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Picked up a copy of Fight Night Round 4 after work and have been playing it with my brother.  So far I'm really impressed, while he hates it.  If you're looking to get this game, be aware that it is VERY different than FNR3.  In a lot of ways it's more realistic.  It's also a lot less technical as far as video games are concerned.  Knockouts seem to come easier, and there are more cut stoppages (so having a fighter who can headbutt as a dirty move may help).

Visually: Visually this game is amazing.  The fighters are spot on.  There is definition in the muscle.  When a guy gets hit his body deforms as opposed to the glove passing through. The backgrounds look great.

The most impressive part of the visuals is how realistic the physics are.  The punch speeds are right, the motions are fluid and you can get into a punching rhythm while you're playing that lets you land combos that feel natural.   The motion is not jerky or lagging anymore.  This was huge for me.

Game play: Very very very (did I say very?) different game from FNR3.  The biggest change for someone who got good at FNR3 (my brother) is that it's no longer based on the mechanical defense that he would use to win fights.  Block, block, flash KO.  Blocking is really just cover up high or low and with the faster, more fluid punching, you wouldn't be able to defend like in the old game. Flash KO is gone.

You can get right up against another fighter, no more invisible wall.  This may be great for a banger/counter puncher. However, I found in this game, the new push button was something to take advantage of.  I was Calzaghe or Hearns, and would shove (X button) the other guy away, then land straight punches.

This video explains it better than I can:

More after the jump...

Sound: The soundtrack on FNR3 was fun. Catchy entrance music type songs that you wanted to turn up. You don't notice the music in the same way with this game.  It's a shame because usually EA does great soundtracks.

The ESPN commentary gets old fast.  It drowns out the sounds of the fight and the ref.  I am going to turn it off in my settings.  They really say basic things that you don't care about at times that take away from how exciting the fight is. 

One thing that stuck out:

"We may not realize it but boxing is a worldwide sport. You can see different styles all over the country."

Fighters: There are 40 guys in the game, plus an unlimited number of creatable characters.   There are more of the guys I'd want to see in this version.  I like seeing Tyson in there though I have yet to use him. The rankings are debatable; Manny Pacquiao an 89? Seems low.

The game features guys who are not huge names yet.  Victor Ortiz, Sergio Mora and Robert Guerrero are all featured in the game.

Legacy Mode: Has stepped up its game.  It's not work out, fight, work out, fight anymore.  Now there are rankings and you can become a champ, or lose too many and get dropped.  You can create a fighter and change everything about him, right down to the entrance music and robes.  It goes as far as to let you upload a photo and lay your image over the characters face.  Neat little feature I have yet to play around with.

Overall Reactions: I'm impressed with this game. Visually, it's awesome.  There are no complaints there. The new physics make it look great and the punches come off with genuine speeds.  No more fast/fast/awkwardly slow.  The simplified D means blocking isn't as much a part of the game as punching as with FNR3.  I like that, my brother did not.  You have to push/clinch/move/fight your way out of bad situations, rather than just blocking until the other guy gets tired. 

I like the game a lot.  It has more fighters, career mode is better,  but most importantly It looks like real boxing. Not the Round 3 making a game out of boxing game play.  This game is more FIFA and less Madden in that anyone can pick it up and play with a 10 second lesson.  It favors the guys who were aggressive in FNR3 and will frustrate the guys who depended on blocking.  With the realistic physics, someone who knows what they are doing and how to set up punches can really do damage.  

I'm still getting into it but wanted to take a break to share with the rest of the readers at Bad Left Hook.  It's worth getting if you didn't like the complications for R3 and wanted more aggressive, movement-based boxing or just want to have fun with your buddies.  If you got really into R3, rent it because you may not like the changes.

9/10