a gamer. All I really play are sports games like MLB The Show, Madden, and the NBA2K franchise. I play stuff like Assassin's Creed and GTA every now and then, but for the most part, sports games are my primary level of interest. The sports game I found myself playing the most last year though, was UFC 2009 Undisputed. I was psyched that not only a UFC game was finally released, but that it was really good and a lot of fun to play. I mean, sure, there were a lot of kinks to work out, such as fighters who couldn't be any more different having the same type of fighting style, the transitioning/submission system took awhile to get used to, and you couldn't "Couture" someone (push them up against the cage and fire away). Plus, the career mode could have been a lot more in-depth. Your created fighter never aged in it.

Despite these minor gripes, I found the game so much fun to play. It had a lot of replay value, as half the time, I'd play out the upcoming fights. However, the roster quickly started becoming outdated too, and and there were so many times where you'd wish you could play as someone else who wasn't in the game.

UFC Undisputed 2010 comes out next month, and the demo comes out today (for registered members of the UFC Undisputed community only... sign up now, otherwise you'll have to wait until next week). I've been trying to get so much info on this game, and I really can't wait for it. I'm going to be playing the shit out of the demo over the next month, which includes Lyoto Machida, Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson, and Rashad Evans.

The minor gripes I had with this game are rectified with the new version coming out. The transition/submission game is going to be redesigned. You can push guys up against the cage. The career mode is revamped, more in-depth, and makes a lot more sense as you're not in the UFC your first fight... you have to start in the WFA (a defunct promotion the UFC bought out). More fighting styles have been added.

The roster is so much more in-depth... I think they said 110 fighters will be included, and you can view the full list here (http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/4/27/1448006/ufc-undisputed-2010-full-roster).

A few things to note for bonus fighters:

1.) Marcus Jones, James McSweeney, Brendan Schaub, and Roy Nelson are your Gamestop Exclusive fighters. Obviously, it makes it worth your while to buy your game from there this year so you can use Big Country.

2.) If you own a PS3, then you get exclusive fighters: Dan Severn, Royce Gracie, and Jens Pulver. X-Box owners don't get any exclusive characters.

3.) Despite Dan Henderson, Eddie Sanchez, Andrei Arlovski, and Denis Kang long gone from the UFC, they'll be in the game.

4.) They added a lot of fighters including Shane Carwin, Junior Dos Santos, and Chael Sonnen.

I can't wait for it to come out. It drops on May 25.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

So, I spent some time playing the demo last night (after a major debacle with the codes they gave out in order to have the ability to download/play the demo a week early), and I love the game. It blows last year's game out of the water. The fighters move with a lot more fluidity. The game is more fast-paced and better flowing. Machida has his stance in the game now, and the computer fights like Machida would. When you get your opponent on the ground, you actually have to fight to posture up, rather than just automatically being in that position. Kicks are a lot more realistic looking, and head kicks are a lot harder to pull off. If nothing is going on on the ground, the ref is a lot more willing to stand up the fighters. This is both good and bad though. Too many people must have complained about people working the ground game, and if you're using a guy like Fitch (like I loved to do, trolling people online), it's going to be a lot harder to use what he does best with the ref more willing to do standups. It's a lot harder to transition and reverse in both the clinch and on the ground.

Presentation-wise, it's so much better. Dana and the Fertittas are sitting on the outside. The Athletic Commission guys are in the ring before the fight starts. After the fight, the guys wear their shirts when the fight is over. The game is a lot harder.

Either way, once you play the demo, you can't go back to 2009. It's just so much better and a really different game.

 

[Minor League Brian]

I have it, and I'm playing it now. Its weird. It feels just like 09 to me but...at the same time very different, but something I can't place. I'm not sure how to use the new sway fighting motion and I have no idea how to work the new ground game yet, but I'm sure "ll see the new additions sooner or later. Right now, though, I'm loving this game.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

My major complaint: It appears Cecil Peoples was a consultant for this game because leg kicks still don't do a lot of damage if at all. I must have leg kicked Machida about 20 times last night with Shogun, and it didn't do much damage at all, to the point where he was still moving around as if he hadn't been given one major leg kick.

I hope that's one thing they rectify for the final version of the game. Don't kid yourself, leg kicks do a lot of damage. Ask yourself this: Would you want to be kicked in the leg at will? It's going to hurt, badly, and its how Forrest Griffin beat Rampage for the title. It's how Shogun limited the offense of Lyoto Machida in their fight, and it's how Jose Aldo destroyed Urijah Faber in their fight last Saturday. Look at Faber's leg here:

I don't know how anyone could say leg kicks are ineffective and don't end fights. That's a pretty clearcut case of it right there.

 

[INDYjon22]

I can't wait for this game to come out. I have yet to play the demo, but am looking forward to it very much. I loved the first Undisputed and from the screen shots I have seen for this one, it will be much better. I can't attest to the game play or anything yet, so I will just take your words, Guy and MLB.

I am really looking forward to the larger roster. I found last years roster good but very boring after a few plays. It was just much to limited for a roster that has close to, if not more than, 200 guys on it. Sure they can't have everyone but they should be able to get the top guys, middle guys and some lower guys in it. At least all the guys with name value.

Something I hope to see, but doubt to see, is a mode where you can play through the Ultimate Fighter and earn your spot in the UFC and then build your legacy up, similar to Forrest Griffin's real life career. I think it would be fun as hell to play through that mode. In addition, I would like to see a renewed create a fighter feature that has some more features to help customize your fighter.

 

[Minor League Brian]

I dunno man. I had it on Expert and Machida was TEARING me up standing, he was dodging everything with the sway and jab so I moved to the leg kicks. It wasn't as if it really slowed him down, but I did start knocking him down just from leg kicks. He'd try to dodge a punch and I'd kick his leg out from under him. I like the little they have added.

But DAMNIT they need a Tutorial! I don't know how to work the sway anymore.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

I dunno man. I had it on Expert and Machida was TEARING me up standing, he was dodging everything with the sway and jab so I moved to the leg kicks. It wasn't as if it really slowed him down, but I did start knocking him down just from leg kicks. He'd try to dodge a punch and I'd kick his leg out from under him. I like the little they have added.

But DAMNIT they need a Tutorial! I don't know how to work the sway anymore.

Oh awesome. I'll have to give leg kicks another shot then.

I agree with the Tutorial. The controls seem to have gotten a little more advanced than last year, plus it wouldn't hurt to freshen up on how to do certain things. In addition to that, there are still people who are going to be going into this cold, never having played the previous game... having some sort of tutorial there to help them along would be nice.

I agree with you, Jon. The limited roster kind of started to wear on my enjoyment of the game last year. There are only so many interesting fights/fighters you can do/use. I'll post the full roster here. I wish they kept Tim Sylvia in instead of Eddie Sanchez. I loved beating the crap out of him with every other Heavyweight in the game.

Spoiler

HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
Mustapha Al-Turk (N)
Andrei Arlovski
Pat Barry (N)
Shane Carwin (N)
Mirko Cro Cop
Junior Dos Santos (N)
Todd Duffee (N)
Gabriel Gonzaga
Antoni Hardonk
Heath Herring
Marcus Jones (P)
Cheick Kongo
Brock Lesnar
Justin McCully
James McSweeney (P)
Frank Mir
Roy Nelson (P)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Eddie Sanchez
Brendan Schaub (P)
Dan Severn (L)
Kimbo Slice (N)
Stefan Struve (N)
Cain Velasquez
Fabricio Werdum

HEAVYWEIGHT & LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISIONS
Mark Coleman
Brandon Vera

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
Ryan Bader
Stephan Bonnar
Jason Brilz (N)
Luiz Cane (N)
Steve Cantwell (N)
Rashad Evans
Forrest Griffin
Matt Hamill (N)
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
Keith Jardine
Jon Jones (N)
Chuck Liddell
Lyoto Machida
Tito Ortiz
Mauricio Rua
Thiago Silva
Krzysztof Soszynski (N)

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT & MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISIONS
Vitor Belfort (N)
Michael Bisping
Rich Franklin
Wilson Gouveia
Dan Henderson
Anderson Silva
Wanderlei Silva

MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION
Yoshihiro Akiyama (N)
Ricardo Almeida
Alan Belcher (N)
Patrick Cote (N)
Kendall Grove
Dennis Kang (N)
Chris Leben
Demian Maia
Nate Marquardt
Drew McFedries
Dan Miller (N)
Yushin Okami
Nate Quarry (N)
Chael Sonnen (N)

MIDDLEWEIGHT & WELTERWEIGHT DIVISIONS
Martin Kampmann
Mike Swick

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION
Thiago Alves
Carlos Condit (N)
Marcus Davis
Jon Fitch
Royce Gracie (L)
Dan Hardy (N)
Dustin Hazelett (N)
Matt Hughes
Anthony Johnson
Dong Hyun Kim (N)
Josh Koscheck
Chris Lytle
Karo Parisyan
Amir Sadollah
Georges St-Pierre
Paulo Thiago (N)
Frank Trigg (N)
James Wilks (N)

WELTERWEIGHT & LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISIONS
BJ Penn
Diego Sanchez
Matt Serra
Sean Sherk

LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION
Nate Diaz
Frankie Edgar
Efrain Escudero
Terry Etim (N)
Spencer Fisher
Kenny Florian
Hermes Franca
Tyson Griffin
Clay Guida (N)
Joe Lauzon
Gray Maynard
Cole Miller (N)
Ross Pearson (N)
Kurt Pellegrino (N)
Jens Pulver (L)
Dennis Siver (N)
Joe Stevenson
Caol Uno (N)

 

[Mr. Steve]

I pretty much think the demo alone blew '09 out of the water. Right now, the demo offers a better gameplay experience than '09. And I'm just using Rampage and Shogun to pretty much have an idea of how the gameplay affects your strategy.

THQ put up a tutorial in their facebook page, regarding submission attempts, submission switches. Obviously, those two had the more obvious change of it all.

What would be fun for me to see is a two-CD game. One would obviously carry the exhibition and multiplayer/online, and the second would carry the career mode. That way, they have more elbow room, and put things the fans would want to play out (go to TUF, and build up your cred or start at WFA, and build up your skills). Then gain, that would constitute as wishful thinking for me.

 

[JohnnyDrama]

the demo is fucking amazing, i cant go back to '09 after that. i noticed though when i did leg kicks ( i was using shogun) i kept it going for like 3 rounds and in the 4th machida was moving very slowly he wasnt really doing anything. i wanted to see if they would stop the fight if i was just using leg kicks, but they didnt :/. oh well i love the game so far and cant wait for the release.

 

[Dave]

This is the game that I have been looking forward to since the Spike VGA's last year and it looks as though it is not going to disappoint me in any way.

Normally, I am the sort of person that dives right into demo's and figures out what the game is going to be like before it is even released but not with this game. My level of expectation is so high that a half-finished demo will not cut it. That being said, I have looked on Youtube for some videos that tell people what is new in the game and I could not be more excited about what is to come.

Having played UFC Undisputed 2009 for a gargantuan amount of hours over the last year, I can safely say that I have exhausted it and picked up both the good and bad parts of the game. The good things were how intuitive it was and how it actually felt as though you were doing some major damage to the fighter you were against and at the time, the consoles were really screaming out for a fighting game to come out that would capitalize on the boom in the UFC's popularity and that is exactly what happened. THQ, renowned for doing pretty good WWE games really pulled out all of the stops and gave us a game that we could be proud of as both video games fans and as MMA fans.

That being said, the game was not without flaw by any manner or means. There were so many kinks to work out of the game, that I never really bothered going online because that was where they were most noticeable. The first of which was the unbalanced gameplay. I once started a game where I was against a level 50 fighter and at the time, I was only rank 30ish. I thought for sure that I was going to tear him apart when he chose Lesnar and I took Mir. However, when the fight started, I knew I was going to be up against it. After the tale of the tape, the screen went black and when the picture was finally restored, he was in the mount already and the gameplay was laggy. Needless to say, I lost and I was pissed off. However, I didn't leave and this was another major flaw in the game. For a long time, if you lost, you could leave the match and you would not be punished for it. It was ridiculous.

Another bad point of this game was the career mode. From start to finish it was just the most boring and repetitive thing you have ever seen. You would constantly be fighting the same people when you got to the top and the only reprieve from the sparring sessions and huge loading and saving times was the camps. I see that they have fixed that this time around and the camps are actually going to be more interactive and you will work towards different skills at different camps this time. Once you got to the top of the division, you would fight the same four fighters for the next 20 something fights and it was boring. I would personally like more of a journey in the career. Like coming up from a feeder establishment, which I believe will be in it. Happy days!

That being said, the game looks miles better than last year's attempt. Everything looks much more fluid and there is many more fighters to choose from. You can end fights from anywhere this time instead of having to either stand and brawl or get into the mount. It looks as if they are going to reward people for more intuitive and risky gameplay and it looks brilliant. I can't wait to play it.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

I have played the demo and I can't wait to play the full version! the cage slams are phoenominal! I STILL can't for the life of me figure out how to make someone submit, but I've had a few "flash" KO's in the demo. Absolutely amazing.

 

[Mr. Truth]

I loved 2009 and still play it. Played the demo and it definitely shows there won't be a "sophomore slump." However, I can't submission escape. I was able to do this in 2009 but can't on this one for some reason, even on beginner. Did they change that up or something?

 

[Kashagi]

Downloaded the demo and have been playing it here and there with my brother, havent been able to play 2009 since.

This one just feels so much better, more smooth and at a better speed. I have only really used Machida as Karate is proving to be very fun. Though I feel like I can kick my opponent all the times in the world and it doesnt seem to do nearly as much damage as it realistically should.

This demo has convinced me to buy, looking forward to the full game.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

The early reviews are in, and they're terrific.

Gamepro, which I think is probably the most legitimate place for video game reviews, gave it a 5/5.

Edge Magazine, which is notoriously harsh on giving reviews (they've only given 12 games a perfect 10/10), gave it a 9/10.

Here's what Edge wrote:

Pound-for-pound, this year’s Undisputed is one of the best sports titles in recent memory, not to mention one of the best fighting games. That every last concern raised in our 2009 review has been addressed, most gaps in the system closed, is just the tip of the iceberg. Greco-Roman wrestling and dirty boxing are more fully represented now, and the cage is an active participant in both ground and stand-up. The ground system has been revised for the sake of strategic parity between its many positions, while the full mount is harder to achieve and convert into lethal ground-and-pound.

The result is that an aggressive defence is a more viable option in 2010, each individual style bringing its own opportunities. Thanks to a renewed relationship between the game and its Havok physics, reversals aren’t just Pavlovian button taps – well, not quite - but solutions to the riddles of clinch and posture. The lynchpin of the transformed stand-up game is a sway system which, among other things, gives flash KOs a rare technical merit. On a more minor note, Undisputed’s irritating nickname system has been joined by an infinitely preferable, Codemasters-style naming system, each option voiced by the venerable voice of the Octagon – and he really earns his stripes on this one – Bruce Buffer.

Seriously, the fact that you can use the cage now is incredible. Between pinning your opponent up against it and firing away, to having the ability to slam them when they're pushed against it (much more impact than slamming from the clinch), to being on the ground and having the ability to push yourself off the cage and flip around on your opponent, the possibilities of how to use the cage are endless and I'm still finding out new things on the demo.

This game KILLS your wrists through with the amount of transitioning you have to do. I also can't wait to play online and troll the shit out of people with Jon Fitch. If it's one thing people online typically don't work on, it's their ground defense. Getting called things like a "******" and other names as you stay on top of them for three rounds is always entertaining.

 

[Freddy4190]

I just played the game for about 6 hrs doing career mode. Beautiful game. I knocked out Lesnar. Can never work submissions right though.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

I love this new game and i have been playing the game non stop since i got but i only have 1 complaint and the career mode the whole deteriorating skill stats makes the career mode a lot more difficult then last years. Everything else with the game is great and i love the whole new Title Defense mode

 

[Mr. Truth]

So after a few online fights it's rather pissing me off. No one wants to standup and fight at all. That's not how actual UFC is, and its obnoxious.

 

[Ferbian]

I've been playing this game for the past two hours time, and I must admit I'm loving it, even if I don't know 90% of the roster (only knowing the rest through you guys) I have to admit I'm still entertained with it.

I've been playing the exhibition play for a little while, playing about 4-5 matches where I got absolutely murdered 3 of the times, (on beginner, yes I suck at first in almost every game) and I thought it was entertaining, even if I'm struggling to knowing the most of the holds and how to apply them (still trying to figure out how the hell I make them tap out from a Kimura) but it was still fun when I realized I could walk through a whole tournament winning through knocking out my opponents with punches (I played a tournament with BJ penn 16 man tournament).

I think it's a great game, as soon as you get the hold of it, I think it's gonna be much more awesome, it's a little bit like the Smackdown Vs Raw series, when you learn the holds and how to apply them, the game gets a complete new meaning.

Great game, without a doubt.

 

[Kashagi]

So after a few online fights it's rather pissing me off. No one wants to standup and fight at all. That's not how actual UFC is, and its obnoxious.

I have read that people are considering the standup to be very overpowered this year, with little stamina reduction compared to ground and pound. I cant give my opinion as I havent played enough, I had a play at a net cafe just the other day. I need to play it alot more but I enjoyed what I saw, and was not disappointed.

A few matches in, I decided to go Kimbo for giggles, and indeed I got giggles. I do not remember who I was again, Cro Cop perhaps.. But mainly because I didnt want to play seriously with someone like Kimbo. I just threw punches and nothing else. I was amazed and amused when the fight lasted about 40 seconds, Kimbo gassed and began moving at a snails pace, and was destroyed with just 3 or 4 punches. +1 for realism.

 

[Mr. Truth]

I've been playing the exhibition play for a little while, playing about 4-5 matches where I got absolutely murdered 3 of the times, (on beginner, yes I suck at first in almost every game) and I thought it was entertaining, even if I'm struggling to knowing the most of the holds and how to apply them (still trying to figure out how the hell I make them tap out from a Kimura) but it was still fun when I realized I could walk through a whole tournament winning through knocking out my opponents with punches (I played a tournament with BJ penn 16 man tournament).

It's incredibly difficult to sub the computer out. It usually takes until the 3rd round to even get a decent attempt to sub. After playing online for a few more hours, I find it even more easy to sub people out, even though I prefer punching. People tend to be overly aggressive with technique punches and gas quickly making it incredibly easy to sub them.

 

[Ferbian]

It's incredibly difficult to sub the computer out. It usually takes until the 3rd round to even get a decent attempt to sub. After playing online for a few more hours, I find it even more easy to sub people out, even though I prefer punching. People tend to be overly aggressive with technique punches and gas quickly making it incredibly easy to sub them.

Funny you should mention the aggressive punching, and kinda embarrassing afterwards to admit that I'm among those people.

But I'm not sure whether I'm doing it right, as I said, it's completely different from Smackdown Vs Raw so I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to be twisting the right controller (thingie) or pressing the buttons rapidly, either way never seems to work, but I'm good at knocking the computer's ass out.

 

[Mr. Truth]

Funny you should mention the aggressive punching, and kinda embarrassing afterwards to admit that I'm among those people.

But I'm not sure whether I'm doing it right, as I said, it's completely different from Smackdown Vs Raw so I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to be twisting the right controller (thingie) or pressing the buttons rapidly, either way never seems to work, but I'm good at knocking the computer's ass out.

It took me a few days to figure it out, but you dont mash the buttons at all to sub or break out of one. Last year, it worked like that. I've still yet to make the computer tap so I can't tell you exactly for that, but you just start a sub on a human opponent when the stamina is low and when its nearly done, you have to spin the right stick to crank the sub.

 

[Ferbian]

Very well, I have yet to really go anywhere in the Xbox live part of gaming, still need to make some arranges with a switch and connections etc.

But I can imagine once you get the hand of it, this game is absolutely hilarious, I'm already enjoying the game, having played a little bit with a few guys here and there, the training was done using Tito Ortiz and Rampage Jackson, then I tried for fun a bit with Brock Lesnar, then I did the tournament with BJ Penn and ultimately started the championship part of game mode with Stefan Struve.

 

[INDYjon22]

I love the new Undisputed, it is leagues better then the first game. I am still learning everything because the game is just so much deeper then the first game. I haven't been able to figure out the sway motion yet but I have gotten much better at submissions, something I was terrible at in the original.

I really enjoy the tournament mode. It is fun to set up my own kind of Ultimate Fighter tournament but with more established fighters. It is also interesting to see some of the upsets the computer comes up with, even if that isn't all that special. I also enjoy the Title Defense mode since each fight gets harder and harder as it goes. I haven't gotten a chance to get very deep in the career mode yet but it seems very promising.