Cert: 16+
Platform: PS3/Xbox 360
Genre: Fighting
The hook for the latest entry in EA's ever-popular fight night franchise is champion mode. Here EA insert every Hollywood boxing cliché imaginable - unlucky everyman fights his way in search of redemption - and create something that's hard-hitting and, due to its colorful language and endless bloodshed, not for kids, however the new feature is both engrossing and, most importantly, fun. Champion mode adds a new dimension to a game that would have been perfectly enjoyable without it. Which is maybe the key for annual franchises and the reason to upgrade every year.
Champion mode aside everything from fight night games past is here. Over 50 of the sports famous faces, the most famous arenas, and the thoroughly addictive legacy mode, where you aim to take your own fighter to the top of the boxing ladder.
Gameplay has been refined slightly so punches don't appear as random as before, and while not perfect, it's far from difficult to get the hang of. Add to a slightly polished graphics engine whose previous incarnation already pushed today's systems to their limits, means this is one contender that's not yet ready to relinquish its title.
Enjoyable as ever.
Rent or Buy: Buy
Graphics: 4/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Replay Value: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Reviewed By: Simon Rubbathan
