EA Sports UFC 3 Reviews

EA Sports UFC 3 is ranked in the 71st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Ray Carsillo
Top Critic
5 / 10.0
Jan 31, 2018

EA Sports UFC 3 feels like one step forward and two steps back. Striking is more realistic than ever, but submissions and the ground game remain convoluted. The new G.O.A.T. Career mode has flashes of brilliance, but bogs you down in menus while losing the human side of fights. As well, Ultimate Team just feels like yet another cash grab. There is a decent core in UFC 3, but it needs a lot more time in the gym to become champion material.

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4 / 5.0
Jan 24, 2018

UFC 3 feels the most like a video game in the pool of big sports simulations. Being a one-on-one combat sim, it still feels like you're at the mercy of your own ability even though there are stats. A punch is a punch, and while some chins are more durable than others, patience and care can help you overcome the odds. It feels like a different kind of fighting game for folks interested in real-life martial arts, with a cumbersome grappling system and some branded bumbling with numbers and menus to appeal to the core audience. UFC 3 is fun and exciting, and I can see it acting as a potential entry point for its real-life counterpart.

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80%
Feb 9, 2018

Overall, EA Sports UFC 3 is a great game let down by some modes that just don't entertain as much as they should. If you have the patience to click through menu after menu or grind for cards then this is undoubtedly the best UFC game ever made.

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Feb 5, 2018

EA SPORTS UFC 3 doesn’t provide a massive change over last year’s entry other than the few extra game modes and the striking system, but the changes that have been introduced are certainly for the better.

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Heavy
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Jan 27, 2018

UFC 3 is proof that a championship run for the franchise is attainable.

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75 / 100
Feb 11, 2018

Fortunately, UFC 3 has improved in many aspects. The new combat system is fully dynamic and also a bit hard to get used to, graphics are great looking and the new career mode is quite fun. However, fights get boring and repetitive very soon, submission's mechanism is annoying and the emphasis on microtransactions is another poor decision by EA Sports.

Review in Persian | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Mar 4, 2018

UFC 3's career mode is where you will spend the majority of your time first, however after beating this you have a choice you can either spend all of your money on ultimate team or you can play online or single-player. The ultimate team mode is so microtransactions heavy that it left a bad taste in my mouth.

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89 / 100
Feb 27, 2018

EA Sports UFC 3 is the definitive game for those who enjoy this kind of sport. Despite having gameplay mechanics which demand a little bit more of a training, the number of fighters, game modes and the immersion the game provides make the player want to get into the octagon and maybe never get out of there.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Mar 21, 2018

Mixed martial arts fighting game, similar to previous installments, but with some changes. However it is still difficult and only for big MMA fans.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

7 / 10
Feb 2, 2018

UFC 3 will offer a decent fun challenge for you to overcome and spend hours in different modes from online to offline modes, but unfortunately the way that they implemented microtransactions ruined the fun I was supposed to have in Ultimate Team Mode, there was a big room for improvement, but they didn't take their time to do so.

Review in Arabic | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Feb 8, 2018

A huge step forward in the UFC saga, thanks to the Real Player Motion Technology used by EA to recreate more than 5,000 animations in the game. Its complex combat system allows players to think about different strategies and attack the opponent with several techniques. A game that requires patience and dedication to master its deep gameplay, especially if you want to rule in the online multiplayer modes.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Digitally Downloaded
Nick H.
Top Critic
Feb 5, 2018

I was engaged for several days, spending plenty of time playing the game, but the reasons that most people continue to play an EA Sports title until the next iteration comes along just isn't as strong in EA Sports UFC 3.

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8.5 / 10.0
Feb 2, 2018

UFC 3 is amazing to watch and fun to play, but there are still a few problems that hold it back from perfection.

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8.8 / 10.0
Feb 1, 2018

Even with the shortcomings in the grappling and submission systems, UFC 3 has so many positives that it's hard to deny the fact that it's the best MMA game ever created.

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8 / 10.0
Jan 29, 2018

EA Sports UFC 3 is a solid title that comes highly recommended for both die-hard UFC fans and those wanting to get into the series. Even with some fighters occupying several different weight classes, the roster count is huge, and it complements the improved striking system. The modes contain some depth and some twists that work well, while the presentation remains as good as it was before. The knocks against the submission system make it a little tougher for grapplers to deal some damage, and while the loot box system doesn't hurt the game as badly as the publisher's other titles, the additions to the economy seem extraneous. Overall, the combination of good and bad changes makes UFC3 a sideways upgrade rather than an essential one, especially if you're still deeply entrenched in the second title.

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8 / 10.0
Jan 27, 2018

UFC 3 is a step in the right direction for the EA Sports MMA game. Subtle but important adjustments in combat combined with a deeper career mode result in the best entry of the series.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Feb 8, 2018

The game’s complex mechanics can be rather intimidating and a chore to learn for those who are simply looking for a simple fighting game. UFC 3 is anything but simple. Whether that’s good or bad can be up to you. If you’re not fond of having overly complicated mechanics like this, this might not be your game as you will feel rather dizzy at times trying to learn even just the basics. But if you’re looking for an intense fighting game that covers many areas of MMA, this just might be the game for you.

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7.5 / 10.0
Feb 11, 2018
UFC 3 - REVIEW | Is it any good? video thumbnail
80%
Feb 20, 2018

After two years, the UFC series returns with new controls and a great new career mode. If you're a fan of this very popular sport, we can only recommend it. The game won't get boring after a few dozen hours because you will have always a lot to learn.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Feb 26, 2018

I would wholly suggest UFC 3 to any fan of the sport and to any fighting game fan looking for something different but still intriguing.

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