As fans of Mixed Martial Arts know, there are few things as exciting to watch as two men or women knocking the snot out of each other. It might not be pretty, but it's certainly exhilerating. The challenge for videogames developers has always been to turn the highly tactical fight simulator that doesn't fall into the trap of being just another beat-'em-up. EA Sports UFC 3 is arguably the best stab (or jab) at nailing the sport yet. Fans will immediately notice that striking has been overhauled for this iteration, and it takes the tactical element of the game to another level. You now have three health bars - one for the head, one for the body and one for the legs - and each recovers at a different rate, meaning you have to use distance and the clinch far more carefully than in previous games. Visually the game has got even closer to real life, too. Each blow landed has a visual effect on the fighters, and over the course of a match you'll see black eyes bloom and bodies become more and more battered. The GOAT career mode is back at the heart of the game, and players can build fight hype to gain fans and create rivalries, making how you perform outside of the Octagon just as important as how you fight inside it. Or, if you prefer, customise the multiplayer modes to take on your friends in fast and bloody bouts online! With the deepest ever line-up of fighters and lifelike, tactical fighting, this is about as close as you can get to the Octagon without risking a black eye!