UFC 2009 Undisputed In-Depth Preview

CBSSports.com has released an early preview of the upcoming UFC 2009 Undisputed video by THQ.

The official release date for the game is May 19 which is approximately six weeks away. CBSSports.com was able to get their hands on an near-complete version of the game during a visit to THQ.

Some new info is revealed regarding playable venues in the game:

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There are a number of playable venues in the game, including the Mandalay Bay, the Palms Hotel and Casino, the Red Rock Hotel and Casino, the UFC Gym and even likely future UFC destination Madison Square Garden.

Inside the arena, the layout is pretty much identical to an actual event, right down to the announcers seated behind the red corner and the press seated behind the blue corner.

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Interesting that MSG is included in the game, considering the sport of MMA is illegal in the state of New York and the UFC has yet to hold an event at the arena.

Also, a bit more detail regarding strike modifiers and the grappling game is discussed:

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The player in the game strikes by using one of the four main buttons. The left triggers can be used to modify those strikes, and the strikes vary depending on whether you’re closer or farther away.

This allows for a whole host of different strikes, from hooks and jabs to head kicks and flying knees. You can score a flash knockout at any point in a fight and you can also daze your opponent.

The other fighter will fall and try to cover up, while you rush over and throw punches hoping for the referee to call off the fight.

Grappling in the game is achieved using the right stick. Pushing the right stick allows for a clinch or a takedown. Players can fight for control in the clinch, securing a sweep takedown or landing knees in the Thai plum.

Once the fight goes to the ground, the player can go on offense with strikes or fight for positioning and a potential submission using the right stick. Rotating the right stick 90 degrees allows both the top fighter and the bottom fighter to work for a better position.

You can transition from full guard to half guard to side control to north/south or full mount. On the bottom you can use the rubber guard and reverse your opponent using an omoplata.

When your opponent is vulnerable, you go for a submission by spinning the right stick frantically. These submissions include guillotine chokes, rear naked chokes, knee bars and more. However, these submissions may prove to be harder to secure than many players would like.

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Perhaps the best bit of new info in the preview regards the included game modes in UFC undisputed. Most notably, the “career mode”:

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After you create your character, Dana White introduces you to the UFC and puts your fighter in a tryout fight that will determine where he starts on the totem pole.

At first he will be fighting fictional lower-end fighters, and over time he’ll move on to mid-level fighters and eventually the upper-echelon stars.

Your fighter progresses by improving his skills and gaining “cred points” that can be used to move to the next level.

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva will offer you a number of potential opponents with different styles for your fighter’s next bout, with the tougher opponents yielding more cred points. It is then your responsibility to properly prepare for the fight.

To prepare for the fight, you are provided a calendar. Each week your fighter can do activities to improve his skills, such as sparring and training.

He can even travel to famous real-life camps for instruction from MMA’s best tutors. He can also meet with sponsors and secure sponsorships for fight gear that will earn extra cred points.

However, you also have to avoid overtraining by providing your fighter rest that will allow him to enter his fight in peak shape.

Career mode lasts for seven years, at which point your fighter will have a retirement fight. If you perform well enough you will gain induction into the UFC Hall of Fame.

In addition, players can take their created fighters and compete online against the created fighters of other players. The developers say career mode for any given created fighter will last around 10 hours.

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If you haven’t already placed your pre-order for this game, I don’t know what you are waiting for.

Oh, and a recent Q&A session with the THQ developers revealed that flying armbar submissions will be possible. How sweet is that!