Fight Night Champion is without a doubt, one of the most gruelling and emotionally draining sporting games for the ps3 and the reason for this is that the game will continually pit the player against challenging foes, including a plethora of different professional and famous boxers. This is one boxing game that sporting fans everywhere will want to have in their collection.
Gameplay
It is the fifth title to be released in the franchise and the end result is a very impressive one: for the developers have gone to significant efforts to try and ensure that the gameplay is as streamlined and competent as possible. Previous instalments of this franchise which ultimately were dogged by a plethora of technical problems, specifically, the player would often at times find that he would have to make use of a clumsy series of buttons to be pressed in order to achieve a desired result.
Gone are the days of the user having to rotate the analogue stick in a full circle before being able to charge up the killer knockout blow to their foe; with Fight Night Champion, all the player needs to do is casually flick the analogue stick and press the appropriate button and BAM! The enemy is on the mat, with the referee waving his hands frantically in front of his face.
Indeed, those of us who finally managed to come to terms with the rather cumbersome and ungainly design of the previous games may struggle to appreciate the breakneck speed at which the game proceeds. The beauty of the game is that different types of punches can be achieved with nothing more than the press of a directional button: it means that not only is the gameplay more fluid, but more challenging as well.
The lengthy pauses and breaks in the action of the game, a direct consequence of players having to spend so much time entering their keys, mean that the pressure is always on, with a barrage of blows from every corner.
Players will also need to keep a close eye on the energy levels and reserves of their fighter. Specifically, whenever players throw a punch this means that they will have to spend energy and so their fighter will only have a limited amount of strength and energy in reserve. This means that players will have to spend as much time ducking punches as they do throwing them, otherwise, they will end up on the mat in no time at all.
With this single game mechanic, the producers of the game have managed to effectively guarantee that the game is not unbalanced in favour of any class of fighters. Therefore, smaller, lightweight fighters will still have a chance against the tougher opponents who are more physically durable, as they have the higher energy reserve, which allows them to continually jab, evade and drain the energy of their foe.
Another interesting feature of the game is the inclusion of the flash knockout punches. Here, those of us who let our guard down will find ourselves punished in the most unimaginably severe way possible. Specifically, with the flash knockout punch, the hapless fighter who has fallen victim to it will suffer an instant knock out with no chance of recovery. Therefore, it is an automatic win.
The flash knockout can and will come at any time, so long as the other player has the angle and timing spot on. From there, they can floor their enemy with a single punch meaning that they win the match and the applause of the adoring crowd.
Conclusion
Addictive and enthralling, Fight Night Champion is a boxing game that really does make the player use both brawn and brain in one neat package.
9 / 10