The fifth installment in EA Sports’ Fight Night series includes modifications to the analog “Full-Spectrum Punch Control,” minor changes to the Legacy Mode career game, and a new story-based “Champion Mode.” Refinements to the engine, such as the physics and damage models, have also been developed.
Champion includes support for both face button control and “Full-Spectrum” control in response to critiques of Fight Night 4’s “Total Punch” controls. The right analog stick is used to throw punches, while the left contains the boxer’s movements. Punches in Champion are now swung simply by tapping the right bar in one of eight directions, eliminating players needing to swipe circular motions for hooks or uppercuts. Players can now maintain their guard while still throwing punches. Stats are also more critical in determining a fighter’s performance, and leveling up a force unlocks perks along the way. These include “flash knockouts” and “flash knockdowns,” which have the potential to instantly knock an opponent to the canvas (or an instant KO) when the blow connects.
Stamina and Legacy training are two essential gameplay changes. Stamina is now invisibly tracked across the body, head, and arms. Any strain on these locations will affect the visible total stamina bar. A player’s full stamina will drain faster if they throw too many punches with the same hand or absorb too many strikes to one location. This pushes players to play conservatively and mix up their strikes.
Legacy Mode has remained almost entirely untouched. Players can still create a boxer, control their fight career, and allocate earned experience points to specific areas of development. The most significant difference in Legacy Mode is in training. Players can now spend money to train at world-class gyms that specialize in particular areas. Players must manage the weeks leading up to their fight with adequate intervals of training and rest, or they will enter the contest with lower stamina.
The title Champion Mode is the game’s main new feature. In this mode, the player takes on the role of Andre Bishop, a former Olympic middleweight champion who finds up in prison. The plot covers Andre’s climb through the boxing ranks, explains why he is imprisoned, and details his final release and comeback attempt. Cutscenes between about 20 controllable fights throughout Andre’s career tell the story. Aside from tasking the player with tackling the tale as Andre (a predetermined boxer with no opportunity to adjust his training, strengths, or weaknesses), several fights also bring temporary challenges that mirror the story. These range from Andre being knocked out in a specific round to fighting with a cut eye or a wounded arm. Opponents also have obvious weaknesses or strengths, such as a powerful left hook, which must be avoided at all costs.
Little has changed online, as players worldwide can still compete for a title in the Online World Championships. The main difference is the presence of online “gyms,” which are groups of players akin to guilds. Players in a gym can combat each other or take on members of a competing gym for more experience and trophies. EA’s Online Pass code is required for online play.
