UFC 6 Review, Gameplay Impressions, Top Modes, Features and Videos

UFC 6 from developer EA Vancouver continues to serve as a good example of what sports games can do when free of the annual release cycle. 

Threeish years ago, UFC 5 launched on next-gen consoles only with a new engine and needed M rating, among other feats, and enjoyed a strong lifecycle. 

Now, UFC 6 shows up to the virtual Octagon with improvements across the board, but especially in nailing down the authenticity on a fighter-to-fighter basis. 

Tack on expected jumps for a sports game release, and it's fair to suggest this is the most deservingly hyped sports release since the return of college football to the medium. 

Gameplay

Baseline combat in UFC 6 remains punchy and, paired with the stunning visuals, often grisly. No health bars needed: The damage dealt or received is felt in the controller and through the presentation. 

Where UFC 6 really dives deep on authenticity is in making each virtual fighter feel like their real-life counterpart. New blocking stances are a big part of this.

And hey, there are technically just four. But there are staggering differences between each. Bigger, lumbering fighters keep their hands up and have limited mobility when blocking. More fleetfooted fighters on the defense bob and weave with more speed, oftentimes with hands down. 

Another massive change to gameplay is the Flow State. Think, filling a super bar in a fighting game like Street Fighter. Triggering this on a per-fighter basis can be tough and rewarding. The Flow Boosts available to each fighter to charge the meter are unique to their real-life counterparts, too. Think, a submission specialist hitting big boosts to the meter with submission techniques. 

So, too, are the Flow State actions themselves fitting. When triggered, one fighter might taunt and charge ahead attempting to end a fight early. But the opponent can match the taunt and get right into the suddenly messy fray, too.

Physics and controls have improved, too. There's a new system in place for the former that feels realistic, while the latter revamps small things, like putting different types of punches on different buttons. 

It helps that opponent AI is solid, getting aggressive in high-tension moments or ducking around damage when struggling. There's a nice random-feeling element to it at times, too, which is fitting given the chaos that can unfold in combat. 

Graphics and Presentation

UFC 6 is an expected jump in the presentation department for the series. 

Players will find fault with a fighter's look here and there, as expected for any sports game attempting to capture hundreds of ever-changing athletes in digital form. 

But some things about the package are undeniable. Top examples include the impressive 3D audio surrounding the Octagon during a bout, with good-looking crowds reacting to the action as it unfolds. The dynamic lighting and little details like sweat and damage are simply fantastic. 

It helps that a big-broadcast feel permeates the experience. The overall audio design is fantastic, and sleek camera angels one might see during a real pay-per-view certainly help. It gets arcade-like in a way permitted by video games with things like KO cams, too. 

Career and More

The career mode in UFC 6 rolls out a big change immediately with a prologue dubbed "The Legacy."

Long story short, players control one character who spars with another as friends, then rivals, and generally hits on the expected notes. It's fun and perhaps most impressive, does a good job of almost acting as a tutorial. 

By the time the narrative wraps up, players get split into the traditional career mode. There's a ramped-up focus on a player's decision-making, with fun little social media scrolls to show reactions. There's a better explanation to how factors like fitness via decisions impact a fight, too, among other expected sports game upgrades to a career mode. 

A sneaky highlight of the entire UFC 6 package, though, is Hall of Legends. It's an ode to three specific fighters: 

• Max Holloway
• Weili Zhang
• Alex Pereira

UFC 6 provides immense depth to the lives and careers of all three via what are essentially museum trips. These deep dives, of course, give players control of their career-defining bouts while otherwise touring the exhibits. 

Another quiet highlight of the entire package is the simple training mode. Though simple isn't the best word for it because of the newfound depth in terms of frame breakdowns and prompt inputs. The series is clearly trying to be more like fighter games like Street Fighter and that's most apparent in the training mode: And the series will be much better for it in the long run. 

UFC 6 also goes a little Forza for gamers, too. Among the usual options, there are different control schemes to pick and even assist options, like helpers with stand-up engagements. 

Conclusion

UFC 6 is more proof of the concept that sports games can achieve great things when free of the annual release cycle. 

While it's a small thing compared to gameplay, the notable leap in all aspects of presentation after more than a two-year hiatus make this release feel like a big event. 

Stellar layerings atop the solid gameplay that make the experience feel more authentic, punishing and impactful, by far top the list of improvements, though. Expanding on a basic career mode for something more time-consuming is a good thing, too. 

Call it the apex of the series. UFC 6 is a stellar mix of authentic combat meshed with leaning into more arcade-like systems that fit the sport, creating a strong pick-up-and-play potential with the depth hardcore MMA fans will appreciate.