Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition Review – A Virtual Haymaker

Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition Review

There are certain genres that should lend themselves perfectly to motion controls. While boxing seems like the perfect competitor, most titles that have stepped into the ring have fallen flat. A challenger that had all the makings to become a champ was 2018’s Creed: Rise to Glory, however, ageing technology and the restrictions of the PS Move controller were its Achilles heel. With the Championship Edition, can Survios rectify the issues and deliver a stunning knockout blow?

The game includes two campaigns, one based on the first two films and a second which focuses on the latest release. Both follow the same structure which is a little disappointing. You are given a bit of context for the fight by your trainer, take part in a classic montage training sequence and then proceed to the squared circle. Although these segments are enjoyable, Creed: Rise to Glory never deviates from the cycle. With the Championship Edition including a fresh campaign, I would have liked Survios to experiment with the structure to offer a more varied experience than the initial career mode, but this is not the case. The short campaigns have a wealth of cinematic flair. Boxer introductions include a lovely still with information about their career and the iconic Rocky music gives the game personality. References and nods to franchise are throughout which will keep you smiling as you punch in the face of your opponent. 

Time For Some Action

The most important aspect of a boxing game is the in ring action and this is where Creed: Rise to Glory excels. You will need to read your opponent’s flurry of attack and counter in order to be victorious. There’s a fantastic free-flowing nature to combat as you can quickly and easily string a number of hits together to feel like a champ. For the most part, tracking is spot on. You can bob and weave out of the way and use their own momentum to hit a flush shot. A slick duck under a jab initiates a slow down so you can hit a lethal haymaker. 

Impressively, the tracking captures the speed and strength of punches. Due to this, you’ll see harder hits mark your opponent. As they will regularly block, the game encourages you to attack all parts of their body which makes you use consider verticality and angles of strikes. This makes Creed a real workout. Sweat literally poured down my face as I took part in training sessions and matches.

Defensive manoeuvres are vital and this is what sets the Championship Edition apart from its predecessor. Previously with the move controllers, rather than float like a butterfly, you would wobble like a walrus. Now with the Sense controller, you can use the ring to find the right angle and hit that hook. In addition to evasive action, you will also need to block. To do so, simply raise your gloves and absorb damage, but you’ll need to get out of there as you can quickly get overwhelmed.

Take a Breath

Stamina is also key. If you relentlessly wade in, you will tire and are then susceptible to a knock down. Your gloves will subtly indicate that you need to rest which is a nice unobtrusive method to allow you to manage your stamina. If you overexert and get hit, you will enter a stagger stage where you will need to position your hands in the position of your boxer. An even stronger strike will throw you out of your body and you will see yourself fall to the ground. You must then run as fast as you can in order to reach yourself before the count of 10. While it is a dramatic way to communicate a knockdown, it works and captures the notion perfectly.

Freeplay is a mode where you can select fighters from the franchise and battle in a range of rings. In addition to this a fitness mode which is a brilliant way to exercise in VR, however, PvP is the real highlight. Prior to the fight, you can peruse the lobby and take part in training mini-games to prepare yourself, however, anything can happen when the bell rings. The intense confrontations are an absolute joy and will keep you coming back for more. 

Center Stage

Visually, the game opts for an arcade-style which is wonderfully brought to life through various elements. Each area is full of atmosphere and captures the thrill of the fight. Opponents are diverse in their build with some that tower over you to an intimidating degree. For the most part, the audio design is strong but there are odd aspect that don’t sound authentic. In particular, hitting the pads is a little jarring but most other activities engage you in the task.

Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition is the best boxing VR game to date. The new controllers allow you to freely move around the ring and pick out your shot. This increases the immersion to create some incredible moments. Unfortunately, the new campaign follows the same loop of the original and doesn’t offer anything new. However, the actual in ring action is a knockout combo.

*** A PSVR 2 code provided by the publisher for review***