EA Sports UFC 5 Review

EA Sports UFC 5 is more of a remaster of UFC 4 than a new game. This may not be a surprise to people used to EA Sports’ annualized sports franchises, but UFC 5 has had three years to bring major improvements since its predecessor. Most of the effort went into overhauling character models in EA’s Frostbite engine, making some control tweaks, and adding an impressive cutting system. However, the roster, career mode, and presentation were copied with little effort and, in some cases, left to atrophy.

More impactful graphics

When the Frostbite engine cooperates, the enhanced graphics and character models show off the power of PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. A flashy replay for knockouts allows the camera to zoom in on the action from multiple angles. Notably, the new cutting system allows for hundreds of different variations of facial bleeding that worsens during a fight if that particular area remains unprotected. Fights can now end when the referee calls for a doctor’s stop, although the amount of blood lost for this to happen usually means a fighter is on the verge of giving up anyway.

That said, the graphics are still prone to annoying issues. Limbs sometimes twist strangely upon contact. Many times the camera will get stuck behind the cage or lose focus of the fight. And the ragdoll system sometimes causes fighters to flip like a fish when they collide with the ground.

Normal wear

For better or worse, UFC 5 brings several changes to the combat system. On the one hand, the ground game thankfully no longer has a submission mini-game, and transitions from one position to another are smoother and faster. Uppercuts are also easier to throw because they aren’t assigned to press two face buttons at the same time.

On the other hand, popular spinning moves have now been assigned to both face buttons, making them difficult to perform consistently. The clinch system is also still a mess, as it is far too simplified for a clinch as complex as muay thai is for grappling and striking.

A half-hearted effort

Otherwise, the rest of the game unfortunately remains untouched and unmaintained. The UFC 4 roster was more or less duplicated with some notable fighters, like CM Punk, Brock Lesnar and Francis Ngannou, left out. Retired fighters like Lyoto Machida and Khabib Nurmagomedov are still present, while Michel Periera, Ian Garry and other notable newcomers are not included. Some pre-order bonus characters attempt to compensate for this, but Muhammad Ali in particular comes without any of his signature moves and his moveset is copied from that of other fighters.

The single-player career mode also hasn’t received many improvements. Aside from a few tweaks and cutscenes, it still allows you to earn evolution points primarily through sparring, increase your fitness level before a match, and use the remaining time of the week to promote the fight. With enough wins and remarkable performances, you can unlock all the requirements to become a GOAT.