Another notch in the franchise, but can it deliver a knockout blow for the genre?
I like boxing. I am not what you would call a fan, but I do like to watch it if it is on the telly. I also rather link boxing games, both arcade ones (Punchout!, Rocky) and the more simulation like ones – such as the Fight Night franchise.
How does it play? Well, great!
Fight Night has been around for quite some time. It started life in as Foes of Ali in 1995 on the ill fated 3DO. This became Knockout Kings in 1998 and that name hung around on most formats, with yearly releases until in 2004 we had Fight Night 2004. All of these releases added new game dynamics, better control systems, more fighters and more involved career modes. Now, in 2011, EA have decided to go one step further with the release of Fight Night Champions. Whilst there are still the ubiquitous Career modes and exhibition modes as well as the ever popular legends mode, this time with have one extra. Champion Mode. 
In Champion Mode you get to play the part of André Bishop as you are taken through a Hollywood style story mode, that would make a great Rocky film! Andre is a middle weight boxer with a great professional career ahead of him. However, not everything works out for him and he ends up in jail. The rest of the story follows Andre as he tries to make his comeback in professional boxing and become the Heavyweight champion of the world. I have to admit, I was a little dubious about this addition to the tried and tested modes of the genre. The thing is, I loved it. My only complaint was that it ended! The story was well told, with some good voice acting and some brilliant action. In the ring you are often thrown little challenges. One fight Andre breaks his right hand, so has to finish the fight with just his left. In another he has to use no body punches. There are also some great fights that take place in prison where rules are just a piece of paper! The rest of the modes are fairly standard. You have an exhibition mode, where you can use any fighters you choose (and there are a lot of them to choose from!) There is also Legacy Mode. This is the basic career mode. Create a fighter (with EA’s very comprehensive create a character editor) and take him from amateur all the way to pro. As you fight and win you will gain XP points and earn money. These can be used to improve your fighters attributes. you will also unlock more gyms within which to train. Training is a double edged sword here. On the one hand you have to do it to improve, on the other it can be very frustrating and break the natural flow of the game. You also have to keep an eye on your skills as they will decrease as you progress if you don’t train correctly. So that’s what is available, but it doesn’t answer the main question. How does it play? Well, great! 
I will concentrate on how it feels to play the Champion Mode as this is where I spent the most time. Your fighter is moved around the ring using the left analogue stick. This, for the most part, feel very responsive. Flicking the stick will make him dodge quickly, where holding will just make him walk about. The right stick is where the magic happens. Using the all new Full Spectrum Punch Control, you are able to throw all your punches with just a flick of the stick. Push forward and a little to the left and you will deliver a jab, a little to the right and you will get a straight right. As you move more in one direction with the right stick, you will get different punches, from hooks to uppercuts. The right button is used to add some strength to the punches, whilst the left shoulder button moves your punches to the body. Also whilst the left shoulder button is held down, moving the left analogue stick will make you bob and weave – an essential technique to learn! The right shoulder button provides you with a block – another essential part of the game! In practice this all feels totally intuitive. You can also use the face buttons for some of the basic punches, which I found easier to use for throwing out jabs and straights. You will soon be dishing out some serious combos though. However, this is not just a straight out and out brawl. You have to conserve your stamina. You have to dodge and block. You also have to use the occasional tie up to recover from time to time. You have to use your brain! Some fights can be one just by going nuts. Others will have you picking your punches very carefully indeed. You also have to watch out for the occasional Flash knockout. Just like the real thing, from time to time a punch will get delivered from nowhere that will take you clean out! Every fight is different as well. For the most part the AI is excellent. Some guys will try to do all their damage on your body, others will sit back and wait for you to go to them. Some are just animals and will destroy you with one punch if they can! Every punch feels like it doing some damage, with slow mo knockdown replays giving some gruesome details! The fighters all look amazing as do the arenas. Sound wise this is spot on. The Champion mode has a good soundtrack with good voice acting, whilst the sounds in the ring are as real as you can get! Whilst Legacy mode is a bit of a drag, this game is all about Champion mode. The story of Andre Bishop is compelling and enjoyable. Can this deliver a knockout punch? Yes, I think it can. Not just that – it’s FUN. This review took twice as long as it should because I was having fun playing it!. But please EA, can we have more story and less Legacy next time!!
The Bad: Legacy mode is not that fun.
Silver Y Award