Pretty Like The Champ
by 
It’s been a long three years since we were blown away with the beautiful graphics of Fight Night Round 3. After taking a look at the latest installment of the Fight Night series it seems well worth the wait as the game is similar to its predecessor’s release on the (at the time) newly released Xbox 360. There’s something really intoxicating when watching this version of Iron Mike stroll down to the ring and now that I can add any track I want it’s going to be nothing short of epic.
The main thing or word that I would use to describe the difference in the two games is fluidity. Don’t get me wrong, FN3 was plenty exciting and I had some epic fights but if you compare the two games side by side (as we were able to) you get to see what we were missing last time out. Gone are the days of the block, parry, throw bombs to the same part of the face. Repeat. The game got stale for me, and that must have been in part to the boxers being limited in what they could do.
Another big difference in this years game is that it’s running at 60fps versus 30fps in FN3. That in itself is enough to make this the most stunning game to date. Keep in mind the first time I got to see the game was the mythical match up of Iron Mike vs. The Greatest Ali. Both characters were life-like in their respective ring entrances and Tyson’s fast combinations made me think I was back in 1988.
The physics engine is phenomenal and is the reason for the difference in fluidity. The punches in FN3 used to only hit one designated area to the head or the body. This time around the punches are actually being tracked and that allows for punches to be landed pretty much on every part of the body. I saw a uppercuts from Tyson graze Ali’s head on several occasions and Ali would also misfire if Tyson was inside because it would negate his massive reach.
Finally the crowd actually looks alive this year. FN3 offered us two or three different types of “fans” and it appeared that they were at another fight rather than the one we were playing. The ring entrances have been vastly improved as FN3 seemed to use the hip hop genre for every fighter no matter what era they were from. If you still don’t like what EA has to offer use the custom track feature to make the game even more real. I am very impressed with the alpha build of this game and the Fight Night team just seems to have their mind set at finally putting out a boxing game that FEELS like boxing.
I look forward to releasing more information on Fight Night Round 4 very soon, so stay tuned!
Thanks to Moz again for his continuing coverage out of the Community Event last month and check out the screenshot gallery for three new images from FNR4. -PP
March 16, 2009 at 11:47 pm
sounds great. did they talk to you guys about how they took out the button punching and why they decided to?
March 17, 2009 at 12:42 am
Wow!!! Sounds awesome.
The whole removing button punching though is a HUGE glaring issue at this point. . .
March 17, 2009 at 2:18 am
I agree rondoman! Leave it up to EA to do something so stupid like not giving us an option on how we want to play the game. I'm sure this game will be great but them taking out button punching is a huge negative to me. Why not give people an option? It doesn't make any sense whatsoever but coming from EA I'm not surprised. Typical EA move to alienate the hardcore fanbase who's played the game since Knock Out Kings & have gotten used to the button punching. Nice one EA!
March 17, 2009 at 1:28 am
the button punching is wack and arcadish and im glad they took it out
March 17, 2009 at 1:44 am
whatever is comfortable works. if people need buttons to enjoy the game then give it to them. online they can do whatever, i couldn't care less about that personally
March 17, 2009 at 2:51 am
Thank God we're gonna be able to put our own music in the game! I'm gonna have some ol' skool rap and some gangsta shit!
March 17, 2009 at 2:56 am
Custom music? Yeah man that's a DEALMAKER for me! Gotta pre-order now!
March 17, 2009 at 3:00 am
FN3 was pure garbage! If Pasta actually liked that shit then there's no way i can trust his opinion about this game. FN3 was like fuckin Rock-em Sock-em robots! Slow and unrealistic as hell! Makes me think what R4 is REALLY like!
March 17, 2009 at 3:16 am
thats your opinion sorry but a majority of people liked fn 3, i swear i can't stand people who cry about realism and video games if you want realism get your ass of the couch and get in a ring.
March 17, 2009 at 4:57 am
What the fuck is wrong with wanting realism? I pay 60 bucks for these damn sports games so damn skippy i want REALISM! They advertise the shit as a BOXING SIMULATION so shouldn't i expect a BOXING SIMULATION? I don't want some half-assed arcade game pretending to be sim, and that's exactly what FN3 was! You wanna keep giving EA your bucks and getting lame ass products that's on you! You keep being EA's bitch if you want sucka! And just because the majority of people liked FN3 doesn't mean it was realistic! The majority of people liked Donkey Kong too, what's your point asshole? Most EA fans wouldn't know a SIM game if they tripped over one!
March 17, 2009 at 6:22 am
TELL THEM! TELL THEM!
March 17, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Pwned him!!! LOL
March 17, 2009 at 3:40 am
It was definitely a good game but one that didn't hook me. I really seemed to be in the minority since most everyone loved it.
March 17, 2009 at 4:04 am
Looking back on it I agree but at the time (which was 3 years ago) the graphics were pretty good for a launch title for the 360. I think this game is much better, but of course it won't be perfect…no game ever is.
March 17, 2009 at 3:10 am
man sht up not everybody uses the buttons i used the sticks and been playing since KO kings so im not hardcore lol
March 17, 2009 at 3:23 am
Exactly my point genius! Not everyone uses the same buttons so make it optional!
March 17, 2009 at 3:40 am
It was definitely a good game but one that didn't hook me. I definitely seemed to be in the minority since most everyone loved it.
March 17, 2009 at 5:24 am
We are supposed to talk about the games graphics? Oops. All anyone is talking about now is how EA has forced them to relearn the game. Oops.
March 17, 2009 at 6:21 am
Is there even any signature style at all in this game, or in typical EA Sports fashion are we going backwards and LOSING features and depth?
March 17, 2009 at 7:13 am
Pasta…is the custom soundtrack feature going to be on the PS3 version or is it just an Xbox only deal (like NHL 09)?
March 17, 2009 at 7:52 am
Boxing is for losers. its all about UFC.
March 17, 2009 at 9:08 am
UFC is for bar-fighters, bullies, and hillbillies who got kicked out of one two many weddings for starting a fight with their ex-wife/sister and who couldn't get jobs or lacked the discipline and know-how to excel at a real sport like boxing…UFC billings itself as MMA is an insult to real-MMA organizations like Pride and K-1…UFC is nothing more than human cock-fighting…
March 18, 2009 at 4:02 am
Agreed!
March 17, 2009 at 11:57 am
"Another big difference in this years game is that it’s running at 60fps versus 30fps in FN3. That in itself is enough to make this the most stunning game to date."
I'm sorry, but that's so untrue and it's a shame that folks continue to say this as if it means the graphics are better as a result. This is never the case, it's technically impossible. 60 frames means less detail than a game running at 30 frames, just look at Madden 08 and 09 compared to 07. HUGE detail loss. HUGE. The lighting now sucks ass as well.
I never even noticed that FN3 was 30 frames because it moved rather quickly. There was no need to bump it up to 60. So basically the game-in-hand is destined to look weaker than its predecessor by rule of what 60 frames costs you in regards to detail loss (it's unavoidable), and with this moronic analog-only control (are they retarded?) it's a no-buy for me.
EA has become one of the dumbest publishers in the industry in terms of game design. They can't make a sensible decision to save their lives. It's funny that back in the 90's they were so brilliant. What the hell happened?
March 17, 2009 at 1:24 pm
60 fps is much smoother than 30 fps, not sure how that isn't true. FN3 looks like molasses compared to FN4, so not sure how the frame rate didn't help that? Anyway, you sound bitter. Guess you aren't playing FN4, right?
March 17, 2009 at 3:14 pm
"Smoother" has nothing to do with detail and detail is the issue. FN3 never had any issues with feel, so the move to 60 frames was unnecessary. FN4 may *look* faster, because it's refreshing faster, but that's pointless because FN3 was fine.
Bitter? No. I simply speak on reality. This 60fps hype is just that, hype. The games EA is producing are looking like crap just to hit some silly 60 FPS mark that it's buying base doesn't give a damn about, just bloggers and a few people who can't recognize the very obvious drops in a detail these games are carrying, injecting the same catch phrase "And it's 60 frames now so it definitely looks better" (lol) which is completely untrue. They don't "look better" they look faster, big difference. Like I said, compare the high detail of Madden 07 to Madden 08 and 09. No contest, 07 wins hands down.
This will be no different with FN4. The game in person will more than likely pale in comparison to FN3 graphically and it will be noticeable because there is no way a game running at 60 is going to be as detailed as a game running at 30.
March 17, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Faster means more fluid movement over the "strobe light" movement you see in games that run at 30 FPS.
The Show 09 is 60 FPS and no detail was lost in the transition. Until I see the final build of FN4 I will hold judgment. But to say 60 FPS is hype is tinkering on the brink of crazy.
60 FPS is about seeing the frames refresh at a quicker rate which helps all aspects of the game, specifically the controls. This is more obvious in baseball as timing is important.
I agree that FN3 was outstanding. However, after playing it recently it feels outdated and a tad slow.
FN4 looking faster is the point. The faster it "looks" the faster it plays.
March 17, 2009 at 5:44 pm
lol now I m a ea fan, sorry let me go play prizefighter by 2k cause they no sim like i said i get your ass of the couch and stop bitching.
March 17, 2009 at 5:44 pm
did you even watch the trailer or read the previews.
March 17, 2009 at 6:15 pm
From seeing FNR4 I can say that the 60fps does play a big part in the fluidity and natural looking movement.
March 17, 2009 at 6:40 pm
i agree with most of you on here that they should have left the button punching optional i enjoyed the option in fn3 i dont know how well ill be or enjoyable the gameplay is we'll just have to wait and see i hope this turns out to be the best boxing game eveerrrr
March 17, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Sports games need fluidity to make the controls feel as seemless as possible. This can be achieved through higher framerates, if in fact there is a higher framerate in a game and not just PR by a company such as 2K. Branching animations can help this feel too.
I always wanted to love FN3, but the lack of fluidity and feeling like you were not in complete control at all times, kept me from really getting into it. Basically, I felt there was a delay or disconnect in the controls from the onscreen action and what you wanted to do at times. EA has had some problems with this over the last few years with their latest generation games, perhaps due to animations, but the 09 games took a big step forward in fixing this and making the human control feel much more fluid.
May 15, 2009 at 2:06 pm
its way more exciting than boxing bud, lets see boxing you can throww uhmmm punchess, and uhm.. yeah no thats it. MMA and the UFC is the future of fighting, it has so much more strategy, way more things you can do to beat your opponent, and thats what makes it more exciting than boxing.. oh and also instead of like 12 fuckin rounds and your fighters are tired after like the 5th and it gets reallly boring, ufc has 3 or 5 to make it again.. MORE EXCITING!