If you're a boxing fan and haven't played Fight Night Round 4... well, the only good reason for not playing it is because you can't afford a copy after spending all of your spare cash on boxing pay-per-views.
EA Sports is going to help you with that problem soon. The game is getting a price drop to $39.99, down from its original $59.99 price point.
On top of that, there's some new downloadable content (or DLC, as the cool kids call it) heading our way in December, in two delicious flavors: paid and free. The paid content pack will add Bernard Hopkins, Evander Holyfield and Sonny Liston to the list of playable boxers plus introduce two new game modes (though details are sparse at this point) called Old School Rules and Ring Rivalries. These goodies will set you back $9.99 on the PlayStation Network and 800 Microsoft Points (roughly the same cost) on Xbox Live.
On the free side, an update will fix some bugs, add some new gloves, trunks and boots for your created boxers, and perhaps most interestingly, allow gamers to copy and edit the attributes for the real boxers. You know, in case you want to play as Manny Pacquiao back when all he did was bob his head from side to side and look to fire the left hand.
Sounds like all good stuff. Thanks to EA Sports for the early Christmas presents.
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label video games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video games. Show all posts
12.8.09
Klitschko Brothers and Oscar De La Hoya Coming for Fight Night Round 4... for a Price
Gamers, you'll soon get a chance to use two of the heavyweight titleholders and the biggest pay-per-view draw of all time in Fight Night Round 4. But only if you're willing to pony up a little dough.
First pointed out to be via Twitter by Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules, EA Sports has announced that Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko and Oscar De La Hoya, along with alternate versions of George Foreman and James Toney (skinnier ones, perhaps?) will be available in a few weeks through Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.
Alas, while I'm sure I will enjoy beating up on... um, playing as all three of those boxers, I also have to share Tim's reaction ("Noooo.") to the news that the update will cost 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99 for PS3. I'm looking forward to seeing more current boxers released - Andre Berto has already suggested he'll be in the game, pun intended - but EA better not expect us to fork over $10 for every three fighters. That is balls any way you look at it.
I'm actually even more interested in the free download also coming later this month, which will allow the mapping of punches to the controller buttons, a feature which was included in the previous Fight Night but so far absent from this release. It's not that I don't appreciate the beauty of the Total Punch Control scheme, but the training mini-game that requires specific combos is so unforgiving it makes me want to hurl my controller at the TV. If for no other reason than that, thanks EA, for saving me money on new wireless controllers.
Posted by The Franchise
First pointed out to be via Twitter by Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules, EA Sports has announced that Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko and Oscar De La Hoya, along with alternate versions of George Foreman and James Toney (skinnier ones, perhaps?) will be available in a few weeks through Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.
Alas, while I'm sure I will enjoy beating up on... um, playing as all three of those boxers, I also have to share Tim's reaction ("Noooo.") to the news that the update will cost 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99 for PS3. I'm looking forward to seeing more current boxers released - Andre Berto has already suggested he'll be in the game, pun intended - but EA better not expect us to fork over $10 for every three fighters. That is balls any way you look at it.
I'm actually even more interested in the free download also coming later this month, which will allow the mapping of punches to the controller buttons, a feature which was included in the previous Fight Night but so far absent from this release. It's not that I don't appreciate the beauty of the Total Punch Control scheme, but the training mini-game that requires specific combos is so unforgiving it makes me want to hurl my controller at the TV. If for no other reason than that, thanks EA, for saving me money on new wireless controllers.
Posted by The Franchise
8.7.09
Fight Night Round 4: Review
Fight Night Round 4 has finally hit shelves all around the world. After months of waiting and completely wearing out the three-round demo, Spartan117 got a copy and put in the work to go from (virtual) chump to champ.
For those of you who are waiting to see how the game is before buying a copy, I'll fill you in on the much anticipated "Legacy Mode" and online play. For the basic mechanics, please see my review of the demo.
In FNR4's "Legacy Mode," you take your boxer from the amateur circuit to the major venues like the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, and a generic version of Madison Square Garden called the New York Arena.
When starting a new career in Legacy Mode, you can choose an existing boxer on the roster or you can create your own boxer to climb the ranks. I chose the latter. Whether you choose a real boxer from the lineup or a newly created one, you start with same stats. You start fairly slow and weak, which forces you to put your time in the gym to boost your stats.
When creating a new character, the customization options are plentiful. You can choose gear from brands such as Grant, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Everlast and Rival. Even after you choose a style, you can change every color on the gloves, shoes, trunks, mouthguard, socks, and even your robe, plus you can change the material of your gear. This makes your man more of an individual when you make the turn to online play.
Your first event is an amateur tournament. You strap on the headgear and face other boxing hopefuls. This makes for a great tutorial for your career, but it's almost too easy compared to the battles that follow. After the tournament, you make the jump to professional boxer whether you win or lose.
The success of your professional career is measured by multiple criteria:
1. Your record
2. How many championships you've held
3. Whether or not you've moved up in weight
4. Popularity, based on your percentage of knockouts
5. Major televised fights you've won
There is also a nice pound for pound list that you can climb by winning as well.
You start out fighting mostly jobbers. These guys won't give you too much trouble, but they do make for good stepping stones. Between each fight you view your fight calender. You are required to rest and heal for at least a month after a fight. Depending on how long in advance you schedule your next bout you can fit in one to three training sessions. Judging from the training sessions from the first three Fight Nights, I assumed that one session would be enough to move it. It was for about the first two years of my career. Then I was in for the brutal realization that I had to put the work in the gym to move up through the big named fighters.
FNR4 does a good job of making sure you can't move up in rank too quickly. I tried to jump five ranks to face Sergio Mora. I'll admit I thought my fighter may not be ready for the challenge, but I tried to put him to the test anyway. Mora served me up a whooping and I was sent back down the ranks. So the key is patience and making sure you get as much training in as possible.
As you move up in the top 10 of the weight division, you may get challenged by the champions. This is a nice feature but the challenges don't always make sense. For example, Winky Wright was the champion at the time, and he challenged me saying that he thought "it would be a good fight for the fans." I faced Winky earlier in my career and got destroyed. I guess he forgot about that victory.
After building your fighter up to the elite level, you can win three titles in your weight division. After that, you can stay on top of your weight class or you get the option to move up in weight. If you make the jump up, you start in the top 10 of the division. You do need to win a handful of fights before you get a title shot.
Another minor gripe I have is after you spend enough time in your career, your boxer can actually become too strong. I've spent a good 15 years moving my character along and now he can easily run through anyone who challenges.
A second issue I have is with the yearly boxing awards. After each calender year of Legacy Mode, the game gives out awards to best fighter, best fight, best round, best comeback, best knockout, best defensive fighter, and best prospect. I won a handful of awards early on but now I fail to bring in any. I'm number one PFP, have six belts in two divisions, and take out my opponents in 1 or 2 rounds. How does that not get me the fighter of the year award?
These are very minor complaints in the grand scheme of Fight Night's Legacy Mode. It really does make for a great overall experience.
Online mode is also a lot of fun. With a broadband connection, the action is completely flawless. I've played about 20 online matches and I haven't seen one glitch, hiccup or lag in the middle of the action.
In order to play online and vie for the online title, you have to create a fighter. In the online community, there are lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight divisions with one title belt in each. There are thousands of people in each weight class, so to become the champion you really need to earn it.
To even the playing field, all of the fighters are given the same attributes. I'll warn you, make sure you practice and know your strengths and weaknesses before you jump into online play. There are some serious contenders out there that show no mercy.
I also want to add that Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas did a fantastic job recording the commentary for this game. Of course you'll get a few repeated lines after a while, but what is shocking is how realistic the commentary sounds. It sounds like they had a lot of fun with it.
Overall, Fight Night Round 4 is the best boxing experience you can have on the next generation consoles. It has great replay value and is a fun experience without sacrificing the realism of the sport. EA has acheived near perfection and they are taking the franchise in the right direction.
If you have yourself a copy and want to fight it out online, shoot me a friend request. My Xbox Live gamertag is "p lov 3".
Posted by spartan117
For those of you who are waiting to see how the game is before buying a copy, I'll fill you in on the much anticipated "Legacy Mode" and online play. For the basic mechanics, please see my review of the demo.
In FNR4's "Legacy Mode," you take your boxer from the amateur circuit to the major venues like the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, and a generic version of Madison Square Garden called the New York Arena.
When starting a new career in Legacy Mode, you can choose an existing boxer on the roster or you can create your own boxer to climb the ranks. I chose the latter. Whether you choose a real boxer from the lineup or a newly created one, you start with same stats. You start fairly slow and weak, which forces you to put your time in the gym to boost your stats.
When creating a new character, the customization options are plentiful. You can choose gear from brands such as Grant, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Everlast and Rival. Even after you choose a style, you can change every color on the gloves, shoes, trunks, mouthguard, socks, and even your robe, plus you can change the material of your gear. This makes your man more of an individual when you make the turn to online play.
Your first event is an amateur tournament. You strap on the headgear and face other boxing hopefuls. This makes for a great tutorial for your career, but it's almost too easy compared to the battles that follow. After the tournament, you make the jump to professional boxer whether you win or lose.
The success of your professional career is measured by multiple criteria:
1. Your record
2. How many championships you've held
3. Whether or not you've moved up in weight
4. Popularity, based on your percentage of knockouts
5. Major televised fights you've won
There is also a nice pound for pound list that you can climb by winning as well.
You start out fighting mostly jobbers. These guys won't give you too much trouble, but they do make for good stepping stones. Between each fight you view your fight calender. You are required to rest and heal for at least a month after a fight. Depending on how long in advance you schedule your next bout you can fit in one to three training sessions. Judging from the training sessions from the first three Fight Nights, I assumed that one session would be enough to move it. It was for about the first two years of my career. Then I was in for the brutal realization that I had to put the work in the gym to move up through the big named fighters.
FNR4 does a good job of making sure you can't move up in rank too quickly. I tried to jump five ranks to face Sergio Mora. I'll admit I thought my fighter may not be ready for the challenge, but I tried to put him to the test anyway. Mora served me up a whooping and I was sent back down the ranks. So the key is patience and making sure you get as much training in as possible.
As you move up in the top 10 of the weight division, you may get challenged by the champions. This is a nice feature but the challenges don't always make sense. For example, Winky Wright was the champion at the time, and he challenged me saying that he thought "it would be a good fight for the fans." I faced Winky earlier in my career and got destroyed. I guess he forgot about that victory.
After building your fighter up to the elite level, you can win three titles in your weight division. After that, you can stay on top of your weight class or you get the option to move up in weight. If you make the jump up, you start in the top 10 of the division. You do need to win a handful of fights before you get a title shot.
Another minor gripe I have is after you spend enough time in your career, your boxer can actually become too strong. I've spent a good 15 years moving my character along and now he can easily run through anyone who challenges.
A second issue I have is with the yearly boxing awards. After each calender year of Legacy Mode, the game gives out awards to best fighter, best fight, best round, best comeback, best knockout, best defensive fighter, and best prospect. I won a handful of awards early on but now I fail to bring in any. I'm number one PFP, have six belts in two divisions, and take out my opponents in 1 or 2 rounds. How does that not get me the fighter of the year award?
These are very minor complaints in the grand scheme of Fight Night's Legacy Mode. It really does make for a great overall experience.
Online mode is also a lot of fun. With a broadband connection, the action is completely flawless. I've played about 20 online matches and I haven't seen one glitch, hiccup or lag in the middle of the action.
In order to play online and vie for the online title, you have to create a fighter. In the online community, there are lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight divisions with one title belt in each. There are thousands of people in each weight class, so to become the champion you really need to earn it.
To even the playing field, all of the fighters are given the same attributes. I'll warn you, make sure you practice and know your strengths and weaknesses before you jump into online play. There are some serious contenders out there that show no mercy.
I also want to add that Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas did a fantastic job recording the commentary for this game. Of course you'll get a few repeated lines after a while, but what is shocking is how realistic the commentary sounds. It sounds like they had a lot of fun with it.
Overall, Fight Night Round 4 is the best boxing experience you can have on the next generation consoles. It has great replay value and is a fun experience without sacrificing the realism of the sport. EA has acheived near perfection and they are taking the franchise in the right direction.
If you have yourself a copy and want to fight it out online, shoot me a friend request. My Xbox Live gamertag is "p lov 3".
Posted by spartan117
25.6.09
Short Post - Various Famous People in the new Fight Night commerical
The new spot for Fight Night Round 4 focuses on the mythical match up of Ali vs. Tyson. The commercial is really nothing special, as it is just a bunch of people talking about the fight as if it were real. The interesting part is that there is a strange mix of famous people talking about the fight.
Oscar De La Hoya and Freddie Roach are in it, which is no surprise. Also in the commercial are Steve Nash, John Calipari, Just Blaze and Wyclef John, which I thought was a somewhat random group of dudes to also be in it.
Posted by uatu
Oscar De La Hoya and Freddie Roach are in it, which is no surprise. Also in the commercial are Steve Nash, John Calipari, Just Blaze and Wyclef John, which I thought was a somewhat random group of dudes to also be in it.
Posted by uatu
8.6.09
Fight Night Round 4: First Look
We are fans of video games here at BoxingWatchers. Unfortunately, since we've started here there hasn't been a credible boxing video game that has seen a release (no, Don King Presents: Prizefighter doesn't count). But the wait is almost over for EA's highly anticipated return to the virtual boxing ring with Fight Night Round 4.
FN R4 ships for the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3 on June 30, but the demo of the 360 version was released earlier this month. If you didn't get to check it out, Spartan117 has you covered.
When you boot up the demo, it showcases the new features that have been added to the series since Round 3. It shows off some really neat stuff, such as a revamped Create a Boxer mode where you can use actual photographs of yourself to create yourself as an up-and-coming future champion.
Online competitive play has also gotten a face lift. The demo doesn't go into great detail about the new online play but it looks like there will be an actual world title in each weight class for which the online community will compete. The beginning of the demo also shows off the attention to detail to the technical aspects of the sport itself, such as the importance of height and reach, but more on that later.
Before you can jump in the ring, you are forced to go through a tutorial of the basics. You lace up the gloves as Ricky Hatton in a boxing gym against a still, defenseless Manny Pacquiao.
The first thing you notice are the graphics. They are top-notch, absolutely stunning. The in-game physics are also amazing. The boxers' shorts sway and swing according to every bounce and movement of the boxer.
If you are familiar with the controls of the previous Fight Nights, they are almost the same. If you aren't, the right stick controls your punches. Moving the stick straight to the right will through a straight right, while moving it straight and left will throw - you guessed it - a straight left.
A hook is thrown by swinging the stick from the right or left to the top (like the real motion of a hook). And an uppercut is thrown by moving the stick down to the right or left and then swinging it to the top. Yes, this motion also resembles the motion of an arm throwing an uppercut.
The left stick controls the boxer's movement around the ring. Blocking is achieved by holding the right trigger while moving the right stick in areas that you would like to guard. Ducking and weaving is done by holding the left trigger and moving the left stick in the direction that you would like to duck.
You can hold one of the shoulder buttons to load up and throw the haymaker. It may sound complicated, but the controls are very easy to pick up.
After completing the tutorial, you go to the main menu. You can jump right into an exhibition fight or see the list of boxers. The list of boxers includes an impressive 48-boxer line-up.
The list includes the following with their overall in-game rating:
Tomasz Adamek 83, Muhammad Ali 92, Jorge Arce 91, Amin Asikainen 79, Emanuel Augustus 84
Marco Antonio Barrera 84, Joe Calzaghe 90, Nate Campbell 84, Eddie Chambers 80, Julio Cesar Chavez 84
Kermit Cintron 82, Diego Corrales 85, Miguel Cotto 88, Billy Dib 85, Nonito Donaire 88
Roberto Duran 93, George Foreman 83, Joe Frazier 87, Yuriorkis Gamboa 87, Arturo Gatti 86
Roberto Guerrero 84, Marvin Hagler 92, Vivian Harris 80, Ricky Hatton 81, Thomas Hearns 90
Roy Jones Jr. 90, Jake Lamotta 87, Ray Leonard 91, Lennox Lewis 83, Paulie Malignaggi 80
Fernando Montiel 84, Carlos Monzon 88, Sergio Mora 82, Erik Morales 88, Tommy Morrison 82
Shane Mosely 89, Anthony Mundine 82, Victor Ortiz 79, Manny Pacquiao 85, Kelly Pavlik 87
Vinny Paz 85, Ray Robinson 93, Cory Spinks 78, Jermain Taylor 84, James Toney 86
Mike Tyson 88, Pernell Whitaker 96, Winky Wright 84
Now for the fight. You only get to choose between two of the 48 fighters: Manny Pacquiao or Ricky Hatton. You get to re-live the battle of east and west, except this version will be held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The entrances are realistic and solid. Unfortunately, no "Blue Moon" for Hatton's entrance and also no Michael Buffer. The crowd looks great.
Here we go. I picked to fight as Manny Pacquiao. The commentary is great and is handled by ESPN's Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas. Hatton comes right forward and starts throwing as he did in the real fight.
One of the things that the EA folks stressed was the importance of clean punches. I peppered Hatton with a lot of punches that grazed that did some damage but didn't put Hatton in any kind of danger. It was only when I looked for opportunities to land clean haymakers that Hatton started reeling.
I landed a huge left cross (like the one from last month), and Hatton clinched to stay on his feet. You can push him off when he does that. I hit him with a few more and he went down. Great realism.
The corner game is also improved in Round 4. Depending on how well you do in the previous round, you accumulate points that you can spend on fixing your fighter's health, stamina, or damage (cuts).
The physics are really on display in the real fight. You can see every muscle flex in the fighter's torso when they throw a big punch, and if it lands upstairs you can see the face ripple. It's really amazing. The sweat and spit are flying with every clean headshot, and when a cut opens, the blood pours the more you target it.
I played a handful of matches, and flush punching really does make a difference. I rocked Hatton with the cleanest haymaker I could possibly land and he didn't get up after the first knockdown. In other fights he got up four or five times.
The demo is certainly an indication of how great this game is going to be. I hope that the career mode is an improvement from the previous Fight Night installments, which were lacking. I'll be sure to write a full review when I get my hands on a copy at the end of the month.
Posted by spartan117
FN R4 ships for the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3 on June 30, but the demo of the 360 version was released earlier this month. If you didn't get to check it out, Spartan117 has you covered.
When you boot up the demo, it showcases the new features that have been added to the series since Round 3. It shows off some really neat stuff, such as a revamped Create a Boxer mode where you can use actual photographs of yourself to create yourself as an up-and-coming future champion.
Online competitive play has also gotten a face lift. The demo doesn't go into great detail about the new online play but it looks like there will be an actual world title in each weight class for which the online community will compete. The beginning of the demo also shows off the attention to detail to the technical aspects of the sport itself, such as the importance of height and reach, but more on that later.
Before you can jump in the ring, you are forced to go through a tutorial of the basics. You lace up the gloves as Ricky Hatton in a boxing gym against a still, defenseless Manny Pacquiao.
The first thing you notice are the graphics. They are top-notch, absolutely stunning. The in-game physics are also amazing. The boxers' shorts sway and swing according to every bounce and movement of the boxer.
If you are familiar with the controls of the previous Fight Nights, they are almost the same. If you aren't, the right stick controls your punches. Moving the stick straight to the right will through a straight right, while moving it straight and left will throw - you guessed it - a straight left.
A hook is thrown by swinging the stick from the right or left to the top (like the real motion of a hook). And an uppercut is thrown by moving the stick down to the right or left and then swinging it to the top. Yes, this motion also resembles the motion of an arm throwing an uppercut.
The left stick controls the boxer's movement around the ring. Blocking is achieved by holding the right trigger while moving the right stick in areas that you would like to guard. Ducking and weaving is done by holding the left trigger and moving the left stick in the direction that you would like to duck.
You can hold one of the shoulder buttons to load up and throw the haymaker. It may sound complicated, but the controls are very easy to pick up.
After completing the tutorial, you go to the main menu. You can jump right into an exhibition fight or see the list of boxers. The list of boxers includes an impressive 48-boxer line-up.
The list includes the following with their overall in-game rating:
Tomasz Adamek 83, Muhammad Ali 92, Jorge Arce 91, Amin Asikainen 79, Emanuel Augustus 84
Marco Antonio Barrera 84, Joe Calzaghe 90, Nate Campbell 84, Eddie Chambers 80, Julio Cesar Chavez 84
Kermit Cintron 82, Diego Corrales 85, Miguel Cotto 88, Billy Dib 85, Nonito Donaire 88
Roberto Duran 93, George Foreman 83, Joe Frazier 87, Yuriorkis Gamboa 87, Arturo Gatti 86
Roberto Guerrero 84, Marvin Hagler 92, Vivian Harris 80, Ricky Hatton 81, Thomas Hearns 90
Roy Jones Jr. 90, Jake Lamotta 87, Ray Leonard 91, Lennox Lewis 83, Paulie Malignaggi 80
Fernando Montiel 84, Carlos Monzon 88, Sergio Mora 82, Erik Morales 88, Tommy Morrison 82
Shane Mosely 89, Anthony Mundine 82, Victor Ortiz 79, Manny Pacquiao 85, Kelly Pavlik 87
Vinny Paz 85, Ray Robinson 93, Cory Spinks 78, Jermain Taylor 84, James Toney 86
Mike Tyson 88, Pernell Whitaker 96, Winky Wright 84
Now for the fight. You only get to choose between two of the 48 fighters: Manny Pacquiao or Ricky Hatton. You get to re-live the battle of east and west, except this version will be held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The entrances are realistic and solid. Unfortunately, no "Blue Moon" for Hatton's entrance and also no Michael Buffer. The crowd looks great.
Here we go. I picked to fight as Manny Pacquiao. The commentary is great and is handled by ESPN's Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas. Hatton comes right forward and starts throwing as he did in the real fight.
One of the things that the EA folks stressed was the importance of clean punches. I peppered Hatton with a lot of punches that grazed that did some damage but didn't put Hatton in any kind of danger. It was only when I looked for opportunities to land clean haymakers that Hatton started reeling.
I landed a huge left cross (like the one from last month), and Hatton clinched to stay on his feet. You can push him off when he does that. I hit him with a few more and he went down. Great realism.
The corner game is also improved in Round 4. Depending on how well you do in the previous round, you accumulate points that you can spend on fixing your fighter's health, stamina, or damage (cuts).
The physics are really on display in the real fight. You can see every muscle flex in the fighter's torso when they throw a big punch, and if it lands upstairs you can see the face ripple. It's really amazing. The sweat and spit are flying with every clean headshot, and when a cut opens, the blood pours the more you target it.
I played a handful of matches, and flush punching really does make a difference. I rocked Hatton with the cleanest haymaker I could possibly land and he didn't get up after the first knockdown. In other fights he got up four or five times.
The demo is certainly an indication of how great this game is going to be. I hope that the career mode is an improvement from the previous Fight Night installments, which were lacking. I'll be sure to write a full review when I get my hands on a copy at the end of the month.
Posted by spartan117
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