Undisputed

It’s been a few years since the last boxing game came out that could be considered a real contender. The fight night series was the former champion to my draw me in. While many boxing games focus on a powerhouse names to draw in the crowd, such as Mike Tyson's punch out, or gimmicks like Virtual Reality like Creed Rise to Glory. Undisputed attempts to recreate individual boxers style, and what its like to play as them. Each boxer has specific trait that enhance of hinder certain abilities.

Lets take two boxers as examples;
Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.

Two very different fighting styles. While Joe has a smoking Left hook, giving him increased change to knock his opponent down by 15%, Ali has float like a Butterfly giving him 15% increased chance to speed slip.

Understanding a fighters Style is key to winning fights as them.

Players who don't understand the style of the fighter their playing will likely fail in the ring. The game is still in development with a career mode as a planned feature. Undisputed currently has online PVP mode, and quick fight for playing against local pvp or against the CPU.

One of the unfortunate side effects of the Online pvp portion of the game, is the cheaters and spammers. A quick read on the steam forums and you will see countless complaints about cheaters, and players who spam body punches, and strangely enough complaints over what boxer you pick.

1.Online Cheaters
2.Body Spammers
3.Unfair Boxer Complaints

Are the most common issues popping up in the community forums on steam, so lets address them. Anyone who has read my Online PVP Skill is an illusion article, would understand online pvp is not to be taken seriously. Unfortunately there are numerous complaints about hacks and cheats. Many of the “fans” are calling for the developers to fix the issue, but this is an age old problem going back decades.

This is an issue that will plague online Multiplayer for as long as online pvp exits. The only way to put any sensible dent in cheaters would be having all online players be verified through a unified Gamer ID system for all online play.

A system like that would mean once your banned for cheating your done for all Multiplayer games, Similar to E-Sports Pros losing their careers. However this would be an enormous undertaking for any studio and certainly not within the scope of an Indie startup.

The body spammers on the other hand is a simple matter of addressing the stamina issues or lack thereof for repeated punches in a row. Lowering the damage with each consecutive blow, while amping up the stamina loss would be a step in the right direction. This game is however still in early access, and bug fixes are ongoing. The complaints about what boxer a player picks is somewhat puzzling, and I suspect it's due to a lack of understanding on how the game works.

As I mentioned earlier the game treats each boxer differently. Playing a specific way all the time with every boxer, will lead to you to having a very hard time.
When you pick a boxer, it's important to understand the limitations and style of that boxer.

To illustrate this lets look at a real Joe Frazier vs Muhammad Ali fight.

Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier (III) 1975-10-01 "Thrilla in Manila

Now lets examine the same two in Undisputed.

I'm playing Joe Frazier, and I'm attempting to use his style.

In conclusion, Undisputed strives to bring a refreshing approach to boxing games by delving into the nuanced styles of individual boxers. The game aims to capture the essence of each fighter, presenting players with unique traits that significantly impact their in-ring performance. From Joe Frazier's smoking left hook to Muhammad Ali's ability to float like a butterfly, every boxer demands a tailored strategy for success.

However, as the game navigates its early access phase, it faces challenges, particularly in the online PvP arena. The persistent issues of cheaters, body spammers, and complaints about boxer choices emerge as stumbling blocks in the community. While online cheating remains a longstanding issue, the call for a unified Gamer ID system could be a potential solution—though a formidable undertaking for any studio.

Addressing the stamina-related concerns tied to body spammers appears to be a more straightforward fix, with adjustments to damage and stamina loss for consecutive punches. As bug fixes continue in the ongoing development, it is hoped that these concerns will be alleviated.

The perplexing complaints about boxer choices likely stem from a lack of understanding of the game's intricate mechanics. Undisputed urges players to appreciate the diversity among boxers, emphasizing the importance of adapting one's strategy to the unique strengths and limitations of each fighter.

As the game evolves, with a promising career mode in the pipeline, Undisputed aims to reignite the boxing game genre, offering enthusiasts an immersive experience that goes beyond mere power or gimmicks. In the spirit of the sport it represents, the true victory lies in understanding and mastering the artistry of each individual boxer, ensuring an undisputed legacy in the realm of virtual pugilism.

Update: Jan 31 2024

Scheduled for the 12th of February Career Mode and more;