UFC 5 was announced a couple of weeks ago, with a release date confirmed for October 27th. Quite a quick turnaround from announcement to release. The original trailer was a teaser showing some of the new additions players should expect, including the real impact system and doctor stoppages. Now, a UFC 5 deep dive video regarding the gameplay has been released, with Martial Mind giving the rundown.
The UFC 5 deep dive starts with a look at the real impact system. This system encompasses the health events fighters experience during their bout, facial injuries, reactions to body hits, and the cumulative damage that landed hits have on the fighters. To accentuate how the system impacts fighters, damage icons are being introduced. The vision penalty icon shows when a cut on the face has led to bleeding which in turn is impacting a fighter’s sight. When this icon appears, the amount of hurt damage does to that area will increase, making the fighter much more vulnerable. After 30 seconds of no contact in the affected area the penalty is removed. This also applies at the start of new rounds. Breathing penalty comes into play when a fighter gets a nose or mouth injury, and reduces the rate at which stamina can be recovered. Again, if that area is not hit again within 30 seconds the penalty is lifted as well as at the start of the next round. Stun icons are split between head, body, and leg and will appear if those areas become injured, ranging in severity from low to high. Health icons are split between heart, arm, and leg. As the health of these areas deteriorate, they become more susceptible to submission attempts.
Doctor stoppages are a new addition to the UFC franchise, providing an alternative way for fights to end. The doctor icon will first appear when a head injury occurs, except at the mouth. It will start as a low possibility, increasing as more damage is sustained in the injured area. When the icon turns red, the ref will halt the match and call in the doctor for advice. The doctor will then decide if the fight can continue or has to be stopped.
As a result of doctor stoppages, the defensive aspect of UFC 5 has seen improvements too, with positioning, head movement, blocks, and lunges all upgraded. Head movement is faster and more responsive, making it simpler to avoid strikes. It also costs less stamina than previous entries. The lunges will also cost less stamina. Fighters with a higher footwork stat will move faster than those who have a lower footwork rating. Animations have also been improved to look more authentic. Knee strikes look heavier and more impactful, while a front leg kick has more of a snap to it.
Striking has been simplified, reducing the number of button inputs required to perform something like an uppercut. A dedicated spin input, on PS5 this is X and circle pressed together, means a spin attack will always happen. Clinches have been changed too. They are simpler to initiate but tougher to get to stick. If a fighter is moving backwards, through either a strike or retreating, a clinch is less likely to connect. Submissions have had a big change too, with UFC 5 removing the mini games from previous iterations. If you have an opponent in a prime position for a submission you can attempt to lock the submission in, or move to a different advantage giving position. As the defender you can use counter moves to stop submission attempts, or the attacker from moving into a better position. A submission health bar, which takes into account injury and fighter attributes, will show how effective a submission attempt is likely to be. If that depletes then a submission is going to get through, and one shot submissions are still a danger.
UFC 5 will be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S from October 27th.
Source: YouTube