UFC 6 Review

It’s been a good while since the last UFC game, almost three years to be precise. EA Sports returns with UFC 6, which is now available on Xbox Series X/S and Playstation 5, but oddly no release for PC. There is something about UFC that excites me; the intensity and brutality of the fights have a spontaneous edge over boxing, for instance. The hardcore fans out there may be wondering how this one stacks up against the previous titles. Whilst EA Sports are generally the best in class at every sports game they create, they often don’t really have much competition, so they dominate the space quite easily.

UFC 6 Packs A Punch!

UFC has always been about positioning, strategy and wearing the opposition down. In UFC 6, the control scheme has been refined, making everything feel like you’re in control of how your character reacts rather than button-mashing. Strikes feel weighty, and you almost feel them land with the controller in hand. You’re almost rewarded for being patient and managing how you engage when striking, rather than going guns blazing. Fighting feels fluid, quick and rewarding throughout.

Grappling has had some great alterations and improvements. Transitions feel a lot smoother, and the control scheme for submissions is definitely a lot less fiddly. I used to dread getting into grapple situations, as I never quite mastered how to counter grapples and also how to gain the upper hand. Managing your stamina and positioning is still a prominent part of grappling, but going from standing to the ground feels a lot more fluid.

Modes Galore!

There is plenty to crack on with in UFC 6 to cater to all types of players. If you’re a casual who doesn’t want to compete with real players online, then there is a feast of content for you. Equally, there is so much to the online multiplayer aspect that will keep you playing until the next game if you’re into it.

UFC Career Mode – Create your own fighter and build them up to be the best they can be, manage their fitness and hype levels, dive into training and compete for title belts.

The Legacy –  New to UFC 6, you follow the journey of a young fighter looking to break into UFC. A great mode if you want to get to grips with how the game plays, and it feeds into Career Mode if you wish to continue.

Hall of Legends – Unlocking later on, you can engage with this mode almost like an interactive museum. You’ll recreate historic fights with some of the most iconic fighters the business has seen.

The Gym – Here you’ll be able to further develop your fighters, level them up and unlock cosmetics as you progress. Also, recruit trainers to entice more fighters to your gym.

Online Career & Ranked Fights – Online career allows you to take your own fighters and lock heads with others. Ranked fights, both with your own character or roster fighters is where you can climb ladders and show your worth. My favourite was the stand and bang mode with no grappling.

Fight Week & Fight Now – Fight week is linked to real-world UFC events, and playing these will have weekly rewards and limited-time fights. Fight now is for quick entry, single matches, local multiplayer and casual fights.

Visuals & Audio

Visually, UFC 6 certainly has the wow factor, and I was covering this review on a huge new 77″ LG C5 OLED TV. Everything looks fantastic from the menus to the in-octagon action. Character models are truly super realistic and detailed, and capture the identities of real-life fighters both in looks and how they fight. Animations are superb, and as always, the cutscene when you manage to pull off a knockout or submission just looks fantastic when you watch back in slow motion.

EA Sports has done a great job at making the atmosphere both heard and felt with great design work in different arenas with intense crowd noise. Seeing sponsorships on the map, the lighting and shadow work and everything surrounding the fight itself all just adds to the realism. The commentary could have done with a bit more work, and I found that lines are often repeated, and during long sessions, it shows. Hearing the thud of punches and kicks is really satisfying, especially when you start to land some serious combos. One of the major standouts is the packed soundtrack with artists such as Cypress Hill, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Papa Roach, Post Malone and more. Listening to these tunes just made me spend longer sifting through menus, bopping my head to the classic tunes.

Final Thoughts

UFC 6 has been a blast for me so far, which has been slightly aided by my new 77″ LG C5 OLED TV. If you’ve played the previous games, then you’ll be right at home here, and there are plenty of similarities. The experience isn’t leaps ahead of UFC 5, but there are certainly improvements. It’s a polished and confident outing that has a generous offering of modes and plenty to do. Those who are massive fans of UFC, MMA or any type of combat will find plenty of enjoyment here. Between the all-new legacy mode, career, and hall of legends, alongside all the stacked competitive online modes, there is so much to work through.

If you’re on the fence about whether to pick this one up, there is a ten-hour trial on offer if you’re an EA Play or Xbox Game Pass subscriber. Want to pull the plug right now? Then you can purchase the Standard or Ultimate Edition for Xbox Series X/S HERE.