It might come as something of a surprise, but working at ZOO can be pretty stressful. Honestly - it’s hard work producing this much awesomeness on a daily basis.

That’s why the release of UFC 3 is pretty much the perfect outlet for all that anger and tension we’ve been hiding.

In truth, the mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter isn’t a huge improvement on the previous two games, which were pretty solid titles on their own. Instead, those clever boffins at THQ have focused on ironing out all those niggling little problems that plagued the last game.

For instance, where the grappling feature in the previous games was an arduous and difficult skill to master – unless you put some serious hours in - you now have the option to choose either an amateur or pro grappling mode to begin with.

So you can either you use the old system (pro), or a simpler one-touch function (amateur) that means you no longer need to furiously twiddle those thumbstick controls all the time.

Plus, there’s also the introduction of PRIDE, a new mode that rips the UFC rulebook in two and opens the floodgates to a whole manner of vicious manoeuvres on your downed opponent. So if you’ve got any pent-up frustration, you can now go all American History X on them and head stomp your opponents into a coma.

All in all, UFC 3 is a fantastic step in the right direction. Whether you’re completely new to the series or a long-time fan, UFC 3 is well worth spending your hard-earned cash on – especially if you’re looking for a way to rid yourself of any stress without stepping into the Octagon yourself.   

IN A NUTSHELL
UFC 3 is more brutal, more fun, but above all, more accessible. A must have for MMA fans.

9/10