UFC Undisputed 2010 Preview (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)

Boom goes the dynamite.

With the exception of the Dreamcast version that came out a few years ago, there hasn’t been an Ultimate Fighting Championship game worth talking about leading into last year.  Then THQ and Yukes Entertainment gave us the astounding UFC 2009 Undisputed, a game that remarkably recaptured the physicality and rawness of the brutal fighting sport in video game form.  It has sold 3.5 million copies to date and has taken the UFC community by storm, despite mild imperfections.  With that, THQ is heading back to the octagon for a second try with the enhanced UFC Undisputed 2010, which it recently showed to us at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The first thing the company addresses with this follow-up is visual enhancements.  Nothing was particularly wrong with the way the game looked last year, but THQ is working closely with the team at Yukes to make them appear even more accurate.  Player models are paid much more attention to, from the material on their trunks shifting loose from their legs to their more individual animations. Movement is also a vital ingredient in the game, as big boys like Kimbo Slice and cover star Brock Lesnar move slower than the more efficient lightweights.  (That’s not to say they can’t hold their own, however.  Get in their grasp and it’s almost given that the match is over.)

Another item we noticed in the visuals are the improved sweat and blood effects.  If you effectively land an elbow on an opponent’s face (like Marquandt did Saturday night during his bout in UFC 109 Saturday night), the red stuff will come out.  It won’t gush onto the mat like it would in Mortal Kombat, but you’ll see it spread out on a chest, back, or any other place where the opponent’s face would touch you.  This greatly adds to the game’s realism, as do the reflective sweat effects.  (They were a little too glimmery in spots, but we’re sure Yukes will touch them up.)

Undisputed’s changes aren’t just cosmetic.  THQ and Yukes are also concentrating on tweaks to the gameplay.  Now, while we weren’t able to play the game to see how these changes feel (it was an eyes-on presentation only, we’re afraid), we could definitely see how some of them would take shape.

"What are you doing, falling in love? Leggo!"

First and foremost, the Southpaw stance is being included.  This was a huge component missing from the first game, as many fighters, including Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin, use this in their fighting stances.  The sways, ducks and weaves move faster this time around, so you don’t necessarily have to take every punch and kick that comes your way.  There’s also less button-mashing activity with Undisputed 2010, so you won’t have to tap buttons like crazy to get out of a submission hold.  You simply shift analog sticks around to slip your way into a reversal or escape.  It’s a much more accessible system.  Sambo, Karate, and Greco-Roman Wrestling styles are also introduced.

Speaking of systems, the transition portion of UFC Undisputed gets an overhaul for 2010.  You’ll find several changes here, including reanimated hold positions, transitions into the clinch-based submission moves, better positioning for takedowns (whether you’re running into one or going for a quick grab on a close opponent), and improved transition blocking, which ties into the use of analog sticks to escape an armbar or other submission rather than hitting buttons like a madman.  In other words, you’ll be able to do much more if you’re on the defensive, with more precise reversals.  By the same token, if you’re on the offensive, you’re not automatically screwed.  The possibility of switching to a new submission while you’re down on your opponent is very much there.  It all sounds like technical science, but the game will feel natural as a whole, especially if you’re a devoted UFC fan.

Submission, for the win.

If you’re not, don’t worry.  The tutorial mode returns in Undisputed 2010, walking you through every aspect of the gameplay.  You’ll understand submission holds, staying on the defensive, quick knockdown opportunities and which stances to use throughout each session.  You’ll need every one of these, as the game’s online modes are vastly expanding for this follow-up.  A new Tournament mode will be available this time around (complete with a morale system where both sponsors and fellow fighters are influenced by how you act during weigh-ins and interviews, so don't be a schmuck or else), along with extra modes that haven’t yet been disclosed.  Create-a-Fighter is back as well, so you can build yourself in a UFC mold and work your way to championship glory (if you stand a chance against Brock Lesnar, that is).

Other changes are also being thrown in for good measure.  The running commentary runs smoother than ever, backlogged from hours upon hours of UFC pay-per-views and programs.  (And, yes, Joe Rogan returns to talk more technical smack.)  There are a number of sponsors, which you can slap onto your fighter’s trunks to earn some extra moolah.  And last but not least, if you were wondering whether announcer Bruce “Iiiiiit’s Tiiiiiime!” Buffer made the cut this time around, don’t worry, he did.  (THQ even rendered his hair properly.)

UFC 2009 Undisputed was one hell of a debut for THQ’s foray into the franchise, and it appears that the 2010 edition should be even better.  Now it’s just a matter of getting some hands-on time with it and seeing how all these changes affect the overall gameplay.  With Yukes at the helm, however, we have complete faith in this product.  UFC Undisputed 2010 looks ready to score a knockout when it hits stores in late May.  (And we’ll be able to settle that Brock vs. Kimbo argument once and for all.)