Fight Night Round 4 (Xbox 360, 2009)

I love fight games!...(read my UFC Undisputed Review). I got to play this before it's official release(June 23, 2009). Yes, this is the follow up to Fight Night Round 3. Pure physics in the development of this game makes it as life-like as you could only imagine. Okay, so the fighters have the 1000 yard stare, zombie eyes...who cares. You're buying this game to throwdown and throw hands, and that's exactly what you'll get. No hurky, jerky movements, true fluid motion from each fighter. When a fighter gets "hurt" you can finish him off and feel your pulse racing with each punch. The graphics are revolutionary! With every hit to your opponent, you can see him feeling the pain and watch his body absorb each blow with realistic, physical alterations in his face, ribs, stomach, etc...it's that good. Sound, adds to the pain you're inflicting. All factors in real life play in to the overall gaming experience(footwork, stamina, adrenaline rush, boxing strategy).

What to look forward to? The trailers don't lie...pit a young Mike Tyson against Muhammad Ali in his prime. Iron Mike bobs and weaves and throws awesome uppercuts. Ali uses his jab with an insane reach advantage, lightning speed and graceful footwork. A true nostalgic ride for lifelong boxing fans, like myself.

Bottom Line...a must have fight game for all boxing fans. Easy to use controls, great graphics, etc... For non boxing fans...if you like mindless violence and watching 2 guys in shorts beating the living crap out of each other in a near lifelike manner...then you've found the right game.

Just a look who is on the cover is the primary reason any gamer/boxer fan should buy this game. The gameplay is great and along with how the boxers move. If you play with Tyson you can bob and weave as you make your way inside to land body shots on your opponennt. EA Sports did a great job of getting each and every fighters boxing style down. Thomas Hearns and James Toney have the best feel as far as playing with them. My personal favorites to use are Winky Wright, Pernell Whitaker and Vivan Harris. Old school George Foreman is a beast too. The stamina and chin attributes are great when it comes to certain fighters. I like the game due to the challenges you get from fighting an Ali, Lennon Lewis Roy Jones and so on. You have to use a strategy in regrads to whoever you are fighting unless its Tyson vs Eddie Chambers or Ali vs Tommy Morrison.

Fight Night Round 4 improves upon all elements in Round 3 that needed improvement. The new game engine allows you to partake in real in-fighting. Not only that, but for the first time in a boxing simulation, reach and particular fighter's styles really play out--and matter. For example, Tyson and Hagler need to get closer to their opponents to really inflict damage and press their strategy, while Lennox Lewis and Tommy Hearns can set up their big straight rights on the outside using the jab.

There are also major improvements as far as the career mode is concerned. The one area where Don King Presents: Prizefighter made big strides was in its career mode. It was much more engrossing, was more nuanced, and despite some dead ends, was just more interesting than FNR 3. FNR 3's career mode just felt a bit sparse in comparison. Round 4 has fixed that problem with their new Legacy Mode. The silly rival feature from R3 is gone, replaced by a more realistic sort of outgrowth. There are end of the year awards in each weight class, and the calendar system gives you more control over your career than the simple listings from R3.

Also, the ranking system is vastly improved--again, perhaps taking a note from Prizefighter, R4 employs a popularity function to figure your ranking (both standard and pound-for-pound). In Prizefighter, your public profile could rise or fall, but it had little effect on the game. In R3, there was no sense of fandom or popularity at all. R4 has again, made improvements.

One final note: the total punch control system, I think, is better and easier to use than in R3. Body punches are easier throw, as are combinations, the punches are faster, and haymakers are no longer the be-all, end-all for good players.

In summary, this is the best boxing game ever created. Period. Fight Night Round 4 lives up to all expectations.

If you don't own it yet, don't hesitate to pick up your copy of Fight Night Round 4. You will NOT be disappointed. This game is far superior to the previous Fight Nights that have been released in every way possible. Graphics, New Controls, and the reliable EA system is just scratching the surface. There are nearly 50 boxers available to hit the ring with right out of the box, and about 6 or more (DLC) boxers you can download from XBox Live or the PSN Network. The boxers range from Mike Tyson & Muhammad Ali to current boxers like Ricky Hatton & Manny Pacquiao. If you are a big boxing fan like I am, you will be enjoy the rest of the roster I am sure, but I will leave that for you to discover on your own.

This game is one of the best looking games I have played graphics wise, and it really nails high definition boxing. This is the closest you can get to the Sweet Science of Boxing without actually lacing them up and training for hours on end. Aside from being able to play against the computer through the "play now" feature, the game also has a legacy mode which allows you to create a boxer to work up the ranks from amateur to hopefully the greatest of all time. FN4 also sports an online feature so you can fight against other people online. The online feature is also equipped with running stats and leader boards.

I can't go on enough about how great this game is. EA Sports really outdid themselves on this edition. The ONE & ONLY issue I have with this game is that you can't fight as Floyd Mayweather; one of the best P4P boxers in a while. But other than that, this game completely delivers. I got my copy for cheap here on ebay. I suggest you do the same, you won't regret it.

I've never really owned or played a boxing game before, other than the classic Mike Tyson's Punchout, however, I must say without a doubt that this is the best boxing game out there. The graphics are simply amazing for not only a boxing game, but for any game in general. You will see the blood and sweat fly as you crush you opponent's chin with a devastating uppercut, and you will hear his nose crunch when you deliver a nasty left hook. The game also comes with almost all of the great boxers of the past, present, and future, but if you feel you still need to add the other greats like De La Hoya or Mayweather, then you can go online and download created boxers other gamers have uploaded onto the EA servers. The only thing that might draw you away from a game like this is the controls. Button mashers beware: the game uses the right stick for every different type of punch, which takes a while to master. Once you figure this out, there is no stopping you from becoming the G.O.A.T. in the game's fun and progressively challenging legacy mode. You can even upload your face and create a boxer in your image to challenge the other legendary boxers you face. No doubt this will be considered for game of the year honors.