Once your fighter is ready to go, you’ll begin the game at the
bottom of ladder on the amateur circuit. You’ll be able to challenge the
fighters above you on the ladder in order to move up in the rankings and get
yourself into the bigger purse fights. Fights are preceded by training rounds
that at first help teach you the basics of punching and fighting and later
become minigames designed to help you improve your stats. Unfortunately the
initial training rounds are not very well designed. They require you to pull off
a certain punch or move several times in succession, but you’re not told how to
do the move. You can sit there with the manual open as you try to get the hang
of a punch, but since you’re sparring at the time you won’t even be sure exactly
when you pulled off the correct move or how it looked on the screen. These
problems turn what is supposed to be a learning experience into an exercise in
frustration. Later training sessions have you work out by hitting a heavy bag,
lifting weights, and so forth. These sessions require you to press button
combinations with the right timing. These training sessions are far more
enjoyable than the learning ones, but it would be nice if the game included a
sparring option as part of the training regimen. Learning punches, combos, and
other fight strategies is easier when your opponent is not trying to pound you
into a pulp.
 |
| Now you can work on your fighter between rounds. |
The matches recreate a lot of the hype that is inherent in the sport. Boxer
intro music, ring girls, and marquee venues are all part of the flash. The
fights are also called by an announcer, but it is sometimes hard to determine
which fighter he is refereeing to. When you’re in a close fight and you hear the
announcer say something like “he’s in real trouble”, do you step up your attack
or try to back across the ring?
Round 2 adds a new feature to the between-round time that wasn’t present in
Fight Night 2004. You are given a chance between rounds to work on your fighter
to reduce swelling and stop bleeding. This takes the form of another minigame
where you select an area of the face and then move the stick back and forth as
quickly as possible while keeping the pointer within a moving zone. You’ll even
have the chance to spend some of your winnings to hire a better cutman, making
it easier to work on the cuts and swelling more effectively – i.e. the minigame
becomes easier. The technique is pretty basic, but it adds a greater dimension
to the fights than you would at first think.
So goes the career mode. You challenge fighters to move up the rankings,
train to improve your stats, and spend your money to buy new gear for your boxer
– and in this case ring girls are considered new gear. Most gamers will move
through the amateur ranks and into the pros without too much trouble. However,
once you near the top of the pro ladder things become progressively harder.
You’ll almost always be outclassed at this level and it will take a lot of
smarts and a well-executed strategy to win. It’s not easy to become champion,
but if and when you do it will feel like an accomplishment.
Round 2 supports play on Xbox Live, but the online play is not as much fun.
There is not really lag per se, but it seems that fights at times move just
barely perceptibly slower online. This is enough of a bump in the road to make
online fights feel a bit slower which can be a problem in a game as dependent on
timing as Round 2.
Graphically the game is top-notch. The fighters look realistic and their
movements are smooth and natural. You’ll be able to admire all of the work you
put into customizing your boxer’s look as all of the features carry over well
into the ring. The venues look good as well, and the lighting and shadows in the
ring varies depending on the fight’s venue.
Overall, Fight Night Round 2 takes the championship caliber boxing gameplay
of Fight Night 2004 and manages to make it even better. Boxing fans will
appreciate its recreation of the sport while all gamers will be able to enjoy
its addicting gameplay. Button mashers are about the only ones who I recommend
take a pass on the game.
In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated:
92%. Another round, another knockout
for Fight Night.
« Page 1 of 2
