Video Game Vintage Title: Fight Night Champion

Fight Night Champion

Fight Night Champion is a boxing video game developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports. It is the fifth entry in the Fight Night series and was released on March 1, 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game takes a drastic turn from its predecessors, depicting a "grittier", "darker" setting with animations and player damage that "truly conveys the brutality of the sport of boxing."

The game was officially revealed on 7 July 2010 at an EA Sports studio showcase. The game is the first EA Sports game to feature a full Hollywood-inspired story mode, called Champion Mode. The story follows the career of Andre Bishop, a talented boxer, who is forced to overcome great setbacks including a prison sentence and a corrupt fight promoter. Champion Mode is intended to further convey the brutality and hardship of the sport of boxing. An iOS version of the game was published by HB Studios.

It is the first and so far, only EA Sports game to receive an M rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board in North America and an 18 rating from the British Board of Film Classification mainly due to its strong language. An iOS version of the game was released alongside the console versions.

The new direction of the gameplay was highly praised by critics, with the game being released to positive reviews.

Fight Night Champion Plot

Andre Bishop is a boxer serving time in a correctional facility. After winning a jailhouse boxing match against another inmate, he is cornered and brutally beaten by several prisoners including his opponent. Bishop wakes up severely injured and damaged. The game then flashes back 4 years to his rise as a professional fighter.

Bishop's pro career begins after defeating 9-time amateur champion Joel Savon, which earns him significant recognition as a contender. After a few successful bouts, he and his trainer Gus Carisi are approached by DL McQueen, famed fight promoter and longtime foe of Carisi who offers to promote Andre under the management of his daughter Meagan. The two refuse, causing a dispute between the crooked promoter and Bishop. McQueen continues to urge Andre to sign a deal with him, only to be denied each time. He soon frames Andre of police assault with the help of two crooked cops. Andre is then sentenced to over 5 years in prison.

Soon after recovering from his injuries, Andre begins to train himself and keep fit while imprisoned. He is angered to discover that his brother Raymond had become a professional heavyweight with McQueen Promotions, the company that framed him. Soon after being released, Raymond organizes him a job as an assistant trainer. Now a heavyweight and a focused fighter, Andre beats two ranked heavyweights during regular sparring sessions. Meagan approaches him soon after and offers to get him a new professional license, having split from her father's business due to disagreements. Gus returns as Andre's trainer and helps him make an unexpected comeback as a heavyweight.

Following several successful heavyweight bouts, Andre's brother Raymond challenges him to a fight to secure a chance against the world heavyweight champion Isaac Frost. During the fight, Andre goes down but does not get up to allow his brother a chance at the title. Raymond then fights Frost, and is defeated in the first round by a devastating KO. Angered, Andre challenges Frost himself and manages to defeat him by KO. He becomes the world heavyweight champion, and McQueen is arrested after his crooked business with the framing of Andre is revealed.

Fight Night Champion Gameplay

Although it is not a completely different experience from the rest of the game, Champion Mode bears many exclusive modifications to make the story more compelling. In most of the fights, players are required to fight in a particular manner or create a certain outcome to be victorious. For example, players may have to be smart against a certain opponent who has a particular strategy. One example of this is an opponent who targets the body; the player is required to stay on the outside and avoid body punches. Another scenario pits the player against slim odds, in which Bishop suffers a hand injury and must avoid using certain punches to avoid permanent damage. The fights are generally meant to be won by knockout, although it is possible to win by decision.

Champion Mode plays out in a movie style. Cinematic cutscenes control the flow of the story, and the actual gameplay takes place during fights. Occasionally, cutscenes can be seen in between rounds.

Reception
Fight Night Champion received very positive reviews from critics. Many praised its large amount of content, realistic graphics, excellent presentation, and Champion Mode. Legacy Mode was mainly criticized, with critics citing its difficult minigames and lack of improvements as its downside.

The new concept and direction of the series has been highly praised. Tom Hoggins of The Daily Telegraph wrote "This is a tough, burly sequel that understands what we want from the blood and sweat of sport it represents", citing its brutality and emotion aspects as a winning factor. Hilary Goldstein of IGN also praised these factors, and praised Champion Mode for carrying the emotional weight of the game, stating that it gave the game "more sense of emotion out of what is usually a soulless experience".

The Full-Spectrum Punch Control has been praised by critics. Mike Phillips of 1Up.com praised the new system for simplifying the gameplay, but noted that it had several flaws which detracted from the realism: "Bobbing and weaving and timing your shots are all crucial to success in the ring, and it feels good once you've got the hang of it. But in the heat of battle, it's altogether too easy to accidentally unleash an extra punch or two and end up paying the price."

CVG praised its graphics, gameplay and Champion Mode, calling it "one of the best looking games there is." X-Play scored it with a perfect 5/5 and praised its simplified gameplay, yet criticized the fight with Isacc Frost and multiplayer suites.