I’m a somewhat casual UFC fan when it comes to the real-life sport. But I’ve rather enjoyed the past few EA Sports UFC games for their balanced gameplay and variety of modes. If our UFC 4 review had anything to say about the context and position of the MMA franchise in video game form, it’s that it’s sitting in quite a good place.
EA Sports UFC 5 aims to build on everything it did so well the last time. Its striking game feels more fluid and responsive than ever, and the ground game feels simplified and accessible, while the decision to keep this latest entry on next-gen consoles ensures the visual fidelity is at an all-time high, thanks to unique facial details and animations. While we said that UFC 4 was, at the time, the best UFC game ever made, we feel that it is only right that we hand the crown over to EA Sports UFC 5, as the new and undisputed, best UFC game ever made.
Hit Em’ Up
In many ways, EA Sports UFC 5 packs the most punches when it comes to its visual fidelity and overall presentation. While general textures and lighting are better than ever, thanks to that next-gen hardware and Frostbite engine, the effort that has been put into facial animations, damage and knockouts is sublime. With a whopping 64,000 facial injury combinations now possible, UFC 5 does a great job of highlighting the actual impact of the real sport, in ways that have been unmatched until now.
The visual fidelity is only as important because it blends so well with the overall gameplay. In the real-life octagon, things can change for better or worse at any given moment, something that wasn’t highlighted in the previous UFC 4. While matches are usually a test of stamina and health, the more realistic damage system provides an added layer of context in helping you spot weaker areas in either yourself or your opponent.
As a result, doctors can now even step in between rounds to prematurely end the fight, should a fighter take too much damage. And boy does it show. Picking apart this system allows you to keep a closer eye on your advantages. Worst case scenario, you can ride the wave until the next round to heal up and risk the doctor catching that awfully cut-up eyebrow, or wail on your opponent to end things early.
When it’s all said and done, UFC 5’s knockout system gives way to some of those brutally accurate facial animations, that sway and rumble about from the impact of a solid right-hand hook. Opponents even crumble to the ground like sacks of potatoes, which can look a little awkward at times, but are generally accurate according to that final strike. But from pre-fight entries to post-fight celebrations, it all looks better than it ever, which ultimately nails that feeling of authenticity.
The Art of Combat
UFC 5 feels incredibly familiar in terms of its controls, yet fresh and vibrant in terms of its physics and animations. You’ll still use a combination of face and shoulder buttons to throw jabs, straights, hooks and uppercuts with either hand and leg, and body and head kicks with either leg. The sense of weight and power is strong, as effective strikes are based more on appropriate distance and timing, in addition to your available stamina. Thanks to the improved visuals and physics, the perfect strike is made that much sweeter. Even if inappropriately timed attacks or strikes from awkward distances will never feel as satisfying or as effective, a consequence often gone unnoticed in previous titles.
Defence is also very similar this time around, as you can switch between defending your head and body by holding an additional shoulder button. UFC 4 was guilty of inconsistent defence, where rogue strikes could land at any minute, regarding rather random shots as opposed to timing and distance. Blocking in UFC 5 now feels much more realistic, and while your blocking metre can be worn down after several strikes, does a great job at protecting that area for that limited amount of time.
The only real gripe here is the ability to switch between blocking areas never really feels telegraphed. You’re simply never able to catch a block in the right place at the right time. Strikes to the head and body are never easily predictable, so I found myself protecting the head and backing away when things got heated. Fighters can also bob and weave with the right stick, but it feels a little underdone, even if counterattacks aren’t as common in the UFC as opposed to traditional boxing.
The ground game has always been the tricky part. UFC 5 handles this much better than UFC 4’s awkward minigames, by further simplifying the controls and allowing players to push the stick in a different direction at the cost of their stamina, to complete a move. Seasoned players can opt in for more traditional and complex controls, even going as far as to combine simplistic and complex controls. Defending and countering moves on the ground is still tricky as it requires precise timing and a knack for the controls, and two opposing moves can sometimes cancel each other out if both fighters have the same amount of stamina available. While I still feel like it’s never the preferred way to play, this is still a solid step in the right direction.
Ways to Play
UFC 4’s Career Mode was solid, but UFC 5 has improved upon it in almost every way. You’ll still create your custom fighter, who is discovered in the backyard circuit and moved on to bigger and better things. The title is always the goal here, but I was impressed by just how focused UFC 5’s Career Mode has become. Gone are the non-skippable trading sessions, which can now be simulated to move you onto fights. Coach Davis from UFC 4 returns, but now adds additional variety to training and challenges, by combining a handful of goals and targets into a single training session.
It’s a shame that UFC 5 is so focused on blending its frequent cutscenes with a loose narrative, as it never really connects on any emotional or memorable level. But it does, however, shake up the formula in terms of Fight IQ. Opponents will now have intentional differences in their styles and approach, making them feel more like real fighters and people, as opposed to the previous Career Mode, which had you blasting through its early hours.
Even on the normal difficulty setting, the challenge is still strong and the approach is the number one priority, as you’re constantly training to improve new areas of your style to become the best and most complete fighter. It’s worth noting here that no matter which way you slice it, Championship fights are brutal on any difficulty, therefore bringing a granted sense of weight and scale to your accomplishments.
The remaining offline and online modes are decent, but I found the Fight Contracts mode to be much more interesting than the standard Quick Fight mode. Here, players can take part in daily curated matchups for in-game currency, which can be used to purchase new gear, celebrations and more. There’s not much more to them, but I found it my most played mode when I only had an hour or so to burn. Backyard and Kumite fights return, which allow fighters to scrap in alternate arenas, the Kumite mode is akin to something out of Jean Claude Van Damme’s Kickboxer. It provides a more arcade-like approach focused on health bars and right knockdowns as opposed to stamina and technique. It’s worth checking out when friends are over.
The Online Career mode, however, incorporates both ranked and quick fights but adds the ability to take your custom character to online tournaments to earn evolution points, used to build their stats and skills. Funnily enough, only your character’s appearance can be brought over, and not their stats. But it ultimately makes sense as it encourages you to build and experiment within this particular ecosystem.
Final Thoughts
This all combines to make EA Sports UFC 5 the best MMA fighter yet. Slick visuals, nuanced gameplay and a variety of modes and control schemes all contribute to a level of accessibility that is rather unprecedented so far in MMA games. While the ground game and general flow benefit from the more simplistic control scheme, it still has its hiccups. Either way, almost everything has been improved upon, as EA Sports UFC 5 cements its place on the MMA videogame throne.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Incredible visuals and presentation; Variety of modes; Solid gameplay and striking system; Revamped online mode
Lowlights: Ground game still has its hiccups
Developer: EA Vancouver
Publisher: EA Sports
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Available: Now
Review conducted on PlayStation 5 with a code provided by the publisher.
