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[Xater]

First review, I think: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/ea-sports-mma-review/

That's quite suprising after the awful demo.

 

[dskillzhtown]

That's quite suprising after the awful demo.

Not really. EA demos are usually a 2 month build before the game comes out. What I saw last night was alot better than the demo. Sometimes demos are the worst thing to happen to a game. I will pick this up and try it out today for myself. It may be still as bad as the demo, maybe it will be alot better. I'll find out.

 

[Opus Angelorum]

That's quite suprising after the awful demo.

Very surprising, the demo was an absolute mess especially the controls.

 

[Syringe]

6 of 10

The review from swedish Gamereactor: http://www.gamereactor.se/recensioner/24710/EA+Sports+MMA/

 

[Mr. Perfect]

The reviews I've read have been positive for the most part so far.

Check out some of the CAFs.....

http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/43292442 - Lesnar

http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/43289595 - Liddell

 

[The Elite]

Almost picked this up. Had no idea the controls were similar to UFC. Glad I passed.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Got it in on Gamefly. There is one move I don't quite understand. You hold the left stick to the left or the right to stop your opponent from advancing position. But when do you do this. Right when they start to advance or do you hold it before they advance? In the career there is a training session for it, but I could barely pass it and I didn't quite understand why exactly I did after failing to do so for like 20 times.

 

[rvy]

Almost picked this up. Had no idea the controls were similar to UFC. Glad I passed.

They aren't?

 

[polyh3dron]

Almost picked this up. Had no idea the controls were similar to UFC. Glad I passed.

they're not actually, the thread title is a joke.

the striking is done with the right stick by default, but there is an option to use the face buttons for striking instead.

This game is way different from Undisputed in the way it plays.

 

[canadian crowe]

they're not actually, the thread title is a joke.

the striking is done with the right stick by default, but there is an option to use the face buttons for striking instead.

This game is way different from Undisputed in the way it plays.

The real question is: Is it better?

 

[Stoney Mason]

Most of the UFC fighters are already up in the fighter share. I better download them quickly before the legal teams get involved.

 

[Chrange]

The real question is: Is it better?

No, but it's considerably better than the demo was.

 

[dream]

Winning the Strikeforce welterweight title (held by Tyron Woodley, fwiw) without ever fighting a single real fighter along the way is just weird.

Almost as weird as some of the names of the fake fighters I faced along the way. Like "Thiago Lesnar" and "Wanderlei Belfort."

Oh yeah, the AI doesn't spam takedowns anymore.

 

[canadian crowe]

No, but it's considerably better than the demo was.

Are the submissions better than UFC at least. I liked UFC but I hated the decaying stats and how hard it was to pull off a submission. I wanted my guy to be submission based but the game made it near impossible.

If I can make a submission machine in this game, I think I'll pick it up.

 

[kobashi100]

I read on gamefaqs that people pick fighters with 95+ submission stats online and it is near enough impossible to defend.

If true online matches will be horrible.

 

[Haunted]

My thought exactly!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceCRgf5tf0g

Amazing.

 

[canadian crowe]

Amazing.

This might be the best thing I've ever seen- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wq0YdbHlxo&feature=fvw

 

[Chrange]

Are the submissions better than UFC at least. I liked UFC but I hated the decaying stats and how hard it was to pull off a submission. I wanted my guy to be submission based but the game made it near impossible.

If I can make a submission machine in this game, I think I'll pick it up.

It's not terribly hard to pull off submissions, but at the same time it can be pretty hard to defend against them too. The 'find the spot' rotating doesn't really seem any better than 'shining' is at all.

The striking isn't as fluid as UFC, but it's pretty satisfying to just ragdoll a guy over and over after he's CLEARLY out :lol

This version doesn't beat UFC's gameplay, but the next one might. Presentation wise it's way ahead though. Entrances are nice (even if they're somewhat truncated entrances) and the career mode just feels a lot more rewarding than the UFC game's version. It's still just 'beat a guy, move to the next' but it doesn't feel so confining.

Without the UFC fighters though, it'll probably always be second best. I wonder how that tastes at EA's corporate offices...

 

[dskillzhtown]

I played this for hours last night. It is a shame that demo came out, the game is so much better than the demo. It is easily accessible and the career mode has been well thought-out. A shame that demo was so bad. When I bought it I felt like I was taking a giant leap of faith.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Not bad imo for a first effort. And I like that they took a different approach than Undisputed. More accessible also. Game certainly has flaws but like I said first effort for a very difficult sport to emulate.


http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-ea-sports-mma/17-3397/


Like Jeff mentions mentions, the hardest part to get use to is the timing and animation based nature of the game, because it does a really poor job of explaining it. You just have to play a whole bunch of matches before you start understanding how the timing nature of the game and button presses and stamina management works.

 

[polyh3dron]

It's not terribly hard to pull off submissions, but at the same time it can be pretty hard to defend against them too. The 'find the spot' rotating doesn't really seem any better than 'shining' is at all.

The striking isn't as fluid as UFC, but it's pretty satisfying to just ragdoll a guy over and over after he's CLEARLY out :lol

This version doesn't beat UFC's gameplay, but the next one might. Presentation wise it's way ahead though. Entrances are nice (even if they're somewhat truncated entrances) and the career mode just feels a lot more rewarding than the UFC game's version. It's still just 'beat a guy, move to the next' but it doesn't feel so confining.

Without the UFC fighters though, it'll probably always be second best. I wonder how that tastes at EA's corporate offices...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0OWZAARVIE

lol wut

 

[rvy]

Without the UFC fighters though

Oh, please... The game sucks, that's the only problem.

 

[Kingpen]

So how to people feel after a couple of days with the game?


I didn't think UFC 2009 was not too bad, but didn't have an optimum submission based control scheme, and did come off a little like rock-em, sock-em robots

I loved the roster on UFC 2010, but hated the controls (with the mandatory shining). The only thing I liked was the sway mechanic

There seems to be very few actual user impressions on the final product of this game thus far (I think the demo turned a lot of people off).

I am hearing it is better then the demo though.

The lack of UFC recognizable names doesn't bother me too much in this, so I'm leaning toward picking it up as an impulse since I love the Fight Night series(I didn't play the demo, and already sold UFC2009, 2010).

 

[dskillzhtown]

Oh, please... The game sucks, that's the only problem.

I am sure you haven't played the retail release.

The demo and retail release are two totally different games.

 

[rvy]

I am sure you haven't played the retail release.

The demo and retail release are two totally different games.

Okay, the demo sucks then. My mistake.

 

[canadian crowe]

So how to people feel after a couple of days with the game?


I didn't think UFC 2009 was not too bad, but didn't have an optimum submission based control scheme, and did come off a little like rock-em, sock-em robots

I loved the roster on UFC 2010, but hated the controls (with the mandatory shining). The only thing I liked was the sway mechanic

There seems to be very few actual user impressions on the final product of this game thus far (I think the demo turned a lot of people off).

I am hearing it is better then the demo though.

The lack of UFC recognizable names doesn't bother me too much in this, so I'm leaning toward picking it up as an impulse since I love the Fight Night series(I didn't play the demo, and already sold UFC2009, 2010).

For what's it's worth I really like it. I don't lioe mma so I can't give you in depth impressions about accuracy but I can tell you about the fun factor.

The career is awesome. No decaying stats and no need to rest your fighter makes
It actually fun. You just practice and learn new moves. it starts off easy but I'm about 12 matches in and the difficulty ramps up.

Submissions are better than ufc, but a little too easy. I've won matches in 10 seconds because I locked a submission on as my first move.

On the flip side, I had a 20 minute match as Bob Sapp and it was very competitive. I even fought my way out of a neck submission (which can be hard).

I'm not sure what else to say other than the demo shouldn't even be considered when buying this game. I like it better than ufc 2010.

 

[Kingpen]

For what's it's worth I really like it. I don't lioe mma so I can't give you in depth impressions about accuracy but I can tell you about the fun factor.

The career is awesome. No decaying stats and no need to rest your fighter makes
It actually fun. You just practice and learn new moves. it starts off easy but I'm about 12 matches in and the difficulty ramps up.

Submissions are better than ufc, but a little too easy. I've won matches in 10 seconds because I locked a submission on as my first move.

On the flip side, I had a 20 minute match as Bob Sapp and it was very competitive. I even fought my way out of a neck submission (which can be hard).

I'm not sure what else to say other than the demo shouldn't even be considered when buying this game. I like it better than ufc 2010.

I appreciate the thoughts... I just saw 3 more video reviews that all pointed me toward this as potential fun since I like Fight Night so much (the game that got me into next gen systems)

I'll probably swing by and pick this up on the way home...

 

[kobashi100]

hopefully when this is released in Japan we will get some sick Japanese CAF models.

Need some New Japan love.. Nagata and Nakamura please.

Also is it true everybody picks classic Bas Rutten online?

 

[BigKaboom2]

Just picked this up, seconding the impressions saying the demo and the retail are completely different games. Awesome so far except the AI likes to throw lots of punches when they're waaaaay out of range. Other than that, fairly realistic.

 

[rvy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zLXsvYDVVM&hd=1

Doesn't look so bad after watching this fight. Great ending.

 

[Master Thespian]

I like the game all in all. It's a big improvement on the demo (which I tried to tell you guys in the "speculation and that" topic). I like the simpler but still deep grappling and submission games, the physics in the striking, and the variety of rulesets and locations (a welcome break from the monotony of the drab, gray UFC world). My gripes are that it's too sparse in it's content, both in gameplay and features. There are too many missing positions and moves, not much differentiation in characters, and the CAF mode is really weak. That said, I think 2012's game will destroy the next UFC game because of the groundwork that's been laid here.

 

[Zeliard]

I like the game all in all. It's a big improvement on the demo (which I tried to tell you guys in the "speculation and that" topic). I like the simpler but still deep grappling and submission games, the physics in the striking, and the variety of rulesets and locations (as welcome break from the monotony of the drab, gray UFC world). My gripes are that it's too sparse in it's content, both in gameplay and features. There are too many missing positions and moves, not much differentiation in characters, and the CAF mode is really weak. That said, I think 2012's game will destroy the next UFC game because of the groundwork that's been laid here.

Yeah, I rented it for 360 and I agree with this. I actually think one thing this game does unquestionably better than Undisputed is in making fighters feel more individualized and like their real-life counterparts, both in animation and general move-set, but I agree there needs to be more there and elsewhere.

The combat generally feels good but ultimately lacks depth due to the sheer simplicity of the controls, especially when it comes to to the grappling and ground games. At some point, greater depth does call for greater complexity.

 

[Fersis]

Guys could you check if Lashley Health Stat still is far better than Overeem's?

 

[Zeliard]

Yeah, Lashley's health is 89 and Overeem's is 78. Too low.

That's Overeem health, but it ain't Ubereem health. ;p His chin is rated 60. Ouch.

 

[JimiNutz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zLXsvYDVVM&hd=1

Doesn't look so bad after watching this fight. Great ending.

That video almost convinced me to pick this up.
If it had come out at a quieter time I'd have probably picked it up, but too many other great games at the moment.

Wonder if THQ will be 'inspired' by any parts of this game. The submission system definitely looks better, and according to the guy doing the commentary for the above video, the stand-up is more enjoyable too.

 

[Fersis]

Yeah, Lashley's health is 89 and Overeem's is 78. Too low.

That's Overeem health, but it ain't Ubereem health. ;p His chin is rated 60. Ouch.

Thats preposterous.

 

[Baby Milo]

i love this game

there have been some great creations in fighter share the past few days

 

[Fox Mulder]

So would EA really back off after one game? Some analyst thinks so..

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=271491?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-General-RSS

"EA's recently released 'MMA' appears to be more or less DOA at retail, while UFC recently announced an extension of its license with THQ, likely putting an end to EA's efforts to expand into the mixed martial arts genre," the analyst said in a research note this morning.

 

[Fersis]

So would EA really back off after one game? Some analyst thinks so..

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=271491?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-General-RSS

They already announced the next version....

 

[Kingpen]

So would EA really back off after one game? Some analyst thinks so..

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=271491?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-General-RSS

That would be really sad if that was the case. This game is the best fighting game to come out in a long time. It is better then fight night round 4, and is better then either of the UFC offerings as far as playability. The only thing the UFC games have is brand appeal and roster (of which the roster is something that is a moot point now thanks to the awesome Fighter Share feature).


I'm really glad that I picked it up this weekend and it is really addicting. great career mode, good online implementation (both of which the UFC games lacked), dynamic and organic gameplay with physics vs. what UFC provides.

 

[Shinjitsu]

I picked this up tonight. I wanted a fighting game I could play with my buddies that I didn't need my arcade stick for (It's in storage atm) Really enjoying it so far, I had to switch to the classic controls though. I just can't get used to using the analog stick for inputs that you need to hit rapidly sometimes.

 

[BigKaboom2]

Damn, no posts since November.

Tuning update went live yesterday and it's fantastic so far:

What’s up EA SPORTS MMA Community! Since the games release, we’ve been monitoring the forums looking for your feedback and opinions. We have compiled this information and have been investigating ways to address some of the concerns that had been brought to our attention and are happy to report that a tuning pass has gone live for Heavy, Middle, and Light weight classes. Some things you can expect from the new tuning pass include:

-Blocking now takes priority over parrying. The block effectiveness has been raised so players will be able to block more strikes than before. A missed parry will result in a higher likelihood of stun so use your parries carefully.

-Stamina System has received a major overhaul. Strikes will now drain more stamina than before, however stamina regeneration has also increased. This is done to discourage spamming and encourage more realistic striking combinations.

-Health will regenerate slower than before, especially while blocking. This in combination with the adjusted blocking will require you to be more methodical and plan for a longer fight where you slowly chip away at your opponent.

-A few windows and timers have been adjusted on the ground. You will now have more success knocking people out from positions other than mount and backmount. You will also have to carefully balance when you decide to block, parry, and pass.

-The power of knees and the stamina loss in the clinch upon failed takedowns has been adjusted. We have more accurately captured the devastating power of a knee to the face, but you have to be very careful about when you use this because it requires a lot of stamina.

-We have updated all of the fighter records and adjusted a few fighters that we thought needed to be more balanced.

These are significant changes to gameplay and they will take some time to adjust to. I am sure many of you will appreciate the changes that have been made and find that fights feel more balanced. I encourage you all to play as much as possible and give feedback on the forums. We will continue to take your feedback and improve things to give you the most balanced gameplay possible.

Thank You,

Victor Lugo, Gameplay Designer

Preston Dollinger, QA Test Lead

EA SPORTS MMA Live Team

Hook/parry spamming are all but dead.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Damn, no posts since November.

eh, it's a nice game, but I already did my run through a career, and I didn't really like the online. Maybe I'll give it another try with these tweaks though.

It's not like EA really did much to support this game though. Still sucks how there's no DLC, not even all the various exclusive retailer prerorder content fighters. EA also took a bunch of content out of the CAF mode because the UFC apparently didn't like them using common as shit terms like Silva and Sanchez, while their game lets Bruce Buffer say Fedor's name.

 

[Chrange]

Picked this up again today. Someone 'borrowed' my copy and I had an urge to play. It was $40 at WalMart but found it at FutureShop with a 50% off sticker. Still rang up as $40 but they put it through as $20 because of the sticker.

I guess with Zuffa buying Strikeforce, EA's run in MMA is done? What would they do, go after Bellator? Nothing but fantasy fighters ala Backbreaker? They can't do a legends one like 2K's football game, since the UFC legends are pretty much all sewn up and I don't think there's an audience for anything outside those guys.

 

[rvy]

Got mine yesterday. This game is fucking trash. Terrible. Worst 7€ I ever spent.