We’re glad to see Kung Fu Factory — developer of the mediocre Supremacy MMA — dust itself off and create a better mixed-martial-arts game. Unfortunately, this Live Arcade cage-fight contender isn’t quite championship material.
For most of the bout, Bellator impresses with proficient standup combat. A Tekken-esque striking system with weaving and strength modifiers encourages you to mix up attacks, while a reasonably strict stamina meter punishes attack-spamming. In fact, standing scraps in Bellator are almost as engaging (and intense) as they are in UFC Undisputed 3. Regrettably, the game falters when fights are taken to the ground. It’s far too easy to transition out of precarious positions, and in both single- and multiplayer matches, it’s nearly impossible to survive a submission attempt because the aggressor can anticipate and get a head-start on the button-mashing minigame.
Stamina plays a huge factor in Bellator. Mash buttons, and you’ll become winded and open to a quick KO from your opponent.Though the unbalanced grappling is something the devs could easily patch, the bigger issues plaguing Bellator would require a bit more elbow grease. The main one: there’s just not enough here to warrant even a $15 price. The game includes only eight fighters in two divisions, and no real career mode to encourage long-term play. With more fighters and more easily unlocked bonus video content, the game would’ve offered a better introduction to this relatively new fighting league.
Still, even these problems could potentially be addressed post-launch. Both Kung Fu Factory and 345 Games seem committed to responding to fan requests, so hopefully, we’ll see this game reach its true potential in the future.
Even with a small roster, Bellator shows a diversity in movesets, as common moves like takedowns will be executed differently depending on the fighter’s style.PUBLISHER: 345 Games • DEVELOPER: Kung Fu Factory • ESRB: Teen • MULTIPLAYER: 2 locally or via Xbox Live • ACHIEVEMENTS: Easy early, tough later • COST: 1,200 Microsoft Points ($15) • RELEASE DATE: July 4, 2012
+ Simple-yet-deep striking system rewards efficient fisticuffs.
- Submission system is broken and in dire need of rebalancing.
– Not enough fighters, customization options, and modes for the price.
? Can 345 use the time before EA's UFC game ships to make Bellator a better competitor?
