Real Boxing 2

Boxing that punishes button mashing. Vivid Games built this sequel on Unreal Engine 4, which puts its visuals a notch above most mobile fighters, and the design rewards timing: jabs, hooks and uppercuts set up Special Punches and Focus abilities, which chain into knockouts.

The career takes you from unknown to champion via a story mode plus hundreds of events and tournaments. Opponents include regular pros and limited-time novelty bosses, a rock golem, Santa and a clown among them, each dropping gear. A fighter creator goes down to nose shape.

A bout is a few rounds of reading an opponent, blocking, and landing the right punch at the right moment. Spamming gets you knocked down. Between fights you build stats, open abilities, equip boosts and upgrade gear to shape a style.

Sessions tend to be a couple of events and some gear tinkering. Real-time PvP against invited friends is there for anyone who wants a human opponent, and needs a connection.

Boxing games on phones are few, and good-looking ones fewer, so the Unreal Engine 4 visuals and the Real Boxing name draw searches from anyone wanting the sport specifically. The deep fighter creator is a second pull, and the novelty bosses give it a personality that stat-driven fighters often lack.

Realistic ring presentation with detailed fighter models, sweat and lighting is the Unreal Engine 4 promise, and the sport suits it. Vivid Games shows five screenshots on the listing. Expect a health-and-stamina HUD during bouts and a gear-heavy menu system outside them, with the creator screen likely the most elaborate interface in the game.