UFC 5 review: A knockout punch that lands on the spot

UFC 5 is one of those rare offerings that bridges the gap between fighting games and sports simulators. While a number of MMA-themed titles are available in the market, it's a completely different ball game when you get to fight as the very best the promotion has to offer.

With three years in development and UFC 5 being the first current-gen exclusive release, my expectations were high when EA Sports dropped the first trailer.

That said, I was also skeptical due to the fact that UFC 4 didn't give me too many good memories. From the presentation to the overall gaming experience, it was mediocre at best. This is the biggest reason EA Sports took extra time during the development cycle of the successor, and the results speak for themselves.

While UFC 5 isn't a flawless product by any stretch of the imagination, it's a marked improvement of what the series has presented in the past.

UFC 5's profligacy in gameplay is bypassed by its stellar presentation

In a video game like UFC 5, presentation is as important as gameplay. Gameplay will always remain the most important parameter when it comes to any title's success or failure. However, let's not forget that this isn't any ordinary fighting game based on fictional characters.

This is a point that the developer highlights in every fight with the help of meticulously designed fighters from the current and previous eras.

Gameplay and presentation

Let's get one thing straight: UFC 5 is arguably the most well-presented sports fighting game of all time. It blows recent launches like WWE 2K23 straight out of the water, even if the game might have the full weight of the massive WWE universe.

Each fighter is extremely well-detailed (Image via EA Sports)

From current-era superstars like Israel Adesanya to fighters like Mike Tyson, there has been a sublime amount of effort put into the details. EA Sports has made sure that every fight feels as real as watching a live octagon clash.

This is the biggest difference between UFC 5 and its predecessor, which was released three years ago. By sacrificing the old-gen consoles, the developer has ensured that the graphics are of a high level.

Now, you might wonder: what's the big deal about presentations if they won't have any direct impact during a fight? Gameplay was one of the most heavily criticized areas of UFC 4. UFC 5 is a definite improvement, and I personally love the new grappling mechanics. However, there's a catch - the new system is far more complex.

Even I was baffled and confused about how the grappling system works before getting used to it. As for the remaining moves, they work more or less along expected lines.

To ensure accessibility for players of all experience, you get the option to use a simple combat system. It's a watered-down version of the actual fighting mechanics, which makes the AI assist you to a huge extent. Do remember that this mode isn't available in any online fights.

Every final hit has that oomph factor (Image via EA Sports)

Despite the extremely impressive presentation, more work should have been put into how the fighters react and behave in the octagon. There were times when I felt that some of the moves had been copied across a few fighters. This is less noticeable if you're playing as the bigger names. It's a small thing that you might not care about much, but it could remain a valid point of criticism.

Another major improvement is the presence of injuries that are common in real-life fights. You can now target specific body parts of your opponent to force a TKO. There will be moments when the fight can be interrupted if you take too many hits to a single body part or do the same to your opponent.

While some of the worst injuries in the history of UFC have been avoided, the damage taken by the fighters can be quite severe if they're not dodging and blocking the attacks.

Game modes

While UFC 5 allows you to explore different gameplay modes, which provide varying types of experiences, EA Sports could have done a better job. There are online and offline experiences, with the former being in the form of a career. You can take a fighter of your creation and help them to rank up by fighting other players.

Similarly, an offline career mode is also present, which allows you to become a MMA pro on the virtual platform. A quick fight mode enables you to engage in bouts with AI or your friends, and I genuinely liked the Fighting Contracts. EA Sports has been releasing a fresh bout every day, based on upcoming UFC fights in real life.

The online mode is far more serious as far as fights are concerned. That said, you can still enjoy UFC 5 by sticking with the offline career and exhibition modes.

When you combine all the game modes, there are hours of enjoyment awaiting you. However, EA Sports has failed to make any innovation in this area.

The Ultimate Team mode in FC 24 might have its fair share of negatives, but it's arguably the most popular option among the community. Something similar, with all the fighters, could have helped the game gain more traction. In fact, WWE 2K23 already has something similar, which allows players to unlock special cards of all the wrestlers.

Fighters

Every fighter looks and feels unique to control (Image via EA Sports)

What is a fighting game without a varied roster of fighters? UFC 5 has one of the biggest collections of names that you'll come across in any sports fighting game. All of them are fully licensed, along with their official real-life stats. This is one particular area EA Sports has paid a lot of attention to, ensuring that every name feels as close to real life as possible.

The addition of fighters like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and Bruce Lee certainly makes the roster much more varied. Players can even choose alter egos of some established names, like Israel Adesanya.

No matter how many hours you spend in UFC 5, choosing someone to fight with and against will never be an issue.

Performance

UFC 5 is a current-gen console exclusive, and I encountered absolutely no problems playing it on my PS5. It ran as smoothly as possible, and there were no stutterings at any given moment. The transition from the entry scenes to the actual fight was really smooth and immersive.

That said, some work needs to be done in terms of the animation. While the impact of a hit is on point, some of the resulting animations are absolutely bizarre. I doubt EA Sports wanted a kick to the jaw to be presented as nastily as it does in UFC 5 currently. This is one area that the developer could turn its attention to as part of post-launch patches.

In conclusion

UFC 5, for many reasons, is a major upgrade over UFC 4.

The new grappling system is a wonderful addition, even if it might appear complex at first. It forces you to think out of the box and leaves you with greater freedom when it comes to decision-making. It also makes you pay attention to the stats of your fighter, as all of them have their strengths and weaknesses.

The different game modes ensure that you don't need to resort to the online mode for greater enjoyment. Yes, online mode is the ultimate challenge as you play with other real-life opponents. However, the offline modes can be just as hardcore or casual, depending on what kind of experience you're looking for.

Despite the improvements in the fighting mechanics, UFC 5 feels like a more refined version of UFC 4 rather than an entirely new title. While that may not necessarily be a bad thing, it raises the question of whether EA Sports missed a trick.