Effortlessly retaining its ranking as the worlds undisputed boxing champion, Fight Night is still the place to be for a realistic simulation that captures the glitzy thrills of the biggest blockbuster bouts.
Like in the previous edition, the key to Round 4s success is its sublime controls, with players flicking and twirling the controller sticks to throw punches and block attacks, the clever interface subtly mirroring movements in the real-life sport. But while the controls are still fun to use, subtle refinement of the boxers reactions makes for a more spontaneous experience, with punches occasionally glancing off opponents or your arms getting tangled in the heat of a match, in turn bringing the game closer to the real sport than ever before.
The new corner system where you can use points earned during rounds to replenish your energy and fix damage also adds a new layer of strategy to the proceedings and will delight fans of the series, but the biggest draw for Fight Night aficionados will be the Photo GameFace option that allows you to create yourself in-game, then get your ugly mug split open by other human players in the sprawling online mode.
Minor issues, such as an underdeveloped career mode that will bewilder boxing fans with its random matches and dull training sessions, undermine the realism evident elsewhere in this slick package, but for violent action, slick presentation and incredible graphics and sound that bring you closer than ever to the action, Round 4 is hard to beat.