I've browsed the previous reviews, and agree with most that's been said.  This *is* the best of the series.  The graphics are ridiculously good.  The control is terrific.  For once, you really have a feel for how the fight is going, rather than relying upon health and stamina bars that just (in this reviewer's opinion) take away from the realism -- although they are an option.  On the hardest difficulty, the game is absolutely a challenge, at least once your career really gets underway.  You will be knocked down, you may even lose some fights, this wasn't necessarily the case in previous versions.  Creating faces on character generation is much smoother and more intuitive now.  The sound is fantastic.  The ring girl's breasts actually jiggle when they strut around the ring between rounds.

Everything is great, really, it's a terrific addition to your XB360 library.  Online is fun, there are ranked and non- matches, it's fast and easy to get a fight, another outstanding aspect to the game that will dramatically increase its longevity.

Great!  So we got all that aside, I can talk about the commercials.

I've never seen a more over-the-top case of commercialism in the game.  Is this a complaint?  Yes and no.  I mean, watch basically any boxing match, there are going to be ads on the ring canvas, on the ropes, in the arena, even on the shorts of some of the boxers.  So there's just some realism here.  Does it go overboard though?  Yes, I'm absolutely prepared to say it does.  Before some fights, you'll be 'treated' to a 360 degree view of a new Dodge truck while the announcer tells you about it.  That doesn't seem too bad, right?  Okay, later, Burger King's "The King" will escort another fighter into the ring and dance around before the fight.  No, that doesn't get your goat either?  How about after that fight, when "The King" actually becomes one of your available trainers?  That's right, you too can be trained by, and have in your corner, a creepy guy with a giant plastic grinning mask.

Look, I'm not one of those types that goes off the deep-end about stuff like this -- but EA, are you listening?  If you're going to throw it in our faces like this, while lining your already deep pockets with the ad revenue that you get from these placements, how about giving us a break on the cost of the game?  We're paying for it, the advertisers are paying for it, wouldn't it seem fair to throw the consumers you're force feeding ad content a bone?  Here's the thing, it doesn't have to be a big bone, and it gives us less reason to feel as used and abused as many of us are when the suspension of disbelief within a game/simulation like this is *shattered* by having to train with "The King".  In fact, then we can cheer the gross commercialism, because we got something out of it too, a few bucks saved.

Terrific game.  Worth buying, not just renting.  5 stars for the game, 1 off for taking advantage of me as a fan and customer.  I should really ding it harder for that, but the game is too fun to let something sort of sleazy take away from it.
I've browsed the previous reviews, and agree with most that's been said. This *is* the best of the series. The graphics are ridiculously good. The control is terrific. For once, you really have a feel for how the fight is going, rather than relying upon health and stamina bars that just (in this reviewer's opinion) take away from the realism -- although they are an option. On the hardest difficulty, the game is absolutely a challenge, at least once your career really gets underway. You will be knocked down, you may even lose some fights, this wasn't necessarily the case in previous versions. Creating faces on character generation is much smoother and more intuitive now. The sound is fantastic. The ring girl's breasts actually jiggle when they strut around the ring between rounds. Everything is great, really, it's a terrific addition to your XB360 library. Online is fun, there are ranked and non- matches, it's fast and easy to get a fight, another outstanding aspect to the game that will dramatically increase its longevity. Great! So we got all that aside, I can talk about the commercials. I've never seen a more over-the-top case of commercialism in the game. Is this a complaint? Yes and no. I mean, watch basically any boxing match, there are going to be ads on the ring canvas, on the ropes, in the arena, even on the shorts of some of the boxers. So there's just some realism here. Does it go overboard though? Yes, I'm absolutely prepared to say it does. Before some fights, you'll be 'treated' to a 360 degree view of a new Dodge truck while the announcer tells you about it. That doesn't seem too bad, right? Okay, later, Burger King's "The King" will escort another fighter into the ring and dance around before the fight. No, that doesn't get your goat either? How about after that fight, when "The King" actually becomes one of your available trainers? That's right, you too can be trained by, and have in your corner, a creepy guy with a giant plastic grinning mask. Look, I'm not one of those types that goes off the deep-end about stuff like this -- but EA, are you listening? If you're going to throw it in our faces like this, while lining your already deep pockets with the ad revenue that you get from these placements, how about giving us a break on the cost of the game? We're paying for it, the advertisers are paying for it, wouldn't it seem fair to throw the consumers you're force feeding ad content a bone? Here's the thing, it doesn't have to be a big bone, and it gives us less reason to feel as used and abused as many of us are when the suspension of disbelief within a game/simulation like this is *shattered* by having to train with "The King". In fact, then we can cheer the gross commercialism, because we got something out of it too, a few bucks saved. Terrific game. Worth buying, not just renting. 5 stars for the game, 1 off for taking advantage of me as a fan and customer. I should really ding it harder for that, but the game is too fun to let something sort of sleazy take away from it.