Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Focus on Realism: Why Adding Boxers to a Broken Game Misses the Mark

Players Need to Stop Asking SCI for More Boxers in a Broken Game

Boxing fans have long awaited a game that truly captures the essence of the sport. Steel City Interactive’s Undisputed has generated excitement and hope, but there’s a glaring problem: players continue to demand more licensed boxers in a game that lacks the fundamental realism needed to honor the sweet science. While having a roster filled with legendary fighters is enticing, it’s an empty promise if the boxers don’t fight like themselves.

A Broken Foundation: Missing Tendencies and Realism

At its core, a realistic boxing game should be about more than just recognizable faces. The game must replicate the unique fighting styles, tendencies, and personalities of each boxer. From Ali’s graceful footwork to Tyson’s relentless aggression, a boxer’s tendencies are what define their legacy. Yet, in Undisputed, this critical layer of realism is absent. Instead of seeing boxers utilize their signature styles, players are left with cookie-cutter animations and behaviors that fail to distinguish legends from journeymen.

Without accurately programmed tendencies, the game loses its soul. It becomes just another arcade experience where strategy and authenticity are sacrificed for shallow entertainment. Adding more boxers to such a flawed system only exacerbates the issue, turning the roster into a superficial collection of avatars rather than true representations of the sport’s greats.

Why Players Are Asking for More Boxers

It’s easy to understand the desire for a stacked roster. Seeing your favorite fighter in a game creates an immediate connection and excitement. However, this desire often stems from nostalgia or the hope that having a recognizable boxer will elevate the experience. Unfortunately, a roster filled with big names cannot mask broken mechanics or generic gameplay. Quantity doesn’t replace quality, and until SCI fixes the underlying issues, adding more boxers is like putting a fresh coat of paint on a sinking ship.

Focus on Fixing the Core Gameplay

Instead of clamoring for more boxers, the community should push SCI to prioritize the following:

  1. Boxer Tendencies and Styles: Each fighter needs to feel unique. Tendencies like Ali’s rope-a-dope, Canelo’s counterpunching, or Fury’s unorthodox feints should be programmed into the AI and animations.

  2. Improved Mechanics: The game must address flaws in movement, punching, and defense to better reflect the complexity of boxing. This includes proper footwork, realistic stamina management, and dynamic reactions to punches.

  3. AI Behavior: CPU-controlled boxers should fight intelligently, adjusting their strategy based on the opponent, their tendencies, and in-fight situations. A real-life counterpuncher shouldn’t be blindly rushing forward, nor should a defensive wizard trade recklessly in the pocket.

  4. Dynamic Animations: Punches, blocks, and dodges need more variety to reflect each fighter’s style and execution. Fighters should move and react in a way that mirrors their real-life counterparts.

The Community’s Role

The boxing gaming community has a unique opportunity to influence the direction of Undisputed. By shifting the focus away from superficial features like roster size and instead demanding a realistic, immersive experience, fans can push SCI to create a game that truly celebrates the sport. This means being vocal about what matters most—gameplay realism, boxer tendencies, and AI intelligence—rather than settling for a bloated roster in a broken system.

A Call to Action

Players need to recognize that adding more boxers to Undisputed won’t solve the game’s deeper problems. Without a solid foundation that captures the essence of boxing, the roster will remain hollow, and the game will fail to deliver the experience fans deserve. It’s time to stop asking for more boxers and start demanding a better game—one that respects the sport, its fighters, and the fans who love it. Only then can Undisputed become the definitive boxing simulation it aspires to be.

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