Highlights
- EA Sports UFC 5 introduces new mechanics and changes from its predecessor, so even familiar players should check the training manual for useful tips if they hope to triumph in the Octagon.
- Practice mode is essential to learn the game's systems and develop strategies to defend against challenging opponents' attacks in advance.
- Conserving stamina is crucial for success in EA Sports UFC 5, as players must pick their shots carefully and avoid wasting energy on missed attacks.
EA Sports UFC 5 is the latest game in the combat series based on the mixed martial arts company of the same name. It's an evolution of the mechanics from its predecessors, featuring a refined striking game, a new submission system, doctor stoppages, and more. The fighting is bloodier than ever, and the punches, kicks, and slams look - and feel - more impactful.
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UFC 5 is a complex fighting game with several systems and mechanics to learn. It can seem overwhelming at first, but like the sport, everything comes together nicely once players learn the fundamentals of the game. That said, there are a few things that players who hope to thrive in UFC 5 should know before diving straight in.
7 Check The Training Manual
Even though UFC 5 is similar mechanically to its predecessor, several things have changed. Throwing uppercuts and the clinch mechanics have been swapped, the spinning elbow, back fists, and kicks have been reworked, and more. So, even players familiar with the older games may want to learn the new system.
The in-game training manual can be accessed from the start menu under 'Learn' and in the middle of offline matches. It covers stamina, health, offense, and defense for the ground and on the feet. Many players will probably find themselves referring to the training manual a lot during the early hours of the game, as it offers some incredibly useful tips on how the different mechanics work.
6 Use The Practice Mode
Pro players of UFC 5 and its predecessors often advise new and seasoned players to get in the gym and practice. It is an invaluable tool to learn the systems. Players can program their opponents using the strike recording feature to perform combinations and make the AI attack with its own free will. It's the perfect way to learn how to defend against takedowns and counter troublesome combinations.
When players are ready to fight online, they will find opponents with combinations that land every time and finish them early. In these scenarios, players should record their fights on the Xbox or PS5, learn the attack patterns, and then emulate them in practice mode using strike recording to learn how to counter and avoid these attacks in the future.
5 Conserving Stamina Is The Key To Victory
Using the practice mode with health and stamina switch on is an excellent way to learn how to conserve stamina and measure the damage dealt to an opponent with specific attacks. Players must learn to pick their shots carefully, avoid throwing wild punches and kicks, and learn not to waste heavy attacks if they are only to miss the opponent.
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Missing attacks and having low strike accuracy will impact the player's stamina. However, punches and kicks that land on an opponent's guard drain less than whiffing the attack and will break down the opponent's guard. Again, it's important to utilize practice mode to learn how to conserve energy because having no gas in the tank will lead to more losses than getting knocked out. Moreover, if a fighter gets overzealous looking for a knockout finish, they can drain their stamina and get knocked out with a counter.
4 Keep An Eye On The Damage Icons
A new feature for UFC 5 is the injuries fighters can sustain in a match. The combatants can sometimes get cuts and broken noses. They can also sustain injuries to the arms and legs from submissions, even after escaping. The injuries impact a character's breathing from mouth and nose damage, vision is affected by cuts and swelling around the eye, and significant damage can be dealt to the legs, heart, and arms from submissions and chokes.
If a fighter avoids damage to the injured area for 30 seconds, the damage level is reduced or disappears. However, players must be mindful and check the briefcase symbol with a cross often. It's a doctor stoppage icon. The more red it becomes, the more likely a doctor will stop the fight to investigate.
3 Mix Up The Striking
It's easy to get carried away and only throw strikes to the head and the occasional kick in UFC 5. Still, players should try to mix up their striking by throwing punches and kicks to the head and the body. The one-two, followed by a strike to the body, is a reliable combination to keep opponents guessing. As usual, strikes and timing should be practiced in the gym before trying an online fight or a match in career mode.
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Players should start with basic combinations like a straight jab to the head and a straight right to the body in sequence. Alternatively, a one-two, followed by a leg kick, is another way to get to grips with the animations and flow of attacks. Eventually, players will learn how to implement longer and more effective Adesanya-style combos into their playstyle.
2 Don't Get Predictable
In addition to mixing up the strikes, players shouldn't get comfortable with repeatedly throwing the same combinations. Just because the opponent has walked into the same one-two hook combo several times, they may get wise, counter the attack, and end the fight in one shot. Players should try to change their patterns, throw feints, and make the opponent react and get out of their comfort zone.
If one approach isn't working, then it's time to change the gameplan. For example, players may find opponents who like to wait and counter by sniping from a distance. If players find their UFC fighters getting caught using this method, they should try something else. Using head movement can make them come forward, and switching stances from orthodox to southpaw can throw opponents off their game plan and force them to rethink their strategy. Players should aim to be as unpredictable as possible without becoming reckless.
1 Practice Transitions And Submissions On The Ground
UFC 5 features a new submissions system by abandoning the annoying minigames from its predecessors and focusing on draining an opponent's submission resistance meter. This is achieved by successfully locking in a submission after draining their stamina. Players can deny and counter with reversals to gain the dominant position.
Use the practice mode to gain an understanding of the ground game. Moreover, offline matches provide an arrow prompt to help deny transitions and submission attempts. With time, players will learn their tells and movements without arrow prompts, making them a force to be reckoned with online.
UFC 5 launches October 27th, 2023, for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
