Last year, THQ brought us the first real MMA game since, well ever. There were a few attempts in the past, but nothing anyone would consider significant. Then UFC 2009 came along. Although flawed in a few areas, 2009 was very good and we all hoped those shortcomings would be remedied in 2010. Lucky for us, many if not all of them were tweaked in a positive way making 2010 a must have for any MMA fan and much more than a roster update.

MMA is a complicated sport. I am not talking about the sheer physical requirements, but how varied fighting styles and approaches are. Last year, the move set was vast, so vast it became a chore to remember how to counter on the ground and get off your back. THQ managed to add more moves, 3 more fighting styles (Sambo for one, paging Dr. Fedor…), and even more submissions. An expanded move set does not mean an more complicated one, however. Using the RS for most, if not all counters and escapes makes it much easier to avoid being pinned on the mat for an entire round. Starting a career mode, something everyone should do, especially newcomers, will give you a great tutorial while building up your stats. There is a standalone tutorial, but you can imagine how exciting that is.

There are major changes added to the online component as well. The ability to make your own Gyms (aka clans), is a great addition for those of us who have friends with the same platform. You simply build your Gym by winning online, training with friends, and improving your score. Some of the multiplayer lag has been reduced as last year it was an issue. Note: you WILL have to buy this game brand new because there is a 25 character code you have redeem to let you connect online. It is on the back of the instructions. Buy the game used, and you will have to buy a code. This is how it is going to be for every new game, trust me.

A lot of gamers put down UFC 2009 last year because the Career Mode got frustrating. Your character would plateau too soon. This has all been changed. Other fighters give you challenges that are actually helpful and you can really customize a great fighter if you want to. For a faster road to the belt, there are Title modes and then a Defend Title modes. Ultimate mode lets you fight classic fights with goals to reach depending on how it all went down. There are a ton of things to unlock, fighters included. Is the game perfect? Of course not. Sometimes the fighters are not as responsive, there are clipping issues, and flash KOs can end a fight way too soon. Nevertheless, the game is like MMA. It is unpredictable at times. Anyone who is an MMA fan should already have this. It is better than last year’s game, has many new things to do, has polished graphics, and an improved multiplayer. If all games improved this much from year to year, gaming would be a much happier place.