EA Sports UFC 4 Critic Reviews

Without a doubt the best MMA videogame ever made, EA Sports UFC 4 supplements a welcome array of new offline and online modes with a revamped and endlessly sophisticated combat system that everybody can enjoy. For MMA fans it doesn't get any better than this.

EA Sports UFC 4 is EA’s strongest MMA game yet, even if it isn’t quite all it could be. The career mode is top-shelf, but it’s still a bit disappointing to not see PRIDE replicated in an EA UFC game when they had their own expy for its follow-up in DREAM in EA MMA. Still, EA Sports UFC 4 manages to deliver the best-playing MMA action in company history and maybe we’ll see some new content down the road to fill in some of the gaps in mode selection and the roster. As it stands, this is a must-play game for MMA fans and finally provides a satisfying, easy to learn submission system that makes the entirety of MMA action enjoyable for players of all skill levels.

UFC 4 is an evolution over UFC 3. A much better and more cohesive online, a better system for advancing your created fighters, a career mode that has a bit more depth, and gameplay that opens up the series to more people, makes UFC 4 the game that UFC 3 should have been.

While the newest trip into the Octagon shows some noticable improvement at its core in terms of fight mechanics, there are a few surprising steps back as well.

EA returns to get the best fighting simulator in terms of MMA, a demanding and realistic title in the fights that we will have to learn to give our best shot and elevate our fighter to the UFC podium. The novelties of this fourth installment seem enough and will satisfy fans of the genre, although we expected something more in the graphics section, the truth is that UFC 4 is a worthy continuation of the saga.

EA Sports UFC 4 is the best MMA game to date. With an improved career mode, robust online options and significant updates to the core combat, fans of the franchise will be in awe at what steps into the octagon.

With upgraded grappling and submission mechanics, better training and fewer flash knockouts, UFC 4 manages to deliver on the promise of its predecessor. Cosmetic microtransactions come across greedy, but there’s nothing lacking in the main product. Framerate hitches and a few bugs remain at launch, as does persistent voice repetition, but overall if you enjoyed UFC 3, there’s a lot to like about UFC 4.

UFC 4 takes fighting simulation to a new level. Great campaign and fabulous control where fighters from all over the world can take advantage of the different layers available to be UFC champions.

Between deep combat and a robust career mode, this is the best UFC game yet.

EA Sports UFC 4 shows that the quality of a sports game is far more important than the amount of quantity in it. UFC 4 improves and adds areas that needed work. It brings in new systems and tighter control designs to make the experience for more entertaining than previous years. This is the best of the best in the UFC series right now, and there is still good room to grow it.

Even after achieving "G.O.A.T." status, I have a hard time peeling away from UFC 4. After hours and hours of play, I still feel like there's a lot more to learn about the fighting systems and all the moves that can branch out from each ground position. It's addicting to tinker around with it or map out a new career for another created fighter, messing around with building (or burning) bridges with either fighters to see how his or her path maps out. Whether you want a little action distraction or want to get lost in what the MMA world has to offer, UFC 4 has it. Just remember to apologize to your training partners in advance.

UFC 4 is 1.5 steps forward…1 step back from UFC 3. The series’ over-emphasis on realism but also widest playability remains an awkward marriage. Still, it’s also one of the deepest sports titles available, and a great homage to the MMA genre.

EA Sports UFC 4 is a largely iterative sequel that tightens up some looser parts, makes a few smart tweaks here and there, and doesn’t rock the boat all that much. And in that sense, it’s a success. The new submission system is a big improvement over prior years, there are some great changes to career mode that make it much more fun to mold a fighter that suits your own playstyle, the new grapple assist system is a great tool to help complete newcomers not feel lost if they get taken down, and as a whole, the fighting system remains incredibly deep. Longstanding problems still remain in the ground game and some dated visuals, but without any competition for the title, EA Sports UFC 4 still remains the king of combat sports.

UFC 4 is a better game than UFC 3. While some of the systems might take a little bit of getting used to, there's a more refined experience here. One that's a little bit more welcoming to many different types of players and that's been done without sacrificing the level of depth and quality to the fighting that fans have come to expect from the series.

UFC 4 is more accessible than previous entries in the franchise, yet its controls are still demanding. The game looks great and feels like watching an authentic match on TV.

Definitely an evolution rather than a revolution for EA, UFC 4 continues to deliver the slick, brutal and intelligent combat that we're used to but we're still not sure about its ground game and would like to have seen a bit more of a celebration of the sport.

Despite some hiccups, though, EA Sports UFC 4 is a mostly satisfying UFC gaming experience. Those who aren't willing to put in the work to really master the combat system will likely not be as impressed with it, but those that put in the time will find it to be one of the best MMA games available on modern day platforms, with a great, incredibly deep roster and a variety of fun game modes.

If you're a veteran of the series, UFC 4 makes some adjustments you've been asking for and has some new features to dive into. If you're a beginner you've got a long climb ahead of you, but it's worth the grind. The game doesn't break new ground, but it seems to have refined what was already there.

Once mastered, the combat experience is enjoyable, and the license increases in rhythm with the new gameplay, whether it's takedowns or clinches.

UFC 4 is quite enjoyable, and a great sports sim, but its very complex gameplay could be a problem for some, even if it's better than before. If you're a fan of MMA, don't look further.