Electronic Arts is bringing back its UFC gaming franchise after a two-year break. UFC 4 was officially revealed during UFC 251 on July 11, though leaks confirmed the new fighting game in the weeks prior to that. Two years means EA's had some time to improve gameplay for UFC 4, which it's now willing to start talking about.
Speaking with GameSpot, UFC 4 creative director Brian Hayes broke down some of the biggest changes being made to the game's gameplay. The single biggest change that Hayes lists is the complete "overhauling and rewriting" of UFC 4's clinch game using EA's Real Player Motion technology. This tech uses motion captured animations more visually fluid and understandable.
UFC 3 used Real Player Motion technology for 5,000 new animations in striking, combinations, and movement. That tech is now coming to UFC 4's clinches. Hayes explains that clinches were previously an extension of UFC's ground game. The change will make clinches more realistic, so they depict stand-up fighting and striking.
Other major gameplay changes in UFC 4 include "grapple assist controls" to make the game's ground game more accessible, and updated striking controls to make for more dynamic action. More subtle changes include "levels" to strikes depending on a fighter's technical prowess in striking, adding strikes to counter submission attempts, and two new "submission games" for choke and joint submissions. There's clearly much more beyond that, which UFC fans will be able to discover for themselves surprisingly soon.
UFC 4 releases August 14 on PS4 and Xbox One.
Source: GameSpot