First off, the demo is out NOW but only with a special code you get from gamestop/EB games after preordering, and the demo lets you use Ricky Hatton or Manny Pacquiao.
My impressions:
-No more broken parries = already better than FNR3
-Using swaying, bobbing+weaving to dodge punches is the main defensive tool. When youre successful, there’s a bit of slowdown for you to get your counterpunch in. VERY satisfying when you properly roll under a shot.
-Blocking at the last minute IS a parry in this game, but its definitely not as good as swaying (or in FNR 3). I like how its just block low or high, it was too complicated in FNR3 having to block hundreds of punches, each landing on 1 of 4 quadrants
-The new system for getting up is a lot harder, more fun.
-REALLY effing hard to knockdown someone. They go in a dizzy state, and they clinch 1 or 2 times and theyre safe again
Yup, they removed the button controls. I used buttons in FNR3 too, but i didnt have a problem using analog controls. Considering every game uses the stick more, its not as much as a problem
Thanks for the info, I really loved FNR3, but there were some serious issues, like the aforementioned parries and those ‘Flash KO’ punches. Also the game was pretty unbalanced with regards to haymaker and fight styles. I remember Ali’s Haymaker punch was just about impossible to predict if it was high or low.
Is it difficult to dodge the punches, or is it relatively simple? For some reason I picture it being quite hard to predict and move out of the way, I know in FNR3 I used to depend on blocks much more than dodging.
I do like that it’s harder to get a knockdown now as well.
Anyway, I wonder if this demo is available from Australian EB’s at all, if not I’ll have to wait for it to hit the marketplace for free I guess.
They needed to do this to the series for a LONG time. Those shortcut BS inputs were retarded vs someone who’s on the analog sticks. Its equivalent to having a 1 button shoryuken input for SF.
I liked the 4 corner block from FRN3. It made it feel like you could target different parts of the body more accurately and be precise about attacking. Definitely don’t like the hi\lo block only. 4 corners made you look for damn punches rather than just get lucky.
Glad they tweaked the parry system. The previous version was notorious for BS parry tactics.
The movement options are fucking excellent in FRN3. The stationary dodge\sway tactics while being able to combo out of them were excellent.
Theres no block stun if you dodge the hits right so if the opponent wiffs something big, it usually lead to a free combo. Even dodging jabs gave you a return jab series.
Lots of head movement vs people who head hunt was a pretty good tactic. Some players generally aim for the head a lot of the time and being able to duck those and counter with combos did play a roll in the game.
I don’t think it was that hard to use but its hard to use vs opponents who mixup the styles. The whole sway game has counters in this for it however in FNR3 you could parry and sway. So A lot of the techniques were sway the highs and if they target the body for counters, you can parry low.
Someone already said why buttons are lame. It’s a “shortcut” that puts people who play the game legitimately at a disadvantage. It’s incredibly hard to string together straights on the analog like you can on the pad. Honestly with Ali you can just mash the jab button till they’re ready to go down to a quick hook.
I’m really looking forward to FNR3. Bad luck for that UFC game to come out when it did, because the first thing I thought of when I played it was that it was a sort of sloppy version of FNR3 with a shoddy ground game. And it looks like FNR4 is only going to improve things.
Although based on the original post dodging kinda sounds cheap. I was already wrecking people in FNR3 with bobbing and weaving, I can only imagine if they make it even stronger…
just look @ the inputs required. If I do a left jab to the head, then right hook to the head, the input is tap upfwd, neutral, right, upright, up. And to make things worse, there is input timing which determines the speed of the combo so right off the bat my 2 piece is requiring 4 inputs.
with the button config, that series is literally 2 buttons and there is no inputs for error. You’re basically a dumb fuck with no hands if you can’t mash out a combo.
Then when it gets to the “ko” mode where your boxer is only few hits away from being knocked down, being able to mash a combo like, low left, low right, up left, up right is the dumbest shit ever. Thats quite a difficult series on the thumbsticks but retarded easy with button controls.
Ah yeah, I still remember back when I was playing FN3 online, there were some players out there throwing jabs and hooks in these crazy fast combos, I had no idea how the hell they were doing them. It wasn’t until later somebody told me that you could change controls to buttons only and thats how they were doing them.
Can’t wait to get the game, the vids i saw got me really confident that it’ll be great.
I loved FN:R3 even with its flaws and R4 is going to be much better!
I played UFC:2009’s demo on xbla, and thought it wasn’t even as good as FN3 so i’m really waiting for this one!