Being an avid fan of mixed martial arts, I have been keeping a close eye on the development of Supremacy MMA by 505 Games. I’ve played previous titles such as UFC 2010 and EA Sports MMA and thoroughly enjoyed them. They were very technical and had a steep learning curve which may have turned away lesser fans. Supremacy MMA however brings something new to the table. It is an outright arcade brawler and completely unsanctioned where anything goes. Its simplification will appeal to many gamers looking for a fun MMA game that doesn’t require studying the manual prior to playing.

The game is absolutely brutal and will not disappoint gamers looking for a bloody arcade fighter. Prepare to see legs break and witness your opponents arm snap due to brutal submissions and paint the arena red with blood as you engage in absolute war. The best part is that you can be a one man/woman wrecking machine with relative ease. Fire up Supremacy MMA and in short order start punishing your opponents at will with impressive combos. Time your defense correctly and you can block and counter with great accuracy. The fighters are equipped with an impressive arsenal of moves (including one special move) to dispose their opponents. This does allow for some nice depth if and when the player wants to truly master the games career and multiplayer modes.

On top of the gory mayhem found in every match, MMA Supremacy features real fighters with real stories that adds a nice touch to the game. Learn about new up and coming fighters and the trials they must face and overcome to make it to the top. I only wish the stories had been a bit longer and a little more varied. The roster includes pros like former UFC champion Jens Pulver, French K1 kickboxing champ Jerome Le Banner, and the first ever female fighters in an MMA game, Felice Herrig and Michele Gutierrez.

The environments are gritty and dark in nature. It fits in well with the game’s overall theme. This isn’t a glorified sparring session friends, it’s MMA in raw form. Two well conditioned warriors enter into a cage or underground fight club with only one thing on their mind…win at all costs. This means inflict as much damage as quickly as possible and put your adversary out of commission. You will also have to effectively counter your enemy’s attacks or suffer bone-crushing consequences in the form of a submission or vicious knockout.

Your character’s face and body will quickly become battered, bruised and swelled as the fight progresses. Let’s just say it will be quite apparent who is winning the fight. Once you have depleted your opponents health bar you can revel at the excellent knockout animations soon to follow when you connect with a crushing final blow. They are entertaining to watch and well executed.

My few gripes with the arcade fighter are some of the animations look a little awkward at times and the online matches lagged during a few matches making it difficult to play. This is nothing unusual though when a game first launches and I’m sure it will be updated and corrected in no time. Lastly, I would have liked a larger selection of fighters.

If you think you can take the brutality, step up and swing for the fences. It is a fun fast paced brawler and the only arcade based MMA game on the market. It offers a true no holds bar fighting experience, complete with broken arms, blown knees and fractured necks. 505 Games did a great job and at the end of the day, delivered a hardcore unique fighting title to both the Xbox 360 and PS3. It’s a bloody good time.

Review Rating: 8/10