Fight Night Round 4 Review

I've been looking forward to the release of Fight Night Round 4 for quite some time. I'm happy to report that, for the most part, the game has delivered. The boxing mechanics are superb, and just like real fighting, everything is set up behind the jab. Unlike Fight Night Round 3, however, Fight Night 4's jab/ straight combo in the hands of an expert doesn't dominate opponents who don't live and breathe the game (if you played master players of FN3 online, you know what I'm talking about). I also love the fact that inside and outside boxing tactics are a big part of a player's strategy. While I did find the gameplay tilted slightly heavier towards inside fighters versus the outside fighters, the game still gets it right 95% of the time.

The one area I'm disappointed in, though, is the career mode. Sure, it's an improvement on Round 3's linear approach, but at the same time, it's missing a lot of minutia that hardcore boxing fans are looking for. How can a "prospect of the year" award go to a fighter with a record of 9-5-3, who has already been fighting for two years prior, when up against my 8-0 first year fighter? How can the top 10-15 rankings have guys with 500 records, or in some cases, even sub-500 records? And why are the training games outside of sparring so tedious and random? Punching the heavy bag only works one of my hands? What is this, Rocky II?

Still, in a game about boxing, it's the mechanics that matter most, and Fight Night Round 4 has them in spades. I can easily see myself playing the online game over the next year with friends, strangers, and fellow boxing aficionados, and will keep my fingers crossed for some killer downloadable content.

The Way it Looks
<a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back"><img mce_style="float: left;" style="float: left;" src="/images/rating5.png" mce_src="/images/rating5.png" width="134" height="112">Everything in the game is highly stylized but very functional. Legacy Mode can be a bit overwhelming to navigate and the missing elements and inaccuracies are a bummer.

Visual
<a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back"><img mce_style="float: left;" style="float: left;" src="/images/rating5.png" mce_src="/images/rating5.png" width="134" height="112"><a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back">The collision inaccuracy is very seldom. Everything looks spectacular in motion. Almost too good…

Sound
<a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back"><a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back">A good soundtrack fuels your menu activities while Teddy and Joe do a decent job ringside. Punches sound great, especially the headbutt.

Gameplay
<a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back"><img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="/images/rating5.png" mce_src="/images/rating5.png" width="134" height="112"><a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back">There are missing portions and inaccuracies in the Legacy Mode, but people looking for the best pure boxing around needn’t look any further.

Lasting Appeal
<a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back"><img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="/images/rating5.png" mce_src="/images/rating5.png" width="134" height="112"><a title="Fear 2 Project Origin Review Alma is Back">The World Championship Mode is built to last, as is Legacy Mode. You can create up to 50 boxers at one time and share them with friends. The act of bloodying someone’s face never gets old.

Outstanding
<img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="/images/rating5.png" mce_src="/images/rating5.png" width="134" height="112">OVERALL
(Boxing Fan or nonboxing fan definitely a most purchase)

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