Let me get the disclaimer out straight away - I did not play 2020’s UFC 4 nor 2018’s UFC 3 meaning comparisons to those games are going to be absent here. I did play and love UFC 2 which, looking back, is a long 7 years ago meaning it does not much resemble that edition of the game. This means that I entered the Octagon in UFC 5 as a relative newcomer to the series, with much to learn.



I can tell you that UFC 5 is the first M-Rated version of the game, the first to be fully developed for the latest generation of consoles, has over 300 fighters across 11 weight divisions, and boasts a number of excellent options for fans of the sport to take part in.



UFC 5 has the standard “quick fights” which lets you pick your favourite fighter from the massive roster and get into the action straight away or alternatively take on one of the scheduled fights which reflects some of the real life events. Both modes are great to get into a quick fight and there’s little better than taking Dricus Du Plessis into the Octagon to take down one of the many other fighters in the game.

The career mode story is relatively weak but the evolution of your created fighter is excellently deep.

The offline career mode is great for newcomers as it explains the rules and controls as you go into various fights. It works well as a tutorial and sets you on your way in the world of MMA as you aim to take your rookie fighter through some backyard fights, into some newcomer fights and eventually into the main fighter pool where you can show what you are made of. The career mode story is relatively weak but the evolution of your created fighter is excellently deep as you pick your style and through various challenges, fights and training sessions you get to upgrade your fighter as you see fit.



There’s admittedly nothing revolutionary in this career mode, it’s standard, but it is seamless and works really well. I will say, though, that there is quite a steep learning curve if you are new to the game. The fights early on where your timing doesn’t need to be exact and you can button mash a little bit, quickly falls away (as it should) but figuring out some of the technical aspects of the grappling and submission side of the game can be a bit confusing and doesn’t always make a lot of sense. When you finally get it, it’s great.

For veterans of the game, the online career mode is likely where you will want to spend the bulk of your time as you take on fighters all over the world. What works so well with this is that when you play AI and you know the fighting style of that fighter, you know what to expect and how to attack and defend, but playing online against the almost unknown and assessing the fight a bit before and largely during is a completely different take on the experience. It means you have to approach each fight differently.



The online career works well, even for newcomers, as you get placed in a pool of fighters of similar strength and it balances out depending on your wins and losses. There is also a deep upgrade system so that your character is always improving where you see fit, and it is capped which means no fighter will ever be completely out-specced compared to another resulting in a fair playing field.

There are a number of other online modes including a Championship mode where you get to have a few fights before getting a shot at the title and then having to defend it, and a Blitz Battles mode which rotates various tournaments on a daily basis. Nothing groundbreaking but good options when you are looking for something quickfire.



There’s arguably little unique about any of the game modes with nothing out of the ordinary available, though all of it is well presented and enjoyable to play through. Where UFC 5 truly shines is on its graphical prowess and its wonderfully crafted animations. The actual fights showcase the incredible physicality that takes place in the MMA world that you can’t help but feel immersed into the action every time you step into a fight. The movement of the fighters is tremendous and the lifelike emotions and reactions add to the realism. What really sets it apart is the key focus on areas that are consistently hit during a fight and how that area increases in visible damage. It seems a small touch but truly adds a gritty realism to the game which is not always apparent in boxing and older UFC games. Considering it’s the first to be M-Rated means it’s unlikely to have been as realistic in the previous games.

The actual fights showcase the incredible physicality that takes place in the MMA world that you can’t help but feel immersed into the action every time you step into a fight.

Where UFC 5 excels is that through all the realism of the fighters, the movement, the use of the engine and all of the latest gen console powers, is that the actual fighting never feels too complex that you feel overwhelmed. It’s a tricky balance for fighting sims where too much realism can be frustrating, while too little can make it feel like a button masher. There’s enough depth to keep more technical players happy, and at the base it is shallow enough to be accessible for anyone.



It’s a long time since I’ve played an MMA game but I have been wonderfully impressed by what UFC 5 has to offer. Despite taking some time to learn the ins and outs of the game, once it clicks it’s an absolute joy to play through. It’s not perfect and could use a more in-depth career mode but even the standard offering is enough to keep players busy for a long time.

With a huge roster, plenty of fight options, cosmetics and upgrades to unlock and boasting excellent visuals and an impressive engine, UFC 5 is a great point of entry for anyone that has not played the games before (or not in a long time) and for veterans there will be enough new in it to make it worthwhile playing, especially as it is a few years since the previous release. Unlike EA’s other games like FC and Madden, UFC benefits from not being a yearly release and making enough strides to make it a worthwhile addition. There’s simply nothing quite like that well timed kick or punch to the head that knocks your opponent out instantly.

*PS5 Review code provided by ZamZam Distribution