Technically, I could have posted my impressions of the early access version of Undisputed on January 31, when the embargo was lifted. I’d had a preview version of the new boxing game from Steel City Interactive for nearly a week before it went live.

However, I wanted to wait a little while as I knew the game would undergo rapid changes that might make my hands-on impression a quickly outdated take. While it appears updates are still coming in pretty rapidly, I believe I’ve played enough of the game to have a solid idea of what we have currently in Undisputed and what the title can become over the long haul.

As you read this article and play the game, the most important thing to remember is that Undisputed is not in full-retail mode. It is in early access. If you aren’t sure what that means, here is how Steam explains the term in a Q&A aimed toward indie developers.

“Early Access is not meant to be a form of pre-purchase, but a tool to get [a] game in front of Steam users and gather feedback while finishing [the] game.”

Here is an image from the game’s Instagram page that shares its roadmap for additions to the early access version on Steam:

Here is a thread from Undisputed’s Twitter account that started on Sunday to offer an update on recent fixes:

Let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the bottom line with Undisputed early access.

Throwing and Landing Punches Feel Good

Every video game has a primary mechanic that is the lifeblood of the user experience. In first-person shooters, the transfer of energy from the visual on the screen to the controller while firing a weapon is key. In baseball games, a fun and addictive hitting mechanic is imperative. In basketball titles, free-flowing dribbling, smooth jump shots, and soaring aerial moves are a must. In football titles, human reactions to contact, in all its forms, are the keys to the initial immersion.

In combat sports games, the most important mechanic is throwing and landing strikes. In boxing, it has to feel good to throw and land punches.

Undisputed checks this prerequisite box.

Except for uppercuts, which can be a little too short and choppy, throwing punches from various angles is satisfying.

Is punching perfect? No, we’re not totally there yet, but it is easy to see how ultimately, styles will make for different fighting experiences. When mixed in with the free and standard movement, the gameplay will quickly remind you of what you’ve been missing without a simulation-style boxing game for more than ten years. From a pure gameplay standpoint, there is a genesis of something really good here.

The Renders Are Mostly Amazing

From a pure render standpoint, it is hard to imagine anyone will have a legitimate gripe with the fighter renders. The legends and current fighters look as spot-on as they have in any previous boxing titles, and some such as Roy Jones Jr., look much sharper than they did in their last appearances in video games.

The one fighter whose render is a bit shaky is the legendary Arturo Gatti.

It’s not a complete eyesore, but Gatti’s render is clearly not on the same level as other legends in the game like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Ricky Hatton, Sugar Ray Robinson, and others.

Still, the game looks beautiful and the fighter renders are the biggest reason it shines visually.

The Arenas Are Done Beautifully

The lighting in each arena and the different feel each one provides is another positive aspect of the visual presentation in Undisputed. Whether you’re in the CompuBox Arena, the WBC venue, or one of the smaller training gyms, the fight atmosphere pops.

You Cannot Trust Your Eyes

There are two major issues with gameplay in Undisputed, and they are somewhat related, though I’ve separated them in this impression.

In the simplest of terms, you cannot always trust your eyes while playing Undisputed, which is a cardinal sin in any competitive game. While it may appear as though you are out-landing your opponent, it is a commonplace to find yourself stunned by what appeared to be a basic punch.

I’ve had many “what just happened” moments while playing nearly 100 online matches, and that’s less than ideal.

It appears punch accuracy is strongly favored by the judges over activity, even if the more active fighter drastically outlands a more accurate puncher. That’s not logical, and even in the most generous concession, it is not how boxing rounds are scored.

Some fighters have perks that suggest a specific punch should carry more weight, but that doesn’t appear to shine through in the gameplay.

For example, Robinson has a perk associated with uppercuts, but I have yet to see how those shots have more impact than his other power punches. At this point in the process, it is unclear how to be successful in the game, which makes it difficult to devise a strategy or preferred fighting style.

Undisputed has to do a better job delivering visual and audio queues to inform users when they are having success. As it is, it is tough to predict knockdowns, stuns, or the winners of a round.

I need to be able to trust what I see on my screen.

The Game Has a Stamina-Damage Dilemma

The second major issue with the gameplay is the stamina-damage dilemma. This is perhaps the most challenging tightrope in any combat sports game.

How many punches should a fighter be able to throw per round? How drastic should the penalty be for punching yourself out, and how long should it take for a fighter to regain enough stamina to be effective again?

The average amount of punches thrown per round in a boxing match is 65 combined between two fighters. According to Compubox, Brandon Figueroa averages more punches thrown per round than any other fighter the firm tracks. His total is 92.9. I’m not sure about everyone else, but I rarely throw less than 110 punches in a round of Undisputed, and I’m not a guy who swings wildly.

While many combat sports video game fans will insist they want a hyper-realistic boxing or MMA game, most would be bored if their fights featured a combined 65 punches per round. The challenge facing developers of combat sports games is to find a healthy balance between simulation and video game fun.

From a power standpoint, how should one-shot KOs or knockdowns be handled? How do we differentiate the damage from a regular hook compared to one thrown with the modifier to add more savagery?

Too many seemingly hard-power punches land without a fighter being dazed. Oftentimes when the stun does occur, it appears to happen after a punch that doesn’t appear to have been as damaging as the ones before it.

This goes back to not being able to trust your eyes.

I have landed three, and four-punch combinations flush on the face of opponents with some of the biggest punchers in the game, and most times, they aren’t stunned.

The issue is it isn’t difficult to land punches. Therefore, if one-punch KOs are going to be a possibility, how do you shrink the chances of landing those shots to prevent fights from lasting 30 seconds or less regularly? Also, how do you present harder punches visually to differentiate them from another landed blow?

Based on my experience with the game, it appears the devs are still trying to figure these things out, and they are listening to the community for answers. That’s commendable, but at some point, they’re going to need to take a stand and say, this is what our game is, and we believe it is fair while remaining a fun experience.

Hardcore Sim, Casual, or Both?

Undisputed may need two different modes of play.

It would be helpful to create a pro lobby where stamina and damage are as close to real life as possible. In this mode, stamina drains could cost you a fight, and eating a flush shot from a KO fighter like Deontay Wilder would almost certainly end your night.

In real life, some punchers only need to catch an opponent clean once to change the evening. It is tough to accurately represent that skill in a video game without making the character overpowered.

The balance would have to come in the form of slower feet and less accuracy. That would be a good balance for Wilder, but there may need to be a different nerf for other power punchers.

In any case, there is a place for an ultra-realistic mode in Undisputed. However, that will not be the most popular way to play the game. I contend most users will be bored by the structure and perceived lack of action. Therefore, it is essential to find the right mix for the masses.

The sweet spot setting for the default mode should allow users to slug it out in a manner that is slightly more free-flowing than in real life but in a way that doesn’t completely cartoon the sweet science.

It seems like that’s the goal for Undisputed overall, but there are still too many issues preventing that experience.

The Commentating is Rough

The game is still in early access, but the commentating engine is so bad at this point, it might have been better to keep it out until it is more polished. I say this because the seeming randomness of Todd Grisham and Johnny Nelson’s comments only adds to the mixed messages you receive from the sometimes confusing visuals.

Commentary in a sports game is one of the most difficult things to master, and it is clear Undisputed is still at the very beginning of that journey.

The core of something strong is in place with Undisputed. It has scratched the itch many boxing video game fans have had for more than a decade. There is enough of a basic payoff for throwing and landing punches to compel you to play the game multiple times per day. However, there is still a lot of work to do to fine-tune the gameplay overall, and more specifically the damage, stamina, and judging criteria.

Thankfully, the game is in early access, so there is time to get things right for the final version and well ahead of the inevitable release on consoles like PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

I won’t give a number review here because Undisputed is not a finished product, but I will say it is worth your time if you have the experience in the proper perspective.