Is UFC 5 Worth Buying?

It has been a couple of years but it looks like we are getting the latest entry of the UFC series very soon. UFC 5 is going to officially release on October 27 although there are those who are able to access the game early. There are plenty of first impressions of the game that are out right now.

The year 2023 has been a good one for sports games as there have been a couple of great ones released this year. On top of that, we are getting UFC 5 which is not releasing on a yearly basis like other sports games. But the question remains, is UFC 5 worth purchasing? We go over that question here.

Is UFC 5 Worth Purchasing? The Reviewers Speak

In the past, the UFC games have been reviewed fairly well. They usually review with an overall Metacritic score of 75 and above. Be that as it may, it seems like fans were not too impressed with UFC 4. So is UFC 5 worth it? From what we can see so far, the answer is yes if you are expecting more of the same rather than something new.

While there are no official review scores for UFC 5 at the time of this writing, looking at who is playing early access and reviews in progress reveals quite a bit. Hardcore UFC fans are excited that they no longer have to play UFC 4 but reviewers do not seem too impressed so far. The most impressive feat of UFC 5 is that the graphics look amazing in comparison to UFC 4.

From what has been said so far, UFC 5 is far flashier than UFC 4 but fundamentally, it feels very similar. The fighting system feels nearly identical but there are some more realistic impacts for the hits you take. This includes doctor's stoppage if you take too much damage, which some remarked that it interrupted the game flow.

Either way, here is what reviewers are saying about UFC 5 so you can see if the game is worth buying:

Dexerto - Review In Progress

While ditching last-gen hardware and pivoting to an M rating definitely helps UFC 5 stand out from earlier entries, it’s fundamentally still very much the same experience. At least through our first few sessions ahead of the Deluxe Edition’s early access release, it all comes across as very much the same tried and tested experience, with only a few new bells and whistles. Which, admittedly, is par for the course with sports games across the board.

But if you were hoping for a championship-winning pivot in round 5 like Leon Edwards, you might be sorely disappointed here. UFC 5 is a solid contender, just not one leaving us blown away like a head-kick knockout. Read the full review.

Game8 - Review In Progress

Overall, we can expect UFC 5 to have a similar but definitely upgraded fighting experience to its predecessors. It attempts to master the same general concept from previous games where you choose from a variety of real (or created) fighters, get in the octagon, and then beat each other up until someone wins. Read the full review.