Review: Fight Night Round 4

Mike Bantick
Monday, 17 August 2009 12:22

Entertainment

Each significant pop will result in a satisfying screen flash, and possibly a flailing, disorientated boxer. 

If your gladiator gets knocked to the canvas, it is time to play the ‘stagger’ mini-game, get yourself level and back on your feet and into the game.

Between rounds, your cutman can mend health, stamina and damage, spending points earned during the round to get your boxer back to his fighting best.

If the fight is memorable enough it will be recorded as an ESPN Classic Fight.  This will undoubtedly move your fighter up the boxing ranks as well as public popularity stakes.

It all works quite well, accessible enough for the peripheral pugilistic enthusiast, but deep enough to spend some time in the package.  The fighting feels strategic, during the game, be it single player or online you will find yourself studying the style and physic of opponents, to best judge the way to handle them.

Training consists of a variety of mini-games than can boost boxer stats accordingly, or be avoided all together.  The games are a mixed bag, some are ho-hum, others not only build virtual stats, but give human players real-world training with the controls themselves.

Ah, yes, the controls.  Gone are most of the button-mashing from previous ‘Rounds’.   Instead punching is controlled by the right stick, jabs, uppercuts, body blows (with the aid of the right trigger).  Blocking is also controlled in this manner, with buttons only being used for signature punches, illegal blows, pushing and clinching.

Moving around the ring uses the left stick, whilst bobbing and weaving also employs this stick with the left trigger – the one problem introduced here, is that it is impossible to move and weave/bob.

EA have bundled a bunch of goodies into this release, and the best part is the fifty or so famous likenesses from past and present that can be utilised in ‘what if’ bouts.

Grab George Foreman away from his grill to take on Lennox Lewis, ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard into the ring with Marvin Hagler or the classic cover matchup of Muhammad Ali (with ears very well protected) up against Mike Tyson.

Graphically, Fight Night Round 4 is a knock-out, with no camera issues and plenty of audio atmosphere, both crowd and commentator, that builds as venues get larger and the stakes get higher.

This is a game that feels polished, and caters for a broad range of boxing appreciation. 

8.5 Roundhouses out of 10