SINGAPORE — Getting into the ring — or in this case, the octagon — can’t be the most pleasurable situation for someone as unfit as me. Good thing, then, there’s EA SPORTS UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) for a virtual dose of mixed martial arts action.

Launched on next-generation consoles such as the PlayStation 4, EA SPORTS UFC looks amazing. The animation is lifelike and the fighters look great, even up close.

The way the sweat beads on their bodies or how blood sprays after a heavy hit to the jaw really brings UFC to life. The fighters also move realistically, and cuts and bruises show up on them throughout the fight.

However, all this is muted by the extremely convoluted control scheme. Basic button presses will let you punch or kick, but to really get good at the game, you’ll have to learn which combinations of buttons and control stick rotations will deliver what you want — if they even register.

There is a tutorial to guide you through the moves, but you might need to print a cheat sheet or have a really good memory to remember it all at one go. In my first fight, I was so lost I resorted to punching my way to victory — a tactic that gets stale fast.

Once you get past the controls, that’s when the game gets fun and challenging, and there’s enough variety in the matches to make it unpredictable.

Not a fan of UFC? You can unlock the legendary Bruce Lee (or pay to download him) for some nostalgic action.

In the end, EA SPORTS UFC is truly for fans of UFC or those who love to see realistic-looking people get pummelled. The graphics are fantastic, but with the amount of time you will need to grapple with the controls, it felt as if I was actually losing a submission battle with a UFC fighter.

EA SPORTS UFC is now available on the PlayStation 4 for S$74.90.

Rating: 3.5/5