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Beating people up is more fun than ever with “UFC Undisputed 3”

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The most important thing I can say about THQ’s UFC Undisputed 3 is this: If you follow Ultimate Fighting Championship closely, you will love this game. If you don’t follow UFC, this game will at the very least pique your interest in mixed martial arts combat. Never before has UFC seen such an authentic transition into the video game world than with UFC Undisputed 3.

Having played the previous two UFC Undisputed games, I noticed some new things right away. For starters, there’s a brand new soundtrack on this game, and to call it absolutely epic would be a severe understatement. I can’t express how much I love the music in this game, which is both cinematic and energetic, and the perfect way to get pumped for a fight.

As in previous UFC games, Undisputed 3 has the standard list of options; exhibition mode, tournament mode, title fight mode (which is basically an arcade-style setup where you beat enough guys and win the championship), career mode (more in depth than title fight mode, as it allows for character customization and stats management) and several other modes that have made the UFC game franchise what it is today.

Another notable difference right away is the presence of Pride Fighting Championships, which brings a little bit of MMA nostalgia to the  game. In fact, you can choose to fight in Pride arena’s (and under the more lenient Pride regulations) or in UFC arenas. It truly adds a special touch to the game by acknowledging the accomplishments of this now-defunct promotion.

Character customization and creation is also back, with a few minor improvements. For example, you can now create and add your own logos to shorts, trunks, t-shirts, etc. You can also assign specific entrance animations, winning animations, character introduction animations, entrance music and other features to create truly unique fighters. And your customimzed characters and logos can be uploaded to THQ’s servers to be downloaded by other UFC enthusiasts around the world.

Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty of the overall game presentation and gameplay. First of all, if you’ve played a UFC game before, you know how authentic the music, sound effects, character models and commentary are. In fact, the level of authenticity far surpasses any other sports game, and here’s why. Before I played a UFC game, I had never seen a UFC event, live or televised. But after the first game piqued my interest in the UFC product, I decided to head down to my local drinking establishment and check out UFC 124. To my surprise, it was just like the game. The music, the commentary, the presentation, the camera angles; it was all identical. Talk about authenticity!

THQ has always managed to make MMA gameplay feel smooth, easy to learn and amazing. And with Undisputed 3 THQ has completely stepped up its game. It is now much easier to do ground transitions and ground takedowns, and the submissions system has been completely revamped into a very enjoyable, thrilling experience. The gameplay is fluid and authentic and helps bring you even further into the world of UFC.

If you love sports games, love watching MMA or love great, competitive gameplay, this game is a must-buy for you. Never before have reality and video games been so close when it comes to the world of mixed martial arts.

UFC Undisputed 3 is available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Rated T. www.ufcundisputed.com.

Review by Dan Kemp

“WWE ’12 ” takes wrestling gaming to slamming new levels

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THQ and Yuke’s have set a new standard for a fun professional wrestling game with WWE ’12, which gives the SmackDown vs. Raw series a much needed update. FINALLY…a wrestling game that’s fun and addictive to play without too much repetition.

WWE ’12 is the 13th game in the series and looking back, they’ve come a long way. Who would

The Undertaker and Edge are two of many superstars avaialable in "WWE '12"

have known way back when, with the release of the inaugural WWF SmackDown! that we would one day be able to fully customize our wrestling game experience? With the aid of the ever-popular Create-a-Superstar, Create-an-Entrance, custom soundtracks, Create-a-Finisher, Create-a-Brand and the brand new Create-an-Arena options, users can now completely immerse themselves in the WWE Universe and put their own unique spin on things.

The first obvious difference between WWE ’12 and its predecessors is the extreme fluidity in the core gameplay. Going from one move to another is easy, fast and looks fantastic. They’ve done away with the choppy and awkward animations from years past and replaced them with the most fluid, authentic-looking gameplay in a wrestling game to date. And to go along with this, the folks at THQ have also gone to great lengths to make sure that every in-game shot is nearly identical to one you might see through a WWE camera lens. Combine that with new gameplay features, such as wake-up taunts, move interruption, and comeback moments, and you become entirely immersed. These little things really add to the overall ambience that WWE ’12 is able to provide.

The reason many of the people buy these games every year is to put their own creative touch to the series. Whether it’s creating a character, a logo or even an entire wrestling brand, WWE ’12’s creative features really help keep the game fresh for a long time to come.

You can give your opponents the patented DDT off the second rope as Randy Orton in "WWE '12"

Create-a-Wrestler, a staple in the series, is virtually unchanged from previous years, apart from a new hair choice here and new boots there. You can still create custom logos in the paint tool and place them on your custom superstar as a tattoo, tights logo, face paint, mask design or anything in between.

One new feature this year is an all-new Create-a-Titantron. This is a completely unique feature that uses various templates with B-roll footage, combined with in-game footage of your custom superstar to give you a pretty decent looking entrance video. Whether you want to make one for a Canadian Patriot, a demonic hellbeast or even Mr. Perfect himself, you can do it.

Another long-awaited feature added this year is Create-an-Arena mode, which is literally what it sounds like. You take control over nearly every aspect of a wrestling venue, from the aprons, the mat, the turnbuckles, the barricades and even the electronic billboard that scrolls around the arena inconspicuously. You can add your own logos or use one of the preset ones they were nice enough to include for you. Among these included logos are every single WrestleMania logo ever, multiple Royal Rumble logos, old World Championship Wrestling pay-per-view logos and many more. Having created a decent looking Ring of Honor arena myself, I can say that although this new feature is not perfect, it’s off to an impressive start, and the potential is unlimited.

Triple H gives Kevin Nash a sledgehammer to the gut in "WWE '12"

Last year we were introduced to WWE Universe mode. This was essentially a hybrid between story mode and exhibition mode. While you didn’t play out linear storylines like Road to WrestleMania, each match had significance. You could start feuds or feuds could be started for you. You could form new tag teams or be betrayed by your tag team partner. The WWE Universe literally crafted itself around your every move.

So what have they done this year? Made it 100 times better, with the ability to completely make the WWE Universe your own. Don’t want to wrestle on Raw, SmackDown or Superstars? No problem! You can make your own brand, complete with it’s own roster, show name, brand logo and arena, and swap them out with the Monday, Thursday, and Friday shows. For many fans, this is a dream come true.

Speaking of Road to WrestleMania, to say that it’s been overhauled is an understatement. Unlike previous years, where you could choose one of several WWE superstars and take them on a several month journey towards the spotlight of WrestleMania, WWE ’12 takes a different approach. This year’s Road to WrestleMania is a much more linear experience, with a much better storyline. You take control of multiple characters, including Sheamus, Triple H and even your own custom superstar (voiced, ironically enough, by current Total Nonstop Action X Division Champion Austin Aries). Each character’s story arc segues into the next playable character quite smoothly, and the overall story is quite impressive. And, not to spoil anything, but be ready for a lot of WCW.

Kevin Nash gives C.M. Punk a big boot in "WWE '12"

Another thing that should be noted is this year’s massive roster. Not only are there more than 50 playable current WWE Superstars, but there’s also a plethora of unlockable characters, including the Rock, Booker T, Kevin Nash, Arn Anderson, and more on the way in the form of downloadable content. Perhaps the highlight of this expanded roster is the introduction of a character who hasn’t graced a WWE video game ring in quite some time (apart from WWE All Stars): the “Macho Man” Randy Savage!  Expect to see Savage available for download in the near future.

WWE ’12 has set a new standard for fun wrestling games. With the fluid gameplay, the vast array of customization options, the incredibly impressive roster and the overall authentic feel that WWE ’12 brings, it’s no wonder it’s already won several awards. It’s a near-perfect embodiment of a wrestling game. WWF No Mercy, eat your heart out.

WWE ’12 is available for PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360. Rated T. www.wwe.thq.com.

Review by Dan Kemp