Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I loved Fight Night 2004. It was the best boxing game I'd ever played, with a rock-solid control scheme and very good graphics and sounds. The game was easy to learn and highly addictive.
With this direct sequel, several things have been improved over the already great original game. In this title, you take control of one of dozens of boxers or create your own and play exhibition fights, knockout contests, or the career mode. In the latter, you earn money and improve your stats and buy loads of ring gear along the way.
First things first: The career mode, while fun and at a decent length (about 40-90 fights and 20 hours long, depending on your performances), is deeper than the first game though not greatly. For example, this time your character starts in the amateur ranks and moves up to the professionals at either 10 fights or earlier if you choose. Your performance in the ring begins to deteriorate at around 40 years of age, and you can retire anytime while also trying to win the dozen or so trophies available. There's still training in between fights, except this time you choose between the three types and they cover a much broader area of skills so you can truly orient your fighter's abilities how you choose. The training seems much easier this time as well, though they weren't very difficult last time.
But the problem with the career mode is that it still doesn't go much deeper than this. It's interesting and more personally involving (details of your boxer's progress scroll under their portrait during the fight menu), but there's still not too much besides the amount of fights to differentiate it from the "play now" mode. While I wasn't expecting something as deep as some of the story path options from some wrestling games, I would have liked to see things such as choosing promoters, offers of switching to different leagues, throwing a fight, etc. While those are all real aspects of boxing, some would argue that it's unnecessary to what this game was trying to achieve, which was to recreate a solid boxing experience. And it definitely did despite my hopes for a little more variation. The career mode is also like last year's game in that you'll fight a lot of randomized fictional boxers. While I like this and think it's interesting and realistic, there does seem to be little interaction with real-life champs. Again, that's where I would have liked a deeper sort of option set for this mode. The game does get points however for offering extras here and there such as charity fights and the option to switch weight classes and unify belts, and choosing your fights offers a strategy of sorts since each one will have different preparation periods that will factor in to how long your boxer's overall career can last. Things such as half a dozen new and interesting venues spice things up along the way too. One last quibble: Missing is the end-of year wrapup, so no end of year awards (such as fighter of the year) and no list or retiring boxers. No way to see a boxer's fight history either, which were features that made the game, and boxing in general, more interesting).
There are lots of more important improvements, however. The street-style announcer of last year's game has been replaced with professional commentator Joe Tessitore, who can always be found on ESPN2's Tuesday Night Fights. His dialog is lively, descriptive, pretty much constant and almost always parallel to what's going on in the ring. He sounds completely believable and well acted to boot. While I personally didn't have a problem with "Tigger" in last year's game, there's a definite difference to hearing someone say "Oowee, there goes two peas and a biscuit, that had to hurt!" as opposed to "Kid Dynamite looks like he's got something to prove tonight with that aggressive right hand. I'm surprised Ali was able to get back up so quickly". The commentary is very professional and, as I said, manages to keep up with the action with little if any delay.
Another improvement is the create a boxer mode. The basics are still here such as hieght and color and so forth, but while you still can't pick from a variety of facial features, you can more precisely tweak them. Last year's game let you decide some shapes and depths for some facial parts, but this time you can do more deep altering of the head shape, jawline, eye height, cheekbone size, forehead size, and some things like that. While you still probably can't make a perfect you, you'll probably come closer. I did, with a few new options and better facial range, but I still wished for some more selection. There's some nice additions for things such as hair, but a couple things (like a full beard) are strangely missing this time.
There's another interesting feature, the cornerman control. Between rounds, you (slowly) move the right stick up and down to reduce the numerical swelling and cut indicator for your boxer. To me this seemed realistic and gave the fight a more strategic angle and also gave a clear indication of how much a fighter has been beaten down. Too much and the fight can actually be stopped, so this is important. The cool thing is, both the cutman option and fight stoppage can be turned off if you like.
Another detail is the award system. This time, everything you unlock (through easy sparring as well as won belts and contests) stays in your character profile which is shared between your boxers. If you unlock stuff and end a career, your next boxer can use that stuff too once he has the cash (no unlocking). One thing I found strange is that now most of the items carry a skill boost (such as in Fable, where this glove may give you +3 power but this one gives you +3 speed). Since everyone chooses ring gear based on style, this is odd and throws sort of unwelcome strategy into what should be picking an outfit based purely on your color and style needs. But, you can also just dress how you want and just accept any bonus as extra gravy. You'll just feel the NEED to give yourself the best bonuses, which I feel gets in the way. Lots of great (and much more complex) styles and color combos though.
Finally, the controls. Last year I only bought the game once I learned that I didn't HAVE to use the right stick to control my punches. I grew up on the control pad and I hate forced analog. I'm happy that I can still use the buttons to punch this time too. However you must use at least one stick, for either moving or punching, since there are so many commands. This bugged me at first until I realized how smoothly and easily I moved with the left stick, and I actually punched with the right stick anyway once in a while because it too was pretty easy. I've heard that the game sort of favors use of the stick for punching, but for those of you like me who prefer the buttons, don't worry. A couple things are easier with the stick, and vicious haymakers seem possible only with it, but I assure you that I still had no problem finishing a career (in easy mode) with a 54-0-0 record using the buttons almost exclusively. The right stick can make it easier sometimes, but I found button combos still easy and satisfying without.
One last thing- if you hated the music last time, this time it's even more irritating. If you liked it, then have fun.
So there you go. All said, I think this is a solid game, worthy on its own and improved enough over the original to warrant a purchase. Improved, but not too different. If you liked the first, I can't see why you wouldn't like this one too. If you're new to the game, this one's a more complete and professional package. But if you aren't satisfied with improved and want a whole new game that's nothing like Fight Night 04, rent it first. I did, but then I knew I had to go buy it right away.
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Product Description:
Fight Night Round 2 continues delivering the innovative boxing gameplay with deeper gameplayand all-new options. Knock your opponents out using devastating combos and the new Haymakeroption. Then go outside the ring for training, while managing your boxer to make himsuccessful and wealthy. The new EA SPORTS Cutman minimizes damage on fighters by helpingthem heal critical wounds between rounds. Active cut-man helps you recover from swelling eyes between roundsDynamic Punch Impacts - stunning visuals reflect the effect of each blow, from swollen eyes to broken ribs
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