UFC: Undisputed 2009 (XBox 360)

It's not a boxing game, and it's not a wrestling game. Though there has never been one attempted, it's not a ju-jitsu game either. But like the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) itself, "UFC Undisputed 2009" is indeed a mixture of all three.

 
The first game from the Ultimate Fighting Championship since 2004's "Sudden Impact", and the first on Xbox 360, Undisputed is the work of the THQ company that has produced the WWE's Smackdown vs Raw series of games, which has sold by the millions of copies across the world. The WWE are believed to be taking their franchise elsewhere within the next couple of years, and THQ will no doubt hope that Undisputed can prove just as popular.
 
The chances of that appear excellent given just how good this 2009 release is. On the surface, the graphics are superb, with each fighter very recognisable during gameplay, and there's even notable appearances from the likes of cutman "Stitch" Duran and the ring girls Arianny and Edith. The look of the Octagon (UFC's "ring") is also reminiscent of televised UFC events, as are even the "Tale of the Tape" graphics before every match.
 
Similarly, commentary is provided by the tremendous pairing of Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg, who have held court in the broadcast booth for as long as most fans can recall. Rogan, as usual, is the most excitable of the two, and both are quick with information about the fighters, as well as descriptions of the action.
 
But all graphical beauty, and realism, aside, it's the gameplay that really sets UFC Undisputed apart. Without there being the match option to do so, you can play the game in two different ways; as a complete beat-em-up, button bashing and all, in the style of Ready to Rumble boxing, or as a real strategical contest, with a deeply intricate system of ground fighting and submission work. Thankfully, as regards the many controls on offer, the tutorial is excellent for practicing the relevant manoeuvres, even if could really spend quite some time in the tutorial alone.
 
As for the alluded-to game modes, most will find their time spent in Career Mode. There, players can create their own competitor, work to improve his abilities at a training camp, and accept matches in order to work their way up the UFC pecking order. Once you're at a certain level, you'll be able to challenge for the title in your weight division, and then, if successful, go about the hardest part of the job: keeping it.
 
Like WWE's recent "Legends of Wrestlemania" game (also by THQ), there's also the chance to recreate classic fights in UFC history. If you manage to finish a fight in the manner that it finished in real-life (for example, by defeating Stephan Bonnar with Forrest Griffin via decision in the manner of the first Ultimate Fighter finale), you'll be rewarded with a look at the match itself. With so many incredible bouts in the UFC's back catalogue, there's no shortage of fantastic action here.
 
If there are any complaints to be made about the game, it is true that the menu system seems unnecessarily slow, which is somewhat annoying, especially in Career mode. Furthermore, as of one month following the release of the game, there remains an issue with lag in online games. One can only hope that the latter will be rectified sooner rather than later.


 
To capture the complex sport of MMA in game form may have seemed next to impossible. UFC Undisputed, however, despite the issues, does as good a job as this writer could have imagined.