Review by: Jason McMaster

Boxing is a sport that I like. I’ve always been fascinated by it, but never followed it or became involved. Well, actual boxing, that is – I’m pretty sure that I’ve punched someone in the face before, but that’s usually followed by a swift kick to any delicate area that happens to be in the neighborhood of my foot. Needless to say, I was never a contender, but I do love On the Waterfront… and boxing games.

The Fight Night series has been, pretty much, THE boxing experience on next generation consoles. I remember seeing footage of Fight Night Round 3 - the way punches seemed to impact your opponent’s body with a spray of sweat and blood - and being floored. Underneath that shiny surface was a decent boxing game that let you go from chump to champ. There’s very little that the human spirit wants more than to become a champion, and Fight Night Round 3 allowed for this longing to be fulfilled - though a bit too easily. I set it aside and, with fond memories and high hopes, started waiting for Round 4.

So, when I received my review copy of Fight Night Round 4 I was understandably excited. The included material filled me in on all the exciting new features and legacy mode, what’s different from Round 3 and how the new punching system works. “Well,” I thought, “time to kick some ass.” Not quite. The learning curve involved in jumping into Legacy Mode and being ready to take it to the top is quite, um, steep. The first few matches pan out OK after the tutorial and, hell, you may win a few by knockout. Then you start working up the ladder.

Starting out as a scrub and becoming the champ is one of the cornerstones of sports fiction – everyone loves the underdog. After starting up Fight Night Round 4 you can either jump right into some classic fights, create some new match-ups (Tyson vs. Ali, anyone?) or Create a Boxer. Of course, most people will want to jump into Create a Boxer mode and start beating up punks. I know I did, and it almost made me hate this game.

After the creation process, which is relatively in-depth but not as crazy as, for instance, Tiger Woods, you’re immediately entered into an amateur tournament. After fighting your way through the challengers, most of which are pretty easy, you enter the big time. Hitting the actual circuit is a bit different than the tournament you just won. In between each fight, you rest, train and manage your schedule.