One of the earliest VR sports titles to receive acclaim for its realistic interpretation of the sport was Thrill of the Fight in 2016. Last year saw the arrival of a sequel, focusing on multiplayer for its early access period. With the official release in November bringing a campaign mode, it was time for 131XR to put The Thrill of the Fight 2 to the test and give it a thorough review.
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Fight or Flight!
As mentioned, The Thrill of the Fight 2 was effectively split in two to begin with. And this all stemmed from the original game. The 2016 boxing title was single-player only. Partially because VR was very niche in those days, so online multiplayer was less relevant, but also because the game was created by one solo developer, Ian Fitz. Fans always wanted multiplayer, but that was a big undertaking.
Instead, Fitz decided to wait and make the online mode a key part of the sequel, collaborating with Halfbrick Studios on the project. And so was born the multiplayer launch of The Thrill of the Fight 2 in 2024, polishing the game in Early Access first.
The Thrill of the Fight 2 Review
Understandably, it’s the single-player campaign that 131XR focuses on first for its review of The Thrill of the Fight 2. It’s set out like a traditional sports season, where you have to face various opponents that increase in difficulty. Eventually rising to become champion, hopefully. It’s a fairly generic setup that most players should be fairly familiar with.
As it turns out, the campaign isn’t the highlight of the game; that’s the multiplayer – and the boxing mechanics too. Online, you can compete against players from around the world, offering a far more challenging and natural fight. Make no mistake, The Thrill of the Fight 2 is a physically demanding game, constantly punching, blocking and dodging attacks is a workout, which makes it great for improving those fitness levels.
And that’s the most important aspect, those boxing mechanics. The Thrill of the Fight 2 is somewhere between hardcore simulation and arcade gaming. You can’t wave your arm and expect to win; punches must be measured and direct. But it’s not that focused on simulating boxing that you can’t have some fun along the way. Watch the full 131XR review of The Thrill of the Fight 2 below for more details.
What Comes Next?
Halfbrick Studios has been very good at continually updating The Thrill of the Fight 2 during Early Access, so expect that to continue post-launch. It’s not yet laid out a roadmap of updates and patches just yet – that XRSource is aware of anyway – but we’d expect to hear something in the new year.
Have you tried the game yet? What did you think of 131XR’s assessment? Let us know in the comments.
