Do not be put off by all the negative reviews comparing this game to Electronic Art's Fight Night series of games. Fight Night is a AAA Sports title created by a developer who has a long history of developing boxing games, and it costed 6-times as much as this game. Of course Fight night going to be better, but that does not mean Real Boxing is not an enjoyable game worth it's $10 price tag.
Real Boxing Is more arcade than simulation, and there is not a lot of depth, but the action is fast paced and the multiplayer mode should be entertaining for hardcore boxing fans, at least in short spurts. The single player career mode is basic, and there are not all that many different characters to fight against, but the mode exists. There are options for editing the appearance of your boxer, but you do not seem to be able to edit your boxer's name, which is a little bit annoying.
Aside from that, there are also the standard training mini games that you would expect to see in a boxing game. These mini games require you to press the right-stick in a certain direction in time with the on-screen cues. As you might guess the mini games become repetitive very quickly (but so did the mini games in fight Night).
The in-ring boxing action is not very simulation-like, but it's not exactly the mindless button-masher other reviews make it out to be. You can throw all the punches you would expect (using either an anolog stick or the buttons) but there is no option for using dirty tactics such as headbutts or low blows. You can grab and clinch your opponent, but only when your energy drops below a certain level. Blocking is done with a single button, and it automatically blocks head or body shots as needed. You can also use a perfectly timed press of the block button to slip an opponents punch, creating a slow-motion effect allowing you an extra moment to throw a counter punch. There is no bobbing/weaving. There is no way to take a knee if your getting pummled, and there is no option for switching from orthodox to southpaw stance.
Pros:
- Fast paced action with easy to pick-up controls
- Decent looking graphics and presentation for a budget title
- Online multiplayer boxing matches
- Commentary is repetitive but sounds good for an arcade boxing experience
- it's the only (somewhat realistic) boxing game on Steam
Cons:
- Boxer movement/footwork is not very smooth
- Small roster of characters - No real world boxers
- Short/uninspired single-player career mode
- No matchmaking options for the online multiplayer mode
The bottom line is that it's not exactly a great game, but it's the best boxing game I have on my PC. The game will not have much appeal for most gamers, but hardcore boxing fans will probably find it fun being able to swap leather with other players now and then. It's not Fight Night Champion, but it's actually better than I had expected it to be.