February 17, 2006 - When looking at the generation gap between versions of Fight Night Round 3, it's clear EA Chicago put most of its effort into the Xbox 360 version of the game, which is the way it should be. The visuals in Fight Night Round 3 are so excellent that they actually enhance the gameplay. The gameplay has been revamped from what was already an excellent experience in Round 2 to a more balanced, complete boxing game, thanks mostly to the new impact punch system. EA also attempts to improve the career mode with the addition of rivals but, while a fine idea, it ultimately fails to enhance a mediocre single-player game. Still, with an outstanding multiplayer mode, good online mode and absolutely blistering impact punches, Fight Night Round 3 jumps up the list as one of most impressive sports ***les on the Xbox 360.
Visually, Fight Night Round 3 is one of the most impressive Xbox 360 ***les released yet, thanks mostly to the gorgeous, high-resolution boxers. While the 360 version seems to run just a tad slower than the current-gen version of the game, the animations are smooth and fluid, with nary a graphical hiccup. There are only a few minor details worth mentioning. When you knock your opponent down, occasionally part of his foot will disappear into the mat. There is also some occasional pop-in with the ropes, and when you knock someone in the mouth the blood looks a bit fake, but none of this significantly detracts from the awesome visual experience.
The knock-down replays return from Round 2, only this time around a stiff blow will send slow-motion ripples running through an unlucky boxer's face, and that never gets old. You can hit the X button over and over again to watch different angles of a knockout punch, and each time you're likely to induce screams, moans and groans from your friends in the room.
Round 3 throws next-gen graphics right in your face.Â
The biggest visual improvement -- an improvement so important that it plays into the actual gameplay -- is the level of detail included on a boxer's face. When a boxer is hurt, you can see the pain in his face. When he's low on stamina, you can see the fatigue in his body language. When he's just been clocked by an impact punch, you can see the tears in his eyes and the fear in his very soul. With all of this visible in the game, EA went ahead and removed the HUD, eliminating the health and stamina meters. Keep in mind that the stamina and health system is exactly the same as last year; the meters are just hidden. This creates a much more instinctive fight, and you'll move in for the kill when you see your opponent slouching or cringing, not when you see a red energy meter nearly depleted. It's just as exciting to see that you've hurt your opponent and move in for the knockout as the actual knockout blow itself. All of this adds to a much more visceral boxing experience that more closely resembles real-life drama in the ring.
Of course, it's important to realize that things like adrenaline boosts still play a factor on the 360. With the HUD on, you can see that after you land a counter-haymaker, you receive an adrenaline boost and can land about 10 seconds worth of punches without tiring. Other than a brief increase in the speed of your fighter's movements, there's no indication that you have scored this boost, which, when used, is a huge advantage. Experienced fighters will know to move in and push the advantage, but newbs may continue to fight in the same style. As such, if you're new to the Fight Night franchise, it may be a good idea to turn on the HUD at first to learn the nuances of the game, but HUD-less it really the way to go to get the most out of the experience.
We get a ton of questions from readers asking if an HDTV is necessary to enjoy the visual upgrades of Xbox 360 games. Keep in mind, the 360 is a next-generation console designed for high-definition gameplay on a next-generation television, so plugging it in to a 19-inch flat-tube is like hooking up your kick-ass digital sound system to a record player. Obviously, you'll reap the rewards of a 1080i setup with a picture so sharp you can see the fear in your opponent's eyes when you land an impact punch. Sometimes it looks like these fighters are about to cry. On a standard-def set, Fight Night still looks gorgeous, but the picture is not as sharp and, on a smaller screen, it's more difficult to see when you've hurt your opponent and should move in for the kill, which is the whole point of EA's idea of HUD-less gameplay[/b]
