We know the duo who will not look forward to the cover of the new UFC title, but the irony is that it is their faces and bodies which are decorating it. Bigmouth Irishman Conor McGregor and American sweetheart Ronda Rousey, who is also not a stranger to controversial outbursts before matches, the former UFC champions who have lost their titles in the period since the publication of game cover and its release.

It just shows how unpredictable sports can be, but EA does not stop with this philosophy only on the cover. EA Sports UFC 2 at times is offering the most faithful representation of the spirit of sport and gives the impression that really anything can happen. Some victories bring good tactics, some moment of luck, but every match very quickly becomes competitive and emotional.

All this is clearly built on the lessons learned from the first EA’s UFC which in itself was not an outstanding game, but it undoubtedly served as a good foundation. Moreover, somewhat surprisingly for large developers, most of the criticism and the desire of players is addressed and corrected to some extent. It is most felt on the amount of content that is almost doubled.

Classic EA-istic slow menu (although it must be admitted, perhaps the worst in the last couple of years) from the beginning gives you a satisfactory amount of models and options. It is divided into offline and online mode, and it is not just cluttered nonsense, but on some things you can smell really original ideas.  In Offline mode we have the classical Career and Fight Now, KO Mode and excellent custom event creator, while Online we have the Matches live, Online championships and Ultimate Team.

In short, KO fashion boils down to a fight without the stalls, clean fist punching to death that has sense about as much as football without passes. Live events were not available when I reviewed the game, but a sort of in-game betting and monitoring of real matches – is interesting, but there is no reason why would you do it throughout the game. The real stars of the evening are Custom events and Ultimate Team, fully expected for EA Sports game.

Custom events surprised me with its depth and possibilities. You can put together your ideal UFC evening, all the way to the election order, arena, judges and colored shorts, absolutely everything. Not too imaginative, but it is very useful and entertaining, I spent a lot of time having fun with various combinations.

On the other hand, Ultimate Team is a classic UT affair – make up to five fighters, collect cards, which in this case represent moves or stats and then apply them to your soldiers and make them stronger. Then, they can compete in individual matches online or in the championship in order to get to the championship belt. Again, all the classic systems already known by players of FIFA games in which you must collect a certain number of points in a number of matches in order to survive in the division, or to be promoted higher. The simplicity and familiarity of this did not left me amazed, but I appreciate the addition because it will keep online community active and fresh.

Online matches I’ve tried are running pretty smoothly, at least until a better player would inevitably kick my teeth out. But, fistfight on the side, I had no problems with servers and connectivity. Perhaps EA finally learned something after numerous problems with FIFA servers, but perhaps UFC game is played by fewer players. Online play, it must be said, is more exciting than playing against AI and apart from the multiplayer from the couch it is the most fun way to fight.

Online suffers from certain games imperfections, but not even half as much as the struggle with the computerized opponents. UFC 2 did not only skipped the first ufc with content, but also the fight is more tweaked, simpler, more balanced and generally better. Stand up fight  is very easily the best UFC fight I’ve ever tried, unpredictable and attractive, but when things boil up and stand up led fighters to the ground, this is the first game in which I instinctively knew what I was doing.

But this is not necessarily a good thing. Meaningful and more accurate system, useful indicators that may correct the confusion that has always followed the UFC titles, and still, evrery real UFC fan will recognize that something stinks here. Potentially the biggest fight of the year, one between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor ended with choking. Throughout my nearly two full careers, over twenty online games and a little less offline games not even one match ended with a bar.

Fighting on the ground is reduced to the choices by selecting side with thumbsticks and on the opponents reaction who defend the same way. In most cases, the guy who pickes the side first, which usually is the one who is defending himself, because it is simpler, wins. Instead of finally getting precise and clear controls that can led to real combat, it only enables easier evasion of unpleasant situations. And that’s too bad, because EA Sports UFC 2 really looks and acts faithfully until the very end.

From that, AI suffers the most. It will  force veterans like Ronda into the parter, and you will be constantly trying to squirm out of it. It does not destroy the fight completely, due to good stand up fights and surprisingly good chance that you will not dominate opponents every time you get up and at the end they often win by decision, because you practically  spent half the match on the floor in defense from their actions. But I’ll let you the secret of how I showed Holly, Jones and others who’s the boss in the career mode. Throw them on the floor and instead choosing some bar, try to kick them right in the face as much as you can. Give the judge ten seconds before stopping the contest…

My biggest criticism is still reserved for the presentation. Not graphically, as the graphics  are the most detailed and the most beautiful in one sports game ever, it’s a fact. But commentators are total chaos. Most of the time they obviously lie with their comments, commenting on things that did not happen on the screen and do a completely wrong analysis of the match. Especially on the review of the round or the entire match at the end when you have the time to listen carefully. The game will display a bad video cut of your fighter kicking an oponnent with his leg in the head, and they will tell that you received heavy fist in the temple. I am very disappointed with the commentators, analysis and presentation outside the ring, I honestly do not know how EA managed to mess it up in this game.

But let’s say that you will not listen, let’s say that you will play with your friends and insult each other or play online and insult opponents or play against AI and again ignore manners, but most importantly – you’ll be entertained. UFC 2 is currently the king of the octagon and it deserves this title . Competition would certainly be welcomed, but for me UFC Undisputed 3 is still the best UFC game of all time, but on this generation, four years after the end of Undisputed series, this is the best you can get. Hoping that EA  will listen to us again: stabilize the menus, spice the ground combat, continue with adding modes and issue the damn PC version already…