It’s not just easy to work, but it’s also educational, as you can see the particular moves that will or won’t work from a certain position. With the new HUD system, you can see the moves available to you and then try to implement them while your opponent tries to counter or defuse your attack. In addition, while it’s possible to have bouts that are completely stand-up in nature, the ground and clinch games have been amped up to such an extent this time around that not only can you engage in enjoyable exchanges on the mat, but you can have an entire bout there, trading transitions, submission attempts and ground-and-pound assaults. Yes, you can catch an opponent with the perfect shot early and end the fight seconds later, but in reality, you’re likely to be involved in longer wars of attrition if you and your opponent have a grip on defense and bobbing and weaving. In this way, it’s more like a real fight. There’s nothing like throwing everything at an opponent, hurting him, and then not having enough energy to finish him off. You can’t fire off 20-punch combinations without emptying your gas tank and forcing yourself to take a breather, making it important to pick your openings wisely with your strikes. To paraphrase Vince Lombardi, the fatigue system in this game will make cowards of us all. If you’re 47 years old with dulled reflexes, you can still find a way to beat a fast-twitch enabled teenager by knowing your fighter, knowing the sport, and picking your spots. This time, I took a more strategic and measured approach to the world of video game fighting, and it worked wonders.Īnd that’s the beauty of EA Sports UFC 2. But after a lifetime of button mashing behind me, it took me a while to be weaned off that habit the first time around. So why the switch? Has EA Sports UFC 2, which was released today for the Xbox One and Playstation 4, gotten easier? Hardly. In 2016, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez picked me first after I won my fight to get into the TUF competition, and I rewarded his faith by winning the show. The last time I checked in with the EA Sports gang for their first UFC video game release in 2014, Ultimate Fighter coaches Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz saw fit to leave me on the sidelines until making the last pick.