Despite UFC 5 being released over a year ago, I continue to find the game thoroughly enjoyable. As one of the standout titles in the realm of combat sports games—especially in light of the absence of quality competitors (looking at you, Undisputed)—it satisfies my cravings as both a boxing and MMA enthusiast. With the Fight Night series falling into obscurity and a lack of alternatives in development, UFC 5 remains my sole outlet for this genre.
After delving deep into the variety of game modes—including my online career, betting on UFC events, and participating in weekly challenges—I had largely overlooked the tournament mode. My gameplay usually involves solo efforts rather than playing with friends. However, after giving it a try, I discovered that this mode invited a thrilling level of unpredictability, resulting in some unexpectedly brutal outcomes.
Tournament Mode in UFC 5 is Intense
Maximizing UFC 5’s Realistic Damage Mechanics
The tournament mode within UFC 5 provides an excellent venue for hosting round-robin competitions with friends. It also serves as a vigorous challenge against Legendary AI, allowing players to switch from the more passive ranked online mode. This mode, while perhaps overlooked by many in favor of more mainstream options like career and ranked play, is worth exploring for its unique take on in-game damage.
By adjusting the settings appropriately, the tournament mode demonstrates EA’s impressive advancements in damage simulation. Activating “Continued Damage”while deactivating “Doctor Stoppages”creates a classic Kumite Iron Man tournament experience. The resulting finals can showcase fighters with extensive damage, marked by severe injuries reminiscent of some horror film scenarios.
It’s essential to remember that these damage settings also affect stamina; therefore, by the time you reach the final round, players are often left completely exhausted.
Another intriguing adjustment you can make is to set the Weight Class Type to “combine” and the Weight Class to “open.”This configuration allows for epic battles among the most celebrated fighters across various weight classes. Interestingly, I found that heavyweight fighters often struggle against lower weight classes, as evidenced by Demetrious Johnson’s overwhelming victory over Tom Aspinall, defying typical expectations of size and strength.
Real-Life Tournaments: PRIDE FC & The Original UFC
A Nod to MMA’s Roots
While modern MMA tournaments can span several months to allow fighters to recover between matches, this wasn’t the standard in the early days. Some fans may be unaware that UFC 1 featured a one-night tournament framework back in 1993. Legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Royce Gracie dominated this event by defeating Art Jimmerson, Gerard Gordeau, and Ken Shamrock in a single evening, showcasing the effectiveness of Brazilian martial arts.
PRIDE FC, Japan’s formidable competitor to the UFC, also embraced the single-night tournament format. Notable events like the Pride FC Grand Prix 2000 showcased elimination-style tournaments, where fighters such as Mark Coleman triumphed over multiple opponents in one night. Though less recognizable to contemporary fans, these fighters were instrumental to MMA history.
Additionally, much like the early UFC events, PRIDE FC regularly hosted open-weight fights, pitting fighters of varying sizes against one another for dramatic theatrics and unexpected outcomes, highlighted by bouts like Ikuhisa Minowa facing off against Giant Silva.
A Glitch Highlighting Enhanced Damage Features
Facial Damage Permanently Imprinted
An amusing glitch unveiled itself while I was experimenting with the tournament damage settings; it caused any facial injuries sustained during fights to carry over to the character select screen visuals. The only remedy for this quirk involves participating in another match. Even switching modes into an online career transferred the facial damage to my custom character, yielding a hilarious outcome.
In-game, various areas on the fighters’ faces can sustain cuts, including zones like the forehead, cheek, or brow. The game also incorporates swelling mechanics, demonstrating the developers’ attention to detail in representing injuries. By the end of an intense tournament, my favorite fighters bore strong resemblances to the eccentric characters created by others during my online encounters.
Let’s Hope for No Patches: Keep the Chaos!
A Fun Glitch or Unintentional Oversight?
It’s my earnest wish that the team at EA or the developers of UFC 5 do not choose to patch this feature. A 16-person tournament among friends at home, especially with these settings, could be an exhilarating experience. The excitement of ensuring fighters maintain health and stamina between bouts introduces a creative dimension to what is generally a straightforward one-on-one fight. If doctor stoppages were enabled, this dynamic would collapse, but their exclusion fosters a chaotic atmosphere.
As reported by industry insiders at
GameRant,
there may be a new
Fight Night game in the pipeline.
While not necessarily a bug in a strict sense, and thus not requiring a formal patch, the feature of retaining facial damage serves as an entertaining loophole, enhancing player experience by challenging the parameters of damage assessment. For those eager to amplify the violence, adopting a ground-and-pound strategy will accumulate damage through swelling and blood rather than swift knockouts. Even after more than a year, UFC 5 continues to captivate me through these intriguing developments.
Source: GameRant
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