

In a game that put so much time and effort to be an authentic boxing package, the repeated dialogue and sometimes erroneous play calling both hurt the game and comes off as really annoying. The game's commentating, however, really hurt said package. It's yet another little thing that adds up to deliver a really great package. Naturally, when you play as these fighters in the arcade mode, you perform best when matching these styles. Tyson comes at you like a freight train, Ali intimidates you and is at his best when he abuses his long arms, and Pacquiao is nimble and precise. There's one last thing about the game's realism that needs to be said: each boxer has his own distinct fighting personality that matches his real life personality. Die-hards will undoubtedly eat this game up, spending countless hours boxing online or in the same room, and this is where the game is at its best. It's moment's like these that give Champion some serious staying power, especially in the online realm. You dodge and dance around your opponent's flurry and land that vicious jab-hook combo and down he goes. You hear your trainer shout out advice in the heat of the moment and more often than not, it pays off. Still, it's a blip on the radar you see each brutal hit land and end up feeling the intensity it brings. Collision detection has been greatly improved, though there's still the occasional wonkiness. This is the first time I can ever recall where a game's graphics help the game. Now, these great gameplay enhancements would be nothing without the visuals to back them up, and rest assured, Champion delivers.
