Fight Night Round 3 was widely regarded as the best boxing videogame of all time, so coming up with an improved title was quite an ambitious project for EA Studios. The latest installment surpassed even the most optimistic forecasts, introducing a more intuitive control system, stunning visuals and flawless animations . Despite minor setbacks, Fight Night Round 4 is a solid hit, allowing gamers to get as close to real thing as it gets, without the risk of getting injured in the ring.

The campaign set is called Legacy Mode and it revolves around the numerous matches of your lengthy career, as well as the heritage you are leaving behind as a boxer. At a first glance the sheer complexity might weed off some players, but the truth is the intricacy is only apparent and the whole thing is rather straight forward. You start as a 19 years old prospect, trying to make a name for himself in the harsh world of boxing, by defeating better seeded opponents and climbing the ladder to prominence. Time is of the essence, because your boxer gets old and sooner or later the time will come for retirement, so you can only fight in a determined number or matches, trying to make the most out of them.

Basically victories against tougher opponents are the key for success, but in order to do that you must improve your stats by rigorous training after each fight. Since you need at least a month of rest between matches, it's very important to come up with the right schedule to maximize your results. Taking too many breaks will allow you to train more, but the number of rated fights will diminish and you'll get old before reaching the expected level. On the other hand fighting match after match with just a training session in between will allow you to leapfrog many opponents, but not for long. Surging through the standings won't permit the stats to keep up with your position, and in the end you'll be fighting vastly superior opponents, against whom you've got a snowflake's chance in hell.

Training is a rather tedious activity and very demanding for newcomers, who will most likely decide to simply simulate it and settle with half of the points rewarded. It's not a winning strategy on the long run, but since you are bound to fail miserably in the first hours, it's an acceptable compromise. Fights can be simulated as well, either by the standard procedure or by using the ESPN simulation which allows you to keep track of every move, thanks to the live coverage. It's only fair to say that this is an interesting addition to the Legacy Mode, but the practical use is virtually inexistent. I doubt that anyone will choose to read about the outcome of a match he could be rather fighting, especially since the better rated boxer will win most of the fights, so you can't really cheat the system.

The gameplay features all those devastating punches we've witnessed on TV during the most intense fights, and throwing them at someone's face even in a videogame remains extremely appealing. Well delivered jabs, uppercuts and hooks can shake off their feet even the most famous boxers, while power punches such as the infamous haymakers will send them crashing down to the deck. Blocking a vicious blow presents you with the perfect opportunity of counter attacking, delivering an increasingly powerful punch to the unsuspecting opponent. Frankly this ability is a bit overpowered, because the sheer force of such a punch is enough to stun or even knock down a player.

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Equally frustrating is the recovering system following such a devastating blow, giving you little hopes of surviving those dreadful 10 seconds, if you were knocked down before. It's fairly easy to get back on your feet after the first knock down, but it's virtually impossible to do it again regardless of your health pool or the force behind the decisive hit. For every successfully landed punch or avoided attack you are rewarded points, that you can use once the round is over, replenishing health, stamina or mending injuries. The recipe for success if to find the right mix, and never allow either of these stats to reach a critical level, because that will greatly reduce your chances of surviving in the last rounds.

Realism remains a subject of intense dispute regarding videogames depicting sport events, and the degree in which a game should remain true to the real life sport is highly debatable. A very popular belief states that a videogame should focus entirely on capturing the very fragrance that makes the sport portrayed so popular, by preserving the realism to the highest degree. This would insure the title's longevity by assembling an unyielding group of enthusiasts, that would stick with it through the rough spots, driven by their passion for the sport.

This theory makes perfect sense, but the more savvy consumers will quickly point out that in large doses, even realism can turn from a firm asset into a burden. Most gamers chose the virtual experience because the real thing requires patience, hard training and will frequently feel more like a chore than a triumphant march. Enhanced stamina, regenerating health and the ability to throw way many punches than a real boxer, make a strong impact on realism, but are essential ingredients to make Fight Night Round 4 more dynamic and fast flowing.

While keeping all these elements in mind, most people will find it easier to deal with awkward situations when a newcomer can keep you under pressure by simply spamming punches. After several hours of playing and practicing counter punching, special moves and combos I was shocked to discover that a human opponent with virtually no practice might cause a few headaches. After picking up just the basic moves, a newbie could create a big upset if his fighter is taller and has a longer reach. Playing a quick match with top class boxers can lead to an avalanche of punches, where skills and experience play a far less important role.

This being said, Fight Night Round 4 brilliantly succeeds in providing a compelling experience where the better player will eventually triumph, thanks to a better hit percentage or a more effective resource management. Throwing mindless punches can only carry you that far, and even the best fighters will gradually lose stamina, making them more vulnerable into the last rounds. Late knockouts are a permanent threat, and unlike AI controlled opponents, humans are much more predisposed to press on with recklessness in the early rounds.

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Conclusion:

Those remotely interested in boxing will discover that Fight Night Round 4 is a game of huge potential, recreating the intensity and vigor of the toughest sport in the world. Creating your own highly customizable character, or choosing one of the iconic figures from the world of boxing is equally exciting, while the legacy mode proves to be highly addictive and rewarding. Some minor flaws prevent it from becoming a new milestone as a sport simulator, but this is still the best boxing game out there.

Gameplay: 85

Game mechanics are easy to pick up and intuitive enough to give a fighting chance even to newcomers, but Fight Night Round 4 remains challenging throughout the whole legacy mode. Thanks to a fantastic physics engine, differences between boxers in terms of size, reach and speed are still playing a major role without leading to lopsided fixtures. Scheduling fights and practicing in the training room is less exciting, but working your way through the standings makes the effort worthwhile.

Graphics: 87

Each pugilist resembles his famous counterpart, but even those created by users uploading digital photos are nothing short of amazing, with incredible attention given to details. The most impressive thing about Fight Night Round 4 remains the way fighters move inside the ring, punches fly as they do in real life, and the impact of a powerful blow scores just as high visually as it does on the scoreboard.

Sounds: 83

I was particularly impressed by the voice acting, with commentators Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas covering each match in a professional way, despite the somewhat repetitive nature of their remarks. The soundtrack is amazing and being able to chose even the tune your boxer enters the ring on, further increases the sensation that you are competing in a major tournament. Landing a decisive blow or sending your rival to the mat sounds just the way you'd expect to do in a real match, and slow motion replays make the highlight of each fight.

Multiplayer: 84