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Fight Night 4 First Impressions After Seeing it Played

March 16th, 2009 Rich Reed Leave a comment Go to comments

When EA announced the closing of their Chicago Studio, it raised many questions about the popular Fight Night Franchise. Would there be a Fight Night 4 and if so, what changes would be made? The list of questions could go on but fans wanted answers. Of course by now I have learned the more you ask, the more there is left unanswered. Let’s face it, there were rumors, but when they dried up it seemed forever until some glimmer of hope arrived. Then in typical EA fashion during last year’s Spike VGA awards, Peter Moore took to the podium with that youthful smile and he not only announced that Fight night 4 is coming out but he also showed the first trailer. The new game has a slightly new angle. What if you could fight against the greatest fighters of all time and who would win? Of course the big tease was announcing that “Iron” Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali would be the first two boxers officially to be in the game.

After the show the buzz started: who would win if the two fought in their prime? I say Ali would win due to the fact he was trained for 15 round fights and a master at mind games. Of course, Mike Tyson had that monster-like strength and was known for quick knock-outs. EA Sports had already had a media blitz on their hands. The forums lit up with who would win, how and why. Last month I got an invite to the Fight Night Community Day Event in Vancouver. I am sure many of you already read coverage of the event, but to remind you I have included a special video. Thanks to Rob for putting it together for me. This is a look at the Physics Engine, Graphics and Visuals of Fight Night 4. Please note that this is from the perspective of watching the team play the game and not a hands-on view. I will be posting a hands-on impression as soon as I get the green light from EA.

While watching the team play Fight night 4, the first thing that grabbed me was the realistic features. Hits land and look real and not near misses like found in Fight Night 3. The Physics Engine is remarkable and this was the very early stages of the game. Boxing is not just a sport, but it is also a science and if the Physics Engine stinks, the game will as well. My first impressions are that fans of the series are going to love the way the game looks. It is amazing! You won’t see the same reaction over and over as in past FN games.

The graphics were impressive as well. EA Sports is going for a very realistic look. Each boxer will react to a punch in a different way and the ring and crowd bring the game to an all new level of looking realistic. Yes I can say there is blood in the game, but it’s not overused. The swelling and bruising also have been tweaked to look more realistic. We had a chance the first night to play Fight night 3 and after seeing Fight Night 4 in the early stages, boxing and sports fans are going to get everything they have been waiting for in a boxing title for the next-gen systems. I know FN 3 was out for the Xbox 360 but with limited time available and wanting to bring out titles, it seemed rushed. Fortunately even the early build of Fight Night 4 seems fluid, well- balanced and great looking. Many of you have asked questions for more details and I will answer them in time. My hope is that after reading this you know I am not hyping the game. I hope readers will come back and read more when I can tell more. If it looked bad or something was in need of being tweaked, I would point it out even in the early stages of the game.

So if we go to the judges for the score card, keeping in mind this was just my thoughts from a viewing perspective only, the decision is unanimous. EA Sports has a hit on their hands with Fight Night 4. Keep checking back for more Fight Night 4 coverage and if you have questions, please place them in the comment section. I will make sure to check them daily and pass them on to the team at EA. As soon as I am free to discuss more, I will include those questions that stick out. I know many of you have been patiently waiting for in-depth information about the game. In closing I would like to Thank Alain Quinto, the Fight Night Community Manager, for all his help and showing all a great time while we were up at EA Studios in Vancouver.

Links

Official Fight Night 4 Website
Fight Night 4 Lennox Lewis & Sugar Ray Leonard at EA Mocap Session

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