The EA Sports UFC 4 Career Mode looks like it could give MMA fans a wild journey as they move their customized fighter through the ranks. Based on the new trailer, it features a new interactive coach, special training system, and an unscripted story so that no two career paths are the same. Here’s what we learned from the new UFC 4 Career Mode trailer.
EA Sports’ UFC 4 Career Mode trailer debuts
EA Sports has famously been making sure they allow gamers the ability to create their own unique athletes, train them, and then take them into competition. That’s the same for UFC 4 Career Mode, and it appears EA has made some notable additions to get fans more invested in it with this year’s game.
Coach Davis is the first new aspect we learn about it in the UFC 4 Career Mode trailer. He’ll help your created fighter “navigate the fight world.” You’ll also learn the importance of the relationship between fighter and coach thanks to Coach Davis.
There’s not only that relationship, but a number of other important ones. Your fighter will interact with fans, other fighters, and promoters. Your brand as a fighter will depend on how you navigate these relationships.
Say or do one wrong thing, and it could brand your fighter as a villain, which may not be a bad thing, necessarily. One of those wrong actions could be something like knocking out a fighter you’ve asked to train with you.
Relationships are just a small part of your fighter’s development and path towards UFC glory, though. Obviously, becoming the best there is will be a key goal for your fighter. Can you match up and defeat the best fighters at the top of the UFC 4 rankings?
Fighter Evolution and career path
In order for you to gain progress with your fighter, you’ll have make decisions as to what they do in the gym and Octagon. Those choices will shape the type of fighter you become, which could be a great striker, or more of a mat specialist. By focusing on specific training areas, you’ll customize the type of fighter you are.
As mentioned, you’ll be training with other UFC fighters to learn their moves and improve your skills. In the UFC 4 Career Mode trailer, we see that the created fighter can use social media to invite UFC stars to come train. Some of the fighters shown in the video include Tyron Woodley, Khabib Nurmagedov, and Colby Covington.
Of course, one of the fighters gets knocked out and that leads to problems. The fighter you knocked out could put the word out to stay away from you. However, you can also call out fighters to try to make a name for yourself.
The type of name you make and choices you make were crucial for this year’s game, as mentioned by Career Mode Producer Raman Bassi.
“We wanted to make character choices matter more this year than in [UFC 3],” Bassi said per IGN. “[In UFC 3], a lot of the champions were set in stone and we built a rival story around them. In UFC 4, we wanted to break that open completely.”
Will Career Mode keep players invested?
The UFC 4 Career Mode path gives fans some interesting options as to which direction they can go. That could include becoming a major force in the World Fighting Alliance. Or, you could develop your fighter to where they’ll compete on the UFC series, The Contender. That should keep UFC fans invested as they play out different options.
Based on the trailer and details so far, this looks to be a step in the right direction for the EA UFC franchise as it really immerses players in what it’s like to evolve as an MMA star. Of course, playing the game will be the true test, as gamers give their criticisms and feedback about the mode.
The new UFC 4 game arrives on Aug. 14 for Xbox One and PS4, or one week earlier for those with EA Access.
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