Does it really look like the commercial?

Ok thus far if your a 360 owner your probably feeling about as ripped off as I did just before I got this game. I'm not saying it's everything it could've been but it is definitely to date the best looking and best feeling boxing game there is.

When I first heard this game was not going to be a launch title I was a little bummed out but after seeing the initial titles that were availabe I'm kind of glad they held off. You see if you bought madden for the 360 you'll notice a lot of the players look about the same as they do on any other console save for a couple of big name players. Don't get me wrong the grass looked great and the helmets looked shiny showing off great reflection dynamics, but it takes more than this to be worth a 60 dollar investment.

In short it just felt as if EA had rushed the title to meet the launch date, can't blame them though this is the norm when it comes to the first round of games. Not to worry though when it comes to FNR3 you'll be able to see the sweat and blood fly from the fighters face as punches land. You can see where most of the focus is on the boxers look incredible, the movement around the ring feels extremely fluid and realistic. For once a fighting game has gotten the collision system figured out. For the most part anyway, rarely will you see those phantom punches which pass right through a boxer with no damage occuring.

The sound in the game is also extremely well done, from the scream of the fans to the sound of agony coming from a boxers mouth as he takes a shot to the gut. It's such a wonderful thing to hear the sound of leather to skin done with such accuracy. Commentary for the most part is spot on and does a great job at keeping up with the onscreen action. But eventually you'll start to hear it repeat but hey you always got the 360's hard drive.

The controls for the game are very easy to pick up if your comfortable using a joystick that is. You can still use the standard buttons layout if not but by using the punch stick this is the right analog stick, you can control not only which hand you swing with but also speed, power, and punch type, it takes a little getting used to but if you work at it, it will pay off in the end. You use the left thumbstick to move and while holding the left trigger dodge. If you hold the right trigger and move the right thumbstick you can parry a punch.

The game comes with the standard size roster of boxers covering all weightclasses, no Tyson though I'd love to see him in a game. The creat a boxer mode is pretty in depth giving you almost unlimited control of your boxers physical attributes from your hair to the size of your gut.

The meat of the game comes in the form of a career mode where you can either take a created boxer and run him through his paces or you can pick an existing boxer and rebuild his career the best you can. Either way gives you about the same expirience though leaving little in the way of replayability for the career mode. In this mode you start as an amateur trying to win the belt and move on to the pros, you'll build your skills through a series of little mini games fans of the series should already know. Theres the heavy bag, weightlifting, combo dummy, and sparring. As you progress through your career it'll become harder and harder to gain skills, and at the same time once you get close to retirement you'll notice your skills start to fade away.

Once you retire your boxer will be availabe for fights in exhibition mode and if you beat your rival enough times you'll have the option to have rival fights with him in other modes.

One of the bigger drawbacks of the game is the A.I. it's not that good and once you've played this game for about a week you'll find yourself having little problem on the hardest setting other than that this is probably the best boxing game ever and without a doubt the best boxing game on the 360. EA finally got one right so for any fan of the sport of boxing Fight Night Round 3 is a must have.