Undisputed review: Boxing's most realistic game ever lacks punch

Undisputed is boxing's first game since Fight Night Champion, an almost unbelievable 13 years ago.

Created by Steel City Interactive, you can tell this game was made by people who absolutely live the sport of boxing.

They really, really took their time with making the game. It was first announced back in November 2020.

Various showcases and teaser trailers were released, there was a PC-only test period and even a name change from eSports Boxing Club to what it is now known as in Undisputed, keeping fans updated about its development every step of the way.

The game's graphics are mightily impressive (Steel City)

Constant new fighters were announced for the roster and it really felt like we were on to a winner with this one.

When you first load the game up, you're met with a tutorial which the game urges you to take part in. Real life trainer Dave Coldwell meets you in a gym and takes you through an extensive bit of training, learning everything from how to throw a simple jab to ducking and weaving away from your opponents punches.

If you do play the game, I urge you to take the tutorial as it will save you a lot of time in the long run.

This is just some of the controls you are tasked with learning (Steel City)

Billed by its Steel City creators as the 'most authentic boxing experience to date', it's hard to argue.

You're immediately met with stunning visuals, the fighters look like almost carbon copies of their real selves, the recreation of the ring, arenas and gyms is just as impressive. It's a visual masterpiece.

But the game being so realistic isn't necessarily a good thing. The game is so tight mechanically that it almost feels like it lacks any real fluidity.

There are over 60 different individual punches to learn, which can make it quite hard to feel like you're in total control of what you're doing. But the range is impressive, and the style and technique with which they're thrown of course depends on the fighter you select to be.

From various weight forms of Canelo Alvarez to the legend of Muhammad Ali, despite the game missing a few key names in the likes of Anthony Joshua, Naoya Inoue and plenty of other ranked boxers, there are over 70 authentic fighters to choose from so you never feel short of options when selecting who to be.

You can of course create your own fighter too for Career Mode. The customisable options are extensive and almost similar to The Sims in how far you can go, from designing the shape of your eyebrows to what tattoos and gloves you want your fighter to have, the possibilities are almost endless.

Career Mode will be a big hit among fans (Steel City)

In Career Mode, you of course start out as an up and coming boxer, raw talent but you are mostly in charge of your career. You pick your trainer, your management and your cut man and then they help you along the way to rise through the ranks and hopefully, one day, become Undisputed.

You can spend almost as much time in the menus fiddling around with contract negotiations, training and hiring and firing your management team as you can actually in the ring. And I mean that as a positive. They've really put time and care into developing a realistic experience.

The online mode is where it feels like the game falls away slightly, just as with any game playing over the internet vs friends or other individuals will have its bugs but it feels almost too prevalent with Undisputed - punches throw a second after you've pressed a button, and the delay might sound slight but in the moment it's massively important for any kind of flow.

There is also a strange bug that puts your coach in front of the two ring fighters at times, so you can't see what is actually going on. I've only seen this in online play, it's worth noting.

Steel City have stated that they will be supporting Undisputed beyond launch, with usual bug fixes and content updates like most other games. However with Undisputed it feels like they've almost admitted the game was released before it was completely ready.

You can fight as the Gypsy King (Steel City)

There are some other individual aspects which could cause disappointment among the more hardcore boxing fans; the lack of ability to clinch when hurt, which Steel City say they removed from the game due to 'the feature not living up to quality expectations'.

When playing online vs friends or just in a ranked match, there are no highlights or instant replays, which feels like a major miss when it comes to bragging rights and seeing yourself in action.

While it is far from perfect and lacks the punch, fluidity and excitement that the classic Fight Night series had, Undisputed is a welcomed return to boxing games and will please a lot of fans.

Pros: Incredible visuals, strong roster

Cons: Multiplayer features leave a little to be desired, disruptive bugs

For fans of: Fight Night, Def Jam

6/10: Good

Undisputed is available now. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.