Undisputed Game Review - The Rocky V Of Boxing Games

Nostalgia is a potent force. Just like you can’t talk about boxing movies without bringing up Sylvester Stallone’s mumbling underdog, Rocky, it’s impossible to mention boxing games without discussing EA’s iconic Fight Night franchise. So, even before stepping into the ring, Steel City Interactive had to know they were entering a title bout with Undisputed, their new boxing game. But much like Rocky in the early rounds against Ivan Drago, while the game lands some strong punches with its mechanics and gameplay, it struggles to stay on its feet when it comes to presentation and delivering a knockout blow of fun.

Gloves On

When you first load up the game, it feels like everything is set for a successful experience: the roster of fighters, the realistic character models and a tutorial that throws you straight into the action.

For the most part, Undisputed plays a lot like Fight Night Champion did. Same buttons. Same punching system. Same camera angles. Same gameplay. It’s clear as day that the developers studied EA’s title and made it their mission to bring that experience into the PS5 and Xbox Series X ring. And on the surface, everything checks out pretty well. Except that the more you play Undisputed, the more its flaws and weaknesses are shown. But before we get to what doesn’t work, let’s discuss what does.

Undisputed Captures The Fundamentals of Boxing

Just like the real sport, in order to win fights, you need to work out a strong strategy. Undisputed doesn’t allow players to come out swinging punches. Those hoping to unleash their inner Rocky Balboa by taking a million punches to the skull will soon find themselves on canvas without Adrian there to cheer you back up. In other words, Undisputed plays like a true boxing sim: fighters get fatigued and sluggish in between swings and jabs, a miscalculated move could see you catch a haymaker to the chin, and using your feet and blocking punches sees you win points.

So, Undisputed mostly excels in the ring, though some of the fight venues and commentary hold it back from reaching its full potential.

Outside of the ring, the career mode allows you to create a character or step into the shoes of the greats. For example, you can start as a young Cassius Clay and experience the iconic rise of Muhammad Ali. This all adds a layer of fun to the title, but it’s nothing remarkably new either. And that’s the major problem with Undisputed. We’ve experienced everything it has to offer before. It’s just another rematch.

A Glorified Rematch

Like every modern sports title hitting next-gen consoles these days, Undisputed hopes to give players the full boxing experience by offering various modes – Career Mode, Quick Fight, Prize Fights and, of course, an Online Mode (which was very janky on our testing) that allows you to duke it out with players across the globe. Each of these modes has its merits, but they feel as predictable as Rocky’s training montages—solid but far too obvious.

And that’s the problem for the game as a whole: everything feels same-old and safe. What Undisputed truly lacks is the glamour and showmanship that makes boxing so electrifying, leaving it feeling more like a training session than the main event. And yet, it’s the simple things that could have fixed all this, like:

Better commentary
A wider variety of animations
A more exciting playlist
Custom entrances
Tattoos
Weigh in sequences
Character celebrations
And more hype around fights

Without the flair and excitement of real boxing matches, it feels like you’re just mashing buttons to plough through a lineup of opponents like Spider Rico, who barely stand out from one another.

Should You Purchase Undisputed?

Well, yes and no. Undisputed should be like the first four films in the Rocky franchise, packed with heart and excitement, but instead, it feels like that fifth film that most fans refuse to acknowledge. It’s got some way to go before dethroning the Fight Night franchise. That said, it’s definitely on the right track. With some refining, it should find its footing in the ring. It’s worth picking up and playing for now – until EA decides to bring back the king of boxing games, of course.