For being the sport of kings, boxing games are truly few and far between these days. Sure, we get the likes of Big Rumble Boxing: Creed and Thunder Ray trying to be contenders, but for fans there hasn’t really been a full-blown licensed offering since EA’s now long defunct Fight Night series. While that series last saw action back in 2010 with Fight Night Champion, it’s still held by many as the best in boxing game ever made. Gamer boxing fans have been waiting a long time for someone to challenge the champ. And, Undisputed by Sheffield-based Steel City Interactive aims to be that contender.
It’s fair to say that Undisputed has been on a bit of a journey to get here. The game started out life as eSports Boxing Club in 2020, and now, after four years, is finally at fighting weight.
Underdog
Right out the traps it’s a bit of an underdog tale as Undisputed isn’t a full fat AAA title, so budget is lacking and shows in places, but it does feature over 70 licensed fighters that does add spice to things.
You can take the likes of Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Joe Frazier, Rocky Marciano, Frank Bruno, Muhammad Ali, Katie Taylor, or world’s strongest man Eddie Hall into the ring. And that’s just the tip of the Undisputed‘s impressive roster.
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Now, it’s also worth noting that there are also a few missing names from the mix, the biggest of which is probably Anthony Joshua. However, there is a very comprehensive character creator in the game. build your dream, non-copyright infringing brawler – who you can also climb the career mode ladder with too.
Ringside
Graphically, Undisputed truly shines. Each fighter looks like their real-world counterpart – and it’s not just the headliners we are talking about. Every single brawler has the same level of care and detail across the board. The animations, the lighting, and details like beads of sweat running down their faces mid fight all serve to enhance the visual immersion.
A huge part of the sport is the way fighters move and duck between landing blows, and the subtleties of the pugilist’s dance are capture in Undisputed. Moves feel weighty and deliberate, yet nuanced and laden with finesse.
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Manoeuvres like your fighter changing stance to adjust as your foe moves, or swinging a heavy punch, or bracing for an incoming flurry are all here and look beautiful when strung together in the ebb and flow of a fight.
However, while many on the roster have their signature styles and stances, some don’t. Some fighters of Undisputed look and feel generic, and this also bleeds into the pre and post ring behaviour. The lack of flare and glitz, both in and out of the ring, stands out when facing an opponent with a bespoke entrance, stance and style.
Toe to Toe
As for the core fight it sees you being able to deal four main types of punch; body, straight, quick jab and upper cut – which can be translated into over 60 individual punches, depending on the fighter and their weight class, as well as using the right trigger that adds a modifier to your punch.
You have 3 main bars to track during a fight; health, block and stamina. So, it’s very much a case of timing and waiting, over just unleashing a hail of devastating blows in the first round. These bars feed directly off your fighter’s stats, which in your custom fighter’s case is a huge deal and will see you working on certain areas during training.
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The action outside the ring may leave some of you feeling flat. There are only a handful of modes to tackle; like career, quick match and prize fights, as well as online ranked/unranked and that’s it. Most do what they say on the tin, but are all a bit so-so. With only the prize fight mode offering an interesting spin on things with its weekly challenging fights, that often need you to step up your strategy.
Going the Distance
Undisputed‘s career mode, where most of you will spend most of your time, is surprisingly barebones. It’s nowhere near the level seen likes of the F1 series or NBA 2K series. For starters, it’s very much a text-driven affair with no cutscenes or other visual flair in presentation. There aren’t even any training-style mini-games.
Undisputed resembles old-school Championship Manager more than The Journey when not in the ring. It’s nothing flashy, but a solid management sim system. You have to balance the books.
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Paying for medical bills, your staff and whichever gym you train in . Each choice you make, each penny you spend can improve your fighter or your prospects. With enough fighting experience, you will level up both your fighter and your manager.
Undisputed‘s career mode is more akin to a simulation title in many ways. The game mode, inside and outside of the fights, revolves around management. More casual players after a Fight Night-style cinematic experience may be a little let down. But really, Undisputed‘s career mode is good enough to keep hardcore digital pugilists happy.
The Right Places
Undisputed is a young contender that offers up a simulation style of boxing immersion, from the ring to the backroom. While it lacks some of the razzmatazz of bigger sports titles from bigger developers, Steel City Interactive spent their limited budget in the right places.
Undisputed ultimately offers enough to please boxing fans desperate for a solid fighter that brings the sport back to the gaming title card.