Planet Coaster: Console Edition is available for PS5 players and challenges players to create their own rollercoaster theme park. There are more than 700 pre-made objects to play with, extensive terrain deformation tools and tons of other attractions to help attract guests to the park. The Frontier Workshop is also supported, allowing players to download new buildings, coasters and additional parks while also uploading their own.

PS4 players gain access to EA Sports UFC 4 and Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-Shot Adventure. The former offers a new Career Mode along with Blitz Battles and Online World Championships while revamping its gameplay and unifying progression. The latter is essentially a standalone version of the 2013 Borderlands 2 expansion Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep and features some new loot to entice players.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 will also be playable on the cloud, allowing fans of the sandbox RPG to enjoy it on the go. On July 15th, titles like Bloodroots and Farming Simulator 19 are landing for all platforms on the service while The Medium will be playable via the cloud.

Of course, certain titles are leaving this month as well. EA Sports UFC and EA Sports UFC 2 will be gone on July 14th from EA Play. Meanwhile, Endless Space 2 and Downwell are leaving Xbox Game Pass for PC along with CrossCode for all platforms on July 15th. Stay tuned for more announcements of additions to Game Pass in the coming weeks.

The NPD Group has released its August 2020 report, detailing the best-selling software and hardware for the month. To no one’s surprise and for its many faults, EA’s Madden NFL 21 topped the software charts. As NPD analyst told VentureBeat, “Madden NFL 21 was the best-selling title of August, with double-digit percentage dollar sales growth when compared to the release month of Madden NFL 20.”

Not only is this is the 21st (!) consecutive year that Madden NFL title has had the best-selling title in its release month but Madden NFL 21 is also the sixth best-selling title year to date. Currently, the franchise is the best-selling sports series in the US and third-best selling overall. So it’s perhaps interesting to hear that EA Sports UFC 4 was the second best-selling title for the month. As Piscatella notes it set “a new franchise launch month sales record for an Electronic Arts-published UFC title. UFC 4 ranked as the third best-selling game of August on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.”

However, the most surprising news is about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It was the sixth best-selling Switch title in August and managed to rank among the top 10 best sellers on the console every month since it’s launch. That’s 42 straight months of being in the top ten and it never ranked lower than seventh place. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the 10th best-selling game released on Nintendo platforms in U.S. tracked history,” said Piscatella. It should be interesting to see how Hyrule Warriors; Age of Calamity performs since it’s a prequel to Breath of the Wild.

Check out the top 20 best-selling US games for August below. These are ranked on dollar sales.

1. Madden NFL 21
2. EA Sports UFC 4
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
4. Ghost of Tsushima
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons*
6. Ring Fit Adventure
7. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe*
8. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
9. Paper Mario: The Origami King*
10. Mortal Kombat 11
11. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*
12. The Last of Us: Part II
13. Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition
14. PGA Tour 2K21*
15. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe*
16. Super Mario Party*
17. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege
18. Super Mario Odyssey*
19. Final Fantasy VII: Remake
20. Luigi’s Mansion 3*

*Digital sales not included

Released in August, EA Sports UFC 4 did fairly well with critics with changes to core mechanics like submissions, ground and pound and so on being praised. However, Electronic Arts courted controversy recently when it added in-game adds to the title. As noted on Reddit, these ads popped up before and after replays, promoting the release date for The Boys on Amazon.

Such was the backlash that EA has disabled the ads. It also released a statement to Eurogamer, noting that, “This type of advertising inventory is not new to the UFC franchise, though we have typically reserved displaying ads to specific main menu tiles or Octagon logo placement. It is abundantly clear from your feedback that integrating ads into the Replay and overlay experience is not welcome. The advertisements have been disabled by the team and we apologize for any disruption to gameplay that players may have experienced.”

The publisher also felt that this change “should have been communicated with players ahead of time and that’s on us. We want to make sure our players have the best possible experience playing EA Sports UFC 4, so ad integration in the Replay and overlay experience will not be reappearing in the future. Thank you for your continued feedback on EA Sports UFC 4.”

Such ads have propagated sports games for quite some time now, seen with NBA 2K19 and it’s ads that couldn’t be skipped. EA is no stranger to controversy with its sports titles especially considering the lack of improvements to the Madden NFL series in recent years or FIFA’s microtransactions. However, such a move is odd for EA Sports UFC 4 especially when the company took to removing Ultimate Team mode in this iteration.

Regardless, in the meantime, fans won’t have to worry about pre- and post-replay ads ruining their experience. Stay tuned for more details and updates on the game, especially with reports of it coming to Xbox Series X and PS5 sometime in the future. Check out our review here in the meantime.

Submissions, clinching, takedowns – there’s a lot to master in EA Sports UFC 4. Add ground and pound to the list, especially given how it’s been revamped (like many other systems in the game). How do you go into ground and pound mode though?

It starts off with a takedown, which can be performed with LT/L2, X/Square and Y/Triangle. You’ll need to either press the left stick up or down in order to take down the opponent. There’s a Grapple Advantage to keep in mind as well – that’s the bar at the top of the screen, which indicates how easy it is to take down an opponent. The more punishment your opponent takes, the higher your Grapple Advantage will be.

Once the opponent is down, you’ll have a number of options available. Left Stick Up is for getting up; pressing it down is for the closest submission; and pressing right will go into the nearest ground and pound position. Though Grapple Assist is useful in this regard, you’ll want to try out Legacy options or even a mix of the two to keep the opponent guessing.

In the ground and pound position, X/Square and Y/Triangle are for straight shots. Hold LB and press either X/Square or Y/Triangle for hook shots. You can also deliver body shots, which will reduce an opponent’s stamina, by holding LT and pressing X/Square or Y/Triangle. Remember to try transitioning into submissions as well, especially if your opponent is on the ropes.

If you want to get up from the ground and position, hold RB and press up on the Left Stick.

Ground and Pound Defense

You’re not always going to be the one dishing out the punishment. Learning how to defend against ground and pound tactics is essential. The first thing to do is keep an eye on the Grapple Advantage – to refill it, you can defend against transitions (more on that below) and stuff takedowns (hold LT/L2 and RT/R2 simultaneously).

It’s also possible to deny a Drive-by if you hold LT/L2 and RT/R2 while pressing in the same direction with left stick. Some other important techniques include Judo Reversals and Submission Reversals. Both are executed by holding LT/L2 and RT/R2 along with RB/R1 at the right moments. You can also preempt reversals by holding down LT/L2 and RT/R2 early. Judo Reversals and Submission Reversals need to be preset in a fighter’s move set to execute so keep that in mind.

To defend against transitions, hold RT/R2 and flick the left stick and right stick to match your opponent’s movement. This will deny any transitions. While this is easier with the Defensive Grapple Assist, it’s not available in online matches. Use it to get a feel for defending in single-player before heading online.

What if you’re on the ground and need to defend against ground and pound? Block shots to the head by holding RT/R2 and shots to the body by holding LT/L2 and RT/R2. Blocking depending on one’s positioning so remember that not all hits can be avoided. If the opponent is throwing straight shots, evade them by pressing the right stick left and right. Hooks can be avoided by pressing the right stick either left or right and holding down LB/L1. Once Grapple Advantage has become your color, hit RT/R2 to escape from the ground and pound situation.

The core of any UFC game is obviously the fighting system, and it’s here that UFC 4 shines. The game doesn’t shake up its formula too much, instead opting for incremental changes and measured improvements. It doesn’t seem like much at first, but there are some welcome changes here. The fighting feels fast and fluid. Punches and kicks connect well, and carry a hefty weight to them. Combos are simple to learn, and the system is flexible enough to reward experimentation. The game also does a good job of easing players into the fighting mechanics. It does so through the career mode, which is started immediately when you first open the game. The early stages of the career mode take your character through a brief run in amateur fighting. It’s here that you’re taught the mechanics of the fighting system through a series of small fights and training sessions.

"Combat is fluid, and hits feel visceral and exciting."

It’s a welcome introduction. The career mode is the crux of the game, and for the most part it’s a solid experience. It’s no revolution, but it works well and is fun to play through. The first step is character creation. Making your character is pretty straightforward, and the creator is deep enough to mess around with. I was able to create some pretty wacky characters in it. You take this custom character through the career, where you manage your training, persona, and social media. And of course, participate in fights. The simple social media aspect allows you to respond to fans and other fighters, building friendships or rivalries based on your responses. It’s simplistic, but it’s a nice touch nonetheless. After you accept a challenge, you determine how close to the match your training camp starts.

Once you reach that point, you spend a set number of points for each week on training, fight promotion, research and other things. There’s a reasonable amount you can do here. You can research your opponent to learn about his fighting style, make social media posts to promote your fight, or take to the gym to keep yourself fit. Ideally, you’ll find a balance of all three, but hitting the gym is vital. It keeps you fit, which effects your performance in the match, and grants you points that are used to improve your skills. Like the rest of the game, the skill system is nothing that hasn’t been done before, but it’s done well and it works. Points can be invested in your various attributes, such as stamina, hit range and power, blocking and so on. Or they can be invested in upgrading and learning new moves, or in perks that grant you passive bonuses during matches.

Once you enter the Octagon and the fight begins, you get to the real meat of the game. UFC 4 performs pretty well here as well. Combat is fluid, and hits feel visceral and exciting. The fight mechanics are fairly straightforward, and the AI provides a decent challenge. Meanwhile, improvements to wrestling and grappling keep the flow moving pretty well. Transitions in wrestling on the ground are a lot smoother and easier to manage than in previous games. They’re still far from perfect, mind you, but they’re a definite step in the right direction. Clinching is easier to enter and escape, and your options for offense and defense during clinches have been improved.

"Stamina is the main resource in UFC 4’s fighting system, and if you drain it too quickly, as you’re apt to do in a grapple, your max stamina is reduced for the rest of the match."

Unfortunately, the game’s biggest issues also come in the Octagon. The game’s meta is dominated by wrestling, specifically submissions. They’re far too powerful (and easy) to perform, and far too devastating to be a victim of. The rhythm of transitions and escape is clunky and hard to get down. And God help you if your opponent has a higher Wrestling stat than you do. That little statistic is seemingly the only real factor in grappling. You can do everything right to try to escape, filling up the bar to stand up, but if your opponent has a higher Wrestling stat, they will still somehow manage to knock you back down.

Escape can be nigh on impossible. And since transitions and escape attempts put a pretty significant drain on your stamina, it only takes a couple of failures to find yourself caught in an inescapable loop. And even if you do escape, you find yourself at a serious disadvantage. Stamina is the main resource in UFC 4’s fighting system, and if you drain it too quickly, as you’re apt to do in a grapple, your max stamina is reduced for the rest of the match. This means that even if you manage to successfully escape, you’ll find yourself at a major disadvantage for the rest of the fight. It makes wrestling feel punishing, and makes Jiu Jitsu specialized fighters a nightmare to encounter. It may be a realistic depiction of how hard wrestling is, but mechanically it isn’t very fun.

This also makes skills that impact wrestling, or make you more resistant to it, the most important skills by far. Thankfully, the rest of the fighting experience is a lot of fun, despite the flaws of the wrestling system. Landing a punch feels great, and the thrill of a hard-fought victory never gets old. You’ll feel like a genuine badass fighter working your way through the brackets of the UFC, eventually taking your shot at the UFC title. The different play styles you can choose from mean your different characters feel distinct, opening up a decent amount of replay value as well. The rest of the game is pretty basic. There’s a quick fight mode where you can pick from the game’s huge, all-star roster of fighters past and present for one-off matches. And of course, there’s an online mode where you can test your skills against other players.

"There’s a quick fight mode where you can pick from the game’s huge, all-star roster of fighters past and present for one-off matches."

UFC 4 doesn’t reinvent the genre, nor does it fully resolve the franchise’s long-standing issues with wrestling mechanics. But it still offers up a fun and rewarding experience, one that manages to capture the visceral excitement of the sport in an experience that is both accessible and rewarding. Solid fighting mechanics make you feel powerful, while an entertaining career mode offers solid replay value. It may not be a perfect game, but it’s a lot of fun regardless. New and returning players alike can find something to enjoy here, whether you’re an experienced player or new to the Octagon.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Along with all of the new mechanics in EA Sports UFC 4, there’s a new submission system for players to master. A variety of submissions are on offer, from flying submissions to joint submissions, so let’s take a look at what you need to know to survive. First off, pressing LT/L2 along with RT/R2 will initiate a joint submission.

One of the newer things that can be noticed is a circle and two bars – red and blue – appearing when a joint submission is performed. If you’re applying the submission, then you control the red bar and must hover it over the blue bar (the opponent) to submit them. If you’re defending against a submission, then avoiding the red bar is key.

You can also strike an opponent during a submission via button prompts that pop up. Once they pop up, hit the corresponding face button to attack. Alternatively, defenders who hit the prompt first can defend against a strike. When performing a submission, some button prompts will pop up for either performing a Submission Chain or a Submission Slam. These are good for outwitting an enemy, though they can also be used against you.

Next up are flying submissions. Here are the different flying submissions that can be performed:

• Pull Guard – RB/R1 and X/Square in the over under position
• Guard Pull into Sweep to Mount – RB/R1 and Y/Triangle
• Flying Triangle – LT/L2 and RB/R1 and Y/Triangle
• Back Rear Naked Chock – LT/L2 and RB/R1 and either X/Square or Y/Triangle from back clinch.
• Standing Guillotine – LT/L2 and RB/R1 and X/Square from Muay Thai or single under clinch positions to enter the Standing Guillotine position. Then press X/Square or Y/Triangle for the submission.
• Flying Omoplata – LT/L2 and RB/R1 and X/Square in the over under clinch position.
• Flying Armbar – LT/L2 and RB/R1 and either X/Square or Y/Triangle in the collar tie clinch position.

All Fighters and Stats

There are dozens of different fighters to choose from, each with their own ratings in different stats like Punch Speed, Punch Power, Accuracy, Kick Power, Kick Speed, Blocking and so on. Each fighter also has their own perks that further defines their play-style. Check out the video below to see detailed information for each fighter. Choosing the one that fits you approach and then practicing extensively with them is the best route to victory, even if it can take some time to get all the nuance down.

EA Sports UFC 4 is out and changes have been made to a number of core systems. If you’re new to the game, it’s important to learn about takedowns. Takedowns are good for, well, taking an enemy down and then slowly working away at them. Initiate a takedown away from the cage for better chances of succeeding.

Here are the different takedown combinations that can be performed.

• Single Leg Takedown – Hold LT/L2 and press X/Y
• Double Leg Takedown – Hold LT/L2 and press Y/Triangle
• Power Single – Hold LB/L1 and LT/L2 and X/Square to lift an opponent. Press any face button to take them down.
• Power Double – Hold LB/L1 and LT/L2 and Y/Triangle to lift an opponent. Then press any face button to take them down.
• Ankle Pick – Hold RB/R1 and X/Square to clinch. Press RB/R1 and B/Circle to take the opponent down.
• Head Lock Hip Toss – Hold RB/R1 and X/Square. Then press RB/R1 and A/X to toss the opponent.
• Lead Leg Trip – Hold RB/R1 and X/Square. Then hold Up and press RB/R1 and A/X
• Back Leg Trip – Hold RB/R1 and X/Square. Then hold Down and press RB/R1 and B/Square.

Defending against takedowns is also important. You can block a takedown by holding down LT/L2 and RT/R2. Catching an opponent off guard with this will result in a takedown drive. While defending with LT/L2 and RT/R2, press the left stick in whatever direction your opponent is trying to push you. This can eventually result in you executing a takedown and turning the tables. If you’re attacking in a takedown drive, use left stick to push an opponent around – change up the directions when possible to keep them guessing and eventually bring them down.

All Clinches and Tips for Clinching

Clinching sees both opponents grabbing the other, usually when their stamina is depleted. It’s useful for catching a breather, avoiding an opponent, transitioning to takedowns and even striking an opponent quickly. Here are all the offensive clinch moves that can be performed.

• Takedown/Submission Modifier – LT/L2
• Advanced Transition Modifier – LB/L1
• Rotate, Push and Pull Opponent – Left Stick
• Grapple Stick – Right Stick
• Left Punch – X/Square
• Right Punch – Y/Triangle
• Left Knee – A/X
• Right Knee – B/Circle
• Strike Modifier – RB/R1
• High Block – RT/R2
• Low Block – LT and RT/L2 and R2
• Single/Double Leg Modifier – Flick the Left Stick
• Advance Position – RB/R1 and X/Square or RB/R1 and Y/Triangle
• Trip/Throw – R1/RB and A/X or R1/RB and B/Circle.
• Submissions – LT/L2 and RB/R1 and either X/Square or Y/Triangle
• Hooks – LB/L1 and either X/Square or Y/Triangle
• Uppercuts – X/Square and A/X or Y/Triangle and B/Circle
• Knees to the Body – LT/L2 and A/X or B/Circle
• Elbows – LB/L1 and X/Square and A/X or LB/L1 and Y/Triangle and B/Circle

Let’s take a look at some defensive clinch moves next.

• Defend Against Takedown – LT/L2 and RT/R2
• Defend Submission – R2/RT
• Single/Double Leg Defense Modifier – Flick the Left Stick
• Clinch Escape – Flick the Left Stick to the left

Electronic Arts’ latest iteration in the EA Sports UFC series is still a few days out from worldwide release. Of course, those who subscribe to EA Access can play through the trial right now. This is limited to EA Access on PS4 and Xbox One – sorry, Origin Access players. Check out the trailer below to see it in action.

EA Sports UFC 4 carries on the spirit of previous games but makes a number of changes and adds new features. Ultimate Team Mode is out and Career Mode has been revamped as players developer their fighter across different disciplines and weight classes while making friends and rivals. The combat has also gone through a number of changes from the takedowns to the ground and pound and submissions.

Those interested in online play can still partake in Online World Championships but there are also new Blitz Battles, which are tournament-based fights with rotating rulesets. For non-EA Access players, the complete EA Sports UFC 4 experience is out on August 14th. Stay tuned for more details in the coming days (including those PS5 and Xbox Series X versions rated by the ESRB).

Real Player Motion for Clinches and Takedowns

Real Player Motion is EA’s fancy animation system which imbues fighters with more realistic movement in keeping with their personalities. Though the previous game implemented this feature to some extent, EA Sports UFC 4 sees clinches and takedowns benefiting the system. Clinches are more intuitive to enter and exit, and transitioning to throws is supposed to feel smoother. Takedowns have also been revamped as you can either dodge a takedown attempt with some nimble footwork or push an opponent into the cage before slamming them to the ground. More variety in takedown animations also makes the entire exchange feel more dynamic and less pre-determined.

Revamped Ground and Pound

The ground and pound system is also seeing its share of interesting new features. When defending against an opponent, players can use head movement to avoid major blows and maybe transition into a counter. A new grapple assist has also been added with attacker choosing between getting up, grounding and pounding an opponent, or going for a submission.

New Submission System

Ever wanted to strike an opponent during a submission? How about picking up and slamming them down to escape a submission? EA Sports UFC 4 allows both of these for even more realism in fights. The system also relies on two new mini-games when going for chokes or joint submissions. Standing submissions and counter-submissions for takedown attempts are also in, meaning a fight can end at any time.

High Impact Moments

New to the series, High Impact Moments can trigger on some of the more devastating hits. Along with facial and body deformation, there will be a slight blue or red hue on the side of the screen, indicating whether you should be defending or capitalizing on an attack. High Impact Moments are meant to add a bit of flair to striking exchanges along with indicating when you should push the advantage.

Revamped Career Mode

Career Mode has a deeper focus this year with fighters evolving based on their disciplines. Players will also see more “diverging career paths” which means you can choose which fights to take. There’s even Relationship Building where players will take on a friend and rival through social media. New skills can be learned in the process and all it takes is a simple tweet or two, just like in real life! If you need to learn the various systems, then there’s an Amateur phase and Sparring Challenge in addition to the Practice Mode.

Weight Classes and MMA Disciplines

To further develop one’s fighter in Career Mode, players will choose a weight class to fight in. You then select an MMA discipline, whether it’s Wrestling, Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu and so on. There are five disciplines in total and EA promises that with the different moves, rivalries and weight classes on offer, no two career paths will be the same.

New Arenas

To further add some variety to the proceedings, there are four new arenas to fight in. These are UFC Apex, Action Avenue, The Kumite and The Backyard. So whether you want the bare-bones feel of an MMA fight in the backyard, complete with tires holding up the cage, or the snazzy arena that Jean-Claude Van Damme fought in for Bloodsport, EA Sports UFC 4 aims to please.

Star Ratings

To see a fighter’s strengths and weaknesses at a glance, star ratings are being introduced. There’s an overall star rating for a fighter and individual star ratings for categories like ground game, health and whatnot. You can also view a fighter’s top five moves to better understand what they specialize in. Another interesting twist is live updates for attributes and moves based on a fighter’s performance in the real world, which can lead to some interesting balancing situations.

Pre-order Bonuses

Pre-order bonuses are a given with every EA Sports title and in the case of UFC 4, that means playing as boxers like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. Cosmetic items like the Backyard Customization Pack and Kumite Customization Pack will also be received on pre-ordering. If you purchase through EA Sports UFC 2 or 3, then you get 10 percent off on UFC 4 along with 500 points and the legend Bruce Lee. This offer is valid until July 1^st 2022 though so no rush.

Unified Progression

Instead of separate progression for each mode, EA Sports UFC 4 offers unified progression across the board. This is most likely what the new Connected Player Profile does, essentially tracking overall experience earned. While this should help in advancing through Career Mode, it will also play a part in unlocking new gear and cosmetics.

Over 1600 Gear Pieces

As players earn experience and complete different challenges, there will be more than 1600 gear pieces to unlock. This is in addition to 120 emotes for even more customization. While microtransactions are included, they only apply to cosmetics and it’s possible to earn everything in-game. You can even unlock Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua by finishing Career Mode on the toughest difficulty. “Randomized” microtransactions – which is likely another term for RNG loot boxes – aren’t included.

No Ultimate Team

Interestingly enough, EA Sports UFC 4 won’t have an Ultimate Team mode. According to creative director Brian Hayes, this is due to “overwhelmingly, less interest” in the mode when compared to other EA Sports titles. Instead, the development team focused on providing cosmetic items and challenges while improving custom fighter creation. It’s good news for those burned out by all the other Ultimate Team modes if nothing else.

Rated for Xbox Series X and PS5

The development team is currently focused on “finalizing the game” for Xbox One and PS4 and has stated that it isn’t working on next-gen versions. However, an ESRB rating emerged for EA Sports UFC 4 on Xbox Series X and PS5 on the same day it was announced for current-gen. While full-fledged next-gen versions may not be in the works, it’s possible that free upgrades will be provided down the line. Again, this isn’t officially confirmed so take those ratings with a grain of salt.

Blitz Battles

Online World Championships and Quick Fight will be returning with the former seeing players advancing through the leaderboards with each fight. However, Blitz Battles are completely new, comprising a six round rapid-fire tournament with rotating rule sets. You can also have flyweights battling heavyweights though which should be entertaining in its own way.

EA Access Trial

Those who are still undecided but want to try the game before launch should take note of EA Access. Subscribers on Xbox One and PS4 can play the early access trial on August 7^th for $4.99 (which lasts the entire month and provides access to lots of other titles in the EA Access Vault). Along with providing a feel for the controls and mechanics, one can also complete challenges for in-game currency. This will transfer over to the main game if you decide to pick it up.