The defunct Pride Fighting Championship returns in UFC Undisputed 3.
November 3, 2011
Beginning with the original Undisputed back in 2009, THQ has asserted itself as a powerhouse for mixed-martial arts gaming. The past two games in the franchise were some of the best games the sport had seen, but for their third Undisputed game, THQ has opted to take a little bit of extra time to really flesh out some big changes for the franchise -- and it shows.
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UFC Undisputed 3 sports a ton of changes and additions to gameplay that both streamline the experience for newcomers and add in some new features for hardcore fans, including the inclusion of Pride FC to the game's mode lineup. At a press event on the heels of UFC 137 in Las Vegas, THQ had the game on hand, showing off the new Pride mode for the first time as well as giving us some more hands on time with the game itself.
In what is arguably the biggest addition to the Undisputed formula, UFC Undisputed 3 adds in Pride mode, which lets you fight in the Pride Fighting Championship. The now-defunct organization was a staging area for some of the best MMA fighters in the world, had developed its own set of MMA rules alongside the UFC, and became immensely popular at a time when the sport was experiencing huge growth and popularity spikes worldwide. UFC Undisputed 3's Pride mode brings a separate mode with a host of different fighters and rule sets to the mix, essentially making Undisputed 3 two games in one.
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Kicking your opponent when he's down is just one move that Pride mode lets you can pull off.
Instead of facing off in the Octagon like UFC mode, Pride mode has you fighting in the latter's four-sided ring, complete with turnbuckles and ropes. Additionally, the rule sets for UFC and Pride fights have some pretty vast differences. In Pride, you can perform face stomps while your opponent is downed on the ground, a move that is verboten in the UFC. The fights also go on longer than the MMA Unified Rules of Combat permit; with ten minute long first rounds (and five minutes for the second and third rounds) becoming intense endurance matches from the very beginning. MMA legend Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros provide the commentary.
On the roster side, Pride mode features a fine lineup of Pride FC heavyweights including Bob Sapp, Kevin Randleman, and Mark Coleman. Fighters that have pulled double duty in both Pride and the UFC, like Mirko Cro Cop, will have alternate outfits and be dressed according to their organization.
Another huge addition to the Undisputed formula is the long-awaited addition of Featherweights and Bantamweights. Adding these two weight classes opens up the game's roster of fighters by a large scale, letting you play as world class fighters like Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz for the first time in a UFC game.
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Take the fight to the ring instead of the Octagon with Pride mode.
As far as the basic gameplay, THQ cleaned up and retooled UFC Undisputed 3. Those who found the control scheme tough to figure out in the first two Undisputed games will be pleased to know that THQ has added a new amateur control scheme. This helps simplify the ground game immensely, as transitions that are typically done by flicking the thumbstick in specific ways can now be done by pushing a direction and your fighter will make the necessary transition.
Submissions have also gotten an overhaul this time around. Whereas previous UFC Undisputed games had a system that required you to hammer away on the thumbsticks to either submit an opponent (or break free of a submission), Undisputed 3 has a much more elegant solution. A ring will appear around the edge of the screen, and both parties will have to line up their submission bars, and whoever can fill up the gauge quickest will get the submission or the escape. This give or take method is definitely an improvement over the previous system, requiring more focus from the player than simply slugging away the right thumbstick.
Other changes made to the gameplay across the board include leg kick TKOs, new submissions, and a new feint system for faking out your opponent. There are some huge changes coming in UFC Undisputed 3, and it's pretty easy to see why the team took some time off to make sure that it would be the most comprehensive UFC game to date.
