As promised a few days ago, EA Sports has released a new gameplay trailer which showcases some of the major changes implemented in the upcoming EA Sports UFC 2, which comes out on March 15th and is available fore pre-order. The trailer, which is embedded above, focuses on the following aspects of the game:
- Physics-based hit reactions and knockouts, which replace the canned animations from the first game. While physics-based, it’s tailored to realistic reactions to how strikes landing would affect the body, so there are no wacky rag doll physics.
- Defense has been changed in two major ways: Unlike the first game, where the “weak block” automatically blocked everything and only “strong block” was about blocking high or low, now all blocking is based on blocking high or low. That means that there’s always a part of the body open to attack and everyone has to play much more cerebrally. In addition, the head movement has been changed to Fight Night-style 360 degree head movement.
- Grappling is no longer turn-based like all previous MMA games. This is the deepest look we’ve gotten so far at the new grappling system, and it seems really promising.
While the first game got mixed reviews, it seems as if EA Sports is trying to address all f the complaints. Players hated auto-block, and now it’s gone, for example.
In related news, fans were outraged this week when it was revealed that Phil “CM Punk” Brooks, who has yet to have a professional MMA fight, was given an “85/100” rating in the game. Punk responded:
Not since Samus Aran was revealed to be a woman have dummies been this butt hurt about a video game.
— Coach (@CMPunk) January 11, 2016
