When I first saw this game many years ago, it was a curiosity. It was a game that was not graphically pretty in fact it was down right weird looking. The claim to using motion capture had been claimed by other games during that period of time, imagine my surprise when I reviewed if for the software store I worked for (it was one of my tasks before selling a game or software packages which was to know the product), it was not your beat-up type game it was a true boxing simulation and the term motion capture was not an exaggeration.
When I first saw this game many years ago, it was a curiosity. It was a game that was not graphically pretty in fact it was down right weird looking. The claim to using motion capture had been claimed by other games during that period of time, imagine my surprise when I reviewed if for the software store I worked for (it was one of my tasks before selling a game or software packages which was to know the product), it was not your beat-up type game it was a true boxing simulation and the term motion capture was not an exaggeration.
This game took this technology and presented to the gamer all the aspects of what happens to
a boxer when hit by a punch and the effect it had on a given boxer. 4D boxing bundled up all the things a boxing fan would expect from a true boxing simulator, the fatigue factor, damage and the various attributes of a fighter (i.e puncher vs boxer) This game was and is not for your beatem up type of player, in this game you have to use all the skills that a boxer would use to move up in the ranks. The gamer would have to manage the ring, such as watching his level of fatigue and realize the boxers strengths and weakness, know when to punch versus covering up or even holding to slow down a hard puncher.
The way the game works is you as the player creates your boxer, train him in the gym using the speed bag, jump rope etc, next you would prepare for your next opponent by viewing his stats. From the stats screen you could review your opponents’ tendencies and use this to plan how to beat that guy. The first few guys were pretty easy to beat but as you move up this is where the game shines, strategy and smarts come into play along with how you prepare your boxer in the gym all come in handy. If you don't train well or think while in the ring you could find yourself on your back rather quickly. Speaking of in the ring wow is all I can say here. As you come into the ring to get it on with you opponent you are present with a 3rd person perspective, this perspective can be changed by hitting one of the few camera angles which I found to be really well done especially the first person view. The boxers when hit show a reaction to the punishment not in terms of puffy eyes and such but in the dazed look when you have stunned them. When you are stunned the camera presents a view in which you seem to be standing on shaky legs. One thing that was really well done is when you are knocked down the camera switches to show you falling right on your back looking up. You have to press buttons to get up back on your feet. If you get knocked out you have to go back and fight the fighter previous to the guy you lost to which could be frustrating except the game allows you 3 rematches with the guy you lost to before sending you back down in the ranks a nice little feature there.
Overall the game is well done from just the pure boxing perspective the atmosphere of a boxing ring is what is missing here not much was done on the crowd or even the announcer(none) if there is any gripe about the game this is it. Other shining features of the game is the management of your fighter, say you want to build your fighter to be a puncher, you would go to the training screen and focus on the speed ball and neglect the other item but you should be careful if you don't work on stamina building exercises and just work on punching you could be flattened by opponents with big punching abilities.
I liked this game in that it was not just the punch away type as I saw in other fighting games it was one in which you would really have to train and think about how to build your fighters, manage there development in the gym, scout out your opponent and use ring savvy to beat the higher ranked opponents. Make no mistake this is not a game for the casual gamer this game has some depth to it though not pretty graphically; it is very sound in boxing strategy, and management. Keys to winning in this game: build up your jaw by increasing your stamina in the gym, training on the speed ball to increase your hand speed, hit that heavy bag to boost that punching power and know when to stick and move.
