Fight Night: Round 3
Posted March 1, 2006
The highly anticipated Xbox 360 title Fight Night Round 3 has finally made its way to stores, allowing gamers around the world take part in the uber-realistic grudge matches that are the world of professional boxing. Most EA titles that have made their way to the 360 have been lacking in terms of new features in lieu of pretty graphics and rebuilt game engines, but EA Chicago broke the mold with Fight Night Round 3. Instead of re-writing an already solid game engine, EA focused on making the graphics the focus of the title this time around, with additional tweaks to further the game into "worthy of next generation" status. Yes the features that are here are also present in the Xbox and PS2 version of the game, so why should someone pop down an extra $20 just for some pretty graphics. Let's explore, that shall we?
Gameplay:
If you played either of the two previous Fight Night games, chances are high that you are somewhat familiar with the much touted Total Punch Control. If you are not familiar with it, what TPC is 100% user controlled punching, including the power and type of punch all done with the analog stick. For example if you want to throw a right hook, the thumb stick is moved from the center position to the right, then swept up towards the top of the controller. Do this slowly and you'll punch like a slug, quickly and your punches will pack some serious heat and do a boatload of damage.
The three basic types of punch are jabs, hooks and uppercuts, but this time around EA has added three new types of punches to the TPC scheme to add yet another layer of depth to the game. Stun Punches, Haymakers and Flash KO punches are added and each is a slight variation of the manual haymaker that you throw. Simply wind your punch up with a little extra flourish and follow through to varying degrees for the different punches. While the punches are slower and therefore easier to dodge, when they do hit you really take a big dent out of your opponent's health. One punch type will actually pop you into a first person mini-game where you either are the recipient of or the guy dishing out additional punishment.
The modes of play included are a somewhat lacking career mode, ESPN Classics mode and the highlight of the package, multiplayer matches including over Xbox Live.
Career mode is where the bulk of players will start out their Fight Night gaming. You're immediately given a boatload of options for creating a new boxer from scratch thanks to the in depth character creation scheme. As you change basic options such as head shape you are presented with a slider of sorts, actually a box, where you use the analog stick to tweak the look of your character. With this you can add a hooked nose, large ears, and a bulging cranium. Along with tweaking the visuals, you select the various boxing options that make your player unique. From the get go however, options are limited as far as boxing styles and blocking methods, but as you play through the game and unlock new styles, you can tweak your character to try out the new forms.
Once your lowly character is created you choose contracts to fight and move your way up a challenge ladder, ultimately building to appearances on Friday Night Fights and to special invitational tournaments that are heavily sponsored by real world firms such as Dodge and Burger King. In fact, when you complete the Burger Kind Invitational fight, you unlock the right to use THE Burger King as a trainer/promoter and he will escort you to the ring. Between selecting fights you have the option of training in one of three mini-games which raise your stats, or just to spar and try out some new moves. The option exists to auto-train but that will effectively half the bonus you'll earn, and believe me as you progress through career mode, the manual training you did will pay off in droves.
During the hype period leading up to this title, EA pumped up the fact about fights during pre-match weigh-ins and in-game rivalries. Sadly, these two much anticipated tweaks to the game fell a little flat, as the weigh in scraps turned out to be a sucker punch from your rival which turned into a blocking mini-game, and the rivalries basically turned one boxer into a dirty fighter who eggs you on as you make your way up the ladder. Nothing to groundbreaking or exciting is it? Even the revamped career mode is nothing more than a series of fights which although looking different on the selection screen, isn't too far removed from what I saw when I played the original Fight Night.
Classic mode is somewhat limited in what it can offer, but what it does allow you to do is relive some classic bouts from the past. A nice touch here is that if the bout you choose to fight actually happened before color TV became the norm, the fight will be played in very crisp black and white graphics. Sadly though, even though the developers tried to keep to the time period, we still see an abundance of advertisements for things that normally weren't advertised during that era, such as Dodge and Burger King. Fighting in classic mode does have its advantages, as you beat the professionals you unlock items for purchase in the Fight Store in career mode allowing you to move quickly like Ali. A nice touch to Classic mode is that when you retire your character from career mode, he and his rival become an instant classic. A nice way to bring your old boy back from retirement even though he is past his prime.
Online the game both hits and misses. The misses come in the form of some lag that occurs, which may or may not be due to the fact that you're connecting to EAs servers, and also due to the inability to mask out competitors based on controller settings. For players who've honed their skills offline using the analog sticks, heading into an online match against a player who unleashes flurries using the face buttons puts them at a huge disadvantage. In order to keep up with the speed that buttons provide over the analog stick, the player must then learn and adapt to use the face buttons as well. I guess the loading screen that states that the game is not for button mashers neglected to consider the online portion. Also, a word to the wise; be sure to have a created boxer using the Create Champ mode for use in online play and max out his stats. If you don't do this, don't be surprised to be put into a match where your opponent has a huge advantage over you using one of the players from classic mode.
Overall control in the game depends on a few factors, the most important being the skill of you as the player and how you intend to play the game. If you opt to not use TPC, then you will be limited in determining the power of a punch vs. the player who can fake a punch with the right then clobber the opponent with a jaw shattering left. Some will complain of sluggish controls, and while it does seem that things move a little slowly as you become more adept at blocking, parrying and throwing combinations the speed of the game increases dramatically, as it does as the stats of your created boxer increase.
Graphics:
There is no doubt about it, these graphics are outstanding. Each professional boxer is accurately rendered from the chest hair on Roy Jones Jr, to the blemishes on Joe Frazier's face. For those who viewed the trailer months ago and doubted that the graphics were in fact taken from actual in game footage, you have nothing to fear.
Quite honestly there isn't much one can say about how sharp the graphics look because the visuals speak so loudly for themselves. In fact, EA is so positive that the next generation graphics really are that good by default the game is setup to play without a HUD, forcing you to play the game watching the onscreen characters for cues into the health of your boxer and opponent. Chests heave when players tire, eyes swell and blood flows freely from open cuts and noses; all in real time while the game moves on around you.
However, not all is perfect in Fight Night Round 3, as I did see some flaws that removed me from the amazing sense of realism that the almost too real visuals brought. First of all the crowd still had a little too much synchronization going for it. Sure they were actually three dimensional and not just 2D sheets that wave in the wind, but to see large groupings of people clapping or shadow boxing in perfect time really was a disappointment. I get that having a programmer program something to allow the crowd be a little more independent would remove one programmer from making the game that much better, but when we're reaching the levels of realism that we see here, it's the little things that are going to detract.
I also noticed a decent amount of clipping occur, most notably during the replay scenes. I for one had hoped that issues like this would soon be a thing of the past with developers becoming that much more adept at their jobs, but sadly it's still around in FNR3. Not only limited to the replay mode, I did notice some missed collision detection during regular fights as well so it's not as if I could pretend it didn't happen by skipping replays.
Audio:
When you can actually feel the crushing blows you know the audio is done (mostly) right. During replays especially, you will know that a huge hit landed on its intended target as your subwoofer will get a nice workout. Even the subtleties of the audio are present; you'll hear the labored breathing of a tired boxer, the slice of a quick jab through the air and crowds who actually react to the fight as it progresses. When a few nice punches are landed, or a nice dodge is performed be prepared to hear the crowd start to cheer a little louder and even start to chant to get your momentum going even more in your favor.
Voice acting is actually done very well with the managers having a fair performance during between round mini-games and training segments. It's not the most dynamic script but the lines are all well delivered and can pack that sense of urgency that might be required to make it through the next round. For the most part the commentary is pretty well voiced as well, with some slight hiccups along the way though. As the action really heats up, the commentator seems to either lag slightly behind the action or mix up what he's trying to say. So there would be times when my character (nicknamed Evil Ways) is pummeling "Nails" but the voice work will sometimes slip up and call it as if I was the one who was taking the beat down of his life.
Another sore spot for me is the very limited selection of music for Fight Night. With only twelve different tracks available, very quickly into career mode you'll get tired of hearing the same song over and over during each load screen or mini-game. Thankfully, custom soundtracks are available for every game but I wish that I didn't need to take advantage of it. Also it seems just wrong to see Ali come out to the ring bobbing and weaving to the sounds of Obie Trice.
Conclusion:
The biggest question still remains, is this worth the additional $20 over the current console generation versions. While I have not played either of those two versions, I can only imagine that the graphics will have been slightly toned down thanks to the requirement of high definition gaming on the Xbox 360. Feature related however, I don't think there is much that this title offers over the other versions other than the enhanced Xbox 360 achievement system, but even here it's lacking. The 1000 points are divided up over eight options, which are attainable on any setting and with any weight class boxer. The strange thing here is that EA had the opportunity to include so many more achievements that actually would mean something. For example, in online mode you are awarded trophies for completing a series of matches without disconnecting, and for winning 10 fights in a row. Why EA didn't add these trophies to the achievement listings I will never know.
If this was the only version of the game to be out, I'd have no qualms about putting this as a highly recommended title. But given the lower price point for the other versions, as well as the fact that as a whole this doesn't offer much in terms of additional value I can only recommend this. It's definitely not a bad game by any means, graphically it's enough to make a grown man cry with its beauty and once you learn the control mechanisms it's a tight and intricate title. I do know that this is going to be played regularly even as my collection grows, because it's something that I know I can pick up and play at any time and have someone to play with.
Gameplay:
If you played either of the two previous Fight Night games, chances are high that you are somewhat familiar with the much touted Total Punch Control. If you are not familiar with it, what TPC is 100% user controlled punching, including the power and type of punch all done with the analog stick. For example if you want to throw a right hook, the thumb stick is moved from the center position to the right, then swept up towards the top of the controller. Do this slowly and you'll punch like a slug, quickly and your punches will pack some serious heat and do a boatload of damage.
The three basic types of punch are jabs, hooks and uppercuts, but this time around EA has added three new types of punches to the TPC scheme to add yet another layer of depth to the game. Stun Punches, Haymakers and Flash KO punches are added and each is a slight variation of the manual haymaker that you throw. Simply wind your punch up with a little extra flourish and follow through to varying degrees for the different punches. While the punches are slower and therefore easier to dodge, when they do hit you really take a big dent out of your opponent's health. One punch type will actually pop you into a first person mini-game where you either are the recipient of or the guy dishing out additional punishment.
The modes of play included are a somewhat lacking career mode, ESPN Classics mode and the highlight of the package, multiplayer matches including over Xbox Live.
Career mode is where the bulk of players will start out their Fight Night gaming. You're immediately given a boatload of options for creating a new boxer from scratch thanks to the in depth character creation scheme. As you change basic options such as head shape you are presented with a slider of sorts, actually a box, where you use the analog stick to tweak the look of your character. With this you can add a hooked nose, large ears, and a bulging cranium. Along with tweaking the visuals, you select the various boxing options that make your player unique. From the get go however, options are limited as far as boxing styles and blocking methods, but as you play through the game and unlock new styles, you can tweak your character to try out the new forms.
Once your lowly character is created you choose contracts to fight and move your way up a challenge ladder, ultimately building to appearances on Friday Night Fights and to special invitational tournaments that are heavily sponsored by real world firms such as Dodge and Burger King. In fact, when you complete the Burger Kind Invitational fight, you unlock the right to use THE Burger King as a trainer/promoter and he will escort you to the ring. Between selecting fights you have the option of training in one of three mini-games which raise your stats, or just to spar and try out some new moves. The option exists to auto-train but that will effectively half the bonus you'll earn, and believe me as you progress through career mode, the manual training you did will pay off in droves.
During the hype period leading up to this title, EA pumped up the fact about fights during pre-match weigh-ins and in-game rivalries. Sadly, these two much anticipated tweaks to the game fell a little flat, as the weigh in scraps turned out to be a sucker punch from your rival which turned into a blocking mini-game, and the rivalries basically turned one boxer into a dirty fighter who eggs you on as you make your way up the ladder. Nothing to groundbreaking or exciting is it? Even the revamped career mode is nothing more than a series of fights which although looking different on the selection screen, isn't too far removed from what I saw when I played the original Fight Night.
Classic mode is somewhat limited in what it can offer, but what it does allow you to do is relive some classic bouts from the past. A nice touch here is that if the bout you choose to fight actually happened before color TV became the norm, the fight will be played in very crisp black and white graphics. Sadly though, even though the developers tried to keep to the time period, we still see an abundance of advertisements for things that normally weren't advertised during that era, such as Dodge and Burger King. Fighting in classic mode does have its advantages, as you beat the professionals you unlock items for purchase in the Fight Store in career mode allowing you to move quickly like Ali. A nice touch to Classic mode is that when you retire your character from career mode, he and his rival become an instant classic. A nice way to bring your old boy back from retirement even though he is past his prime.
Online the game both hits and misses. The misses come in the form of some lag that occurs, which may or may not be due to the fact that you're connecting to EAs servers, and also due to the inability to mask out competitors based on controller settings. For players who've honed their skills offline using the analog sticks, heading into an online match against a player who unleashes flurries using the face buttons puts them at a huge disadvantage. In order to keep up with the speed that buttons provide over the analog stick, the player must then learn and adapt to use the face buttons as well. I guess the loading screen that states that the game is not for button mashers neglected to consider the online portion. Also, a word to the wise; be sure to have a created boxer using the Create Champ mode for use in online play and max out his stats. If you don't do this, don't be surprised to be put into a match where your opponent has a huge advantage over you using one of the players from classic mode.
Overall control in the game depends on a few factors, the most important being the skill of you as the player and how you intend to play the game. If you opt to not use TPC, then you will be limited in determining the power of a punch vs. the player who can fake a punch with the right then clobber the opponent with a jaw shattering left. Some will complain of sluggish controls, and while it does seem that things move a little slowly as you become more adept at blocking, parrying and throwing combinations the speed of the game increases dramatically, as it does as the stats of your created boxer increase.
Graphics:
There is no doubt about it, these graphics are outstanding. Each professional boxer is accurately rendered from the chest hair on Roy Jones Jr, to the blemishes on Joe Frazier's face. For those who viewed the trailer months ago and doubted that the graphics were in fact taken from actual in game footage, you have nothing to fear.
Quite honestly there isn't much one can say about how sharp the graphics look because the visuals speak so loudly for themselves. In fact, EA is so positive that the next generation graphics really are that good by default the game is setup to play without a HUD, forcing you to play the game watching the onscreen characters for cues into the health of your boxer and opponent. Chests heave when players tire, eyes swell and blood flows freely from open cuts and noses; all in real time while the game moves on around you.
However, not all is perfect in Fight Night Round 3, as I did see some flaws that removed me from the amazing sense of realism that the almost too real visuals brought. First of all the crowd still had a little too much synchronization going for it. Sure they were actually three dimensional and not just 2D sheets that wave in the wind, but to see large groupings of people clapping or shadow boxing in perfect time really was a disappointment. I get that having a programmer program something to allow the crowd be a little more independent would remove one programmer from making the game that much better, but when we're reaching the levels of realism that we see here, it's the little things that are going to detract.
I also noticed a decent amount of clipping occur, most notably during the replay scenes. I for one had hoped that issues like this would soon be a thing of the past with developers becoming that much more adept at their jobs, but sadly it's still around in FNR3. Not only limited to the replay mode, I did notice some missed collision detection during regular fights as well so it's not as if I could pretend it didn't happen by skipping replays.
Audio:
When you can actually feel the crushing blows you know the audio is done (mostly) right. During replays especially, you will know that a huge hit landed on its intended target as your subwoofer will get a nice workout. Even the subtleties of the audio are present; you'll hear the labored breathing of a tired boxer, the slice of a quick jab through the air and crowds who actually react to the fight as it progresses. When a few nice punches are landed, or a nice dodge is performed be prepared to hear the crowd start to cheer a little louder and even start to chant to get your momentum going even more in your favor.
Voice acting is actually done very well with the managers having a fair performance during between round mini-games and training segments. It's not the most dynamic script but the lines are all well delivered and can pack that sense of urgency that might be required to make it through the next round. For the most part the commentary is pretty well voiced as well, with some slight hiccups along the way though. As the action really heats up, the commentator seems to either lag slightly behind the action or mix up what he's trying to say. So there would be times when my character (nicknamed Evil Ways) is pummeling "Nails" but the voice work will sometimes slip up and call it as if I was the one who was taking the beat down of his life.
Another sore spot for me is the very limited selection of music for Fight Night. With only twelve different tracks available, very quickly into career mode you'll get tired of hearing the same song over and over during each load screen or mini-game. Thankfully, custom soundtracks are available for every game but I wish that I didn't need to take advantage of it. Also it seems just wrong to see Ali come out to the ring bobbing and weaving to the sounds of Obie Trice.
Conclusion:
The biggest question still remains, is this worth the additional $20 over the current console generation versions. While I have not played either of those two versions, I can only imagine that the graphics will have been slightly toned down thanks to the requirement of high definition gaming on the Xbox 360. Feature related however, I don't think there is much that this title offers over the other versions other than the enhanced Xbox 360 achievement system, but even here it's lacking. The 1000 points are divided up over eight options, which are attainable on any setting and with any weight class boxer. The strange thing here is that EA had the opportunity to include so many more achievements that actually would mean something. For example, in online mode you are awarded trophies for completing a series of matches without disconnecting, and for winning 10 fights in a row. Why EA didn't add these trophies to the achievement listings I will never know.
If this was the only version of the game to be out, I'd have no qualms about putting this as a highly recommended title. But given the lower price point for the other versions, as well as the fact that as a whole this doesn't offer much in terms of additional value I can only recommend this. It's definitely not a bad game by any means, graphically it's enough to make a grown man cry with its beauty and once you learn the control mechanisms it's a tight and intricate title. I do know that this is going to be played regularly even as my collection grows, because it's something that I know I can pick up and play at any time and have someone to play with.