This is a really weird review to write. In short, I honestly don't like this game pretty much at all and in fact, as the title says, I kind of hate it. I'm not remotely a boxing fan, either as a spectator or participant, and I only got it because I figured it would be a good workout and I do enjoy shadow boxing to an extent, or boxing as part of a rhythm game. As I've never done actual boxing, I can't say how "realistic" this is, though I do expect the biggest difference is, it's just VR so like, duh, you're not actually getting hit so there's no simulation of an important aspect of the sport. Aside from realism I can't speak to, I just find it kind of boring. It's very repetitive and despite the varied opponents, I just find trying to get around the opponent's guard and dodging or blocking their occasional attacks so tiring on a mental level even beyond the physical. There aren't a variety of modes really, just a training dummy to teach the weakpoints and the fighting mode with multiple difficulties and opponents. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say I haven't really had any fun with it in the hours I've played it.

Another angle that certainly doesn't help matters is that the game is just ugly. I'm not really looking to this game for some graphical masterpiece but I frankly don't like looking at it, lol. The audience character models look worse and more wooden than the first The Sims game. The opponents and ref have more detail and don't look too bad, other than a lot of them just having kind of cliche boxer designs. There's no real music other than the menu screen. Everything just feels so stripped down and empty. While all that's not super important for essentially a non-rhythm workout game like this, it might've helped me feel less bored.

So why the hell do I give it 3 stars? Because damn, this game is one hell of a workout and it delivered on that end. My first time with it, I thought maybe there was something wrong, like I was getting the flu or something because I just went one little round and my arms were spaghetti and I was panting hard, despite being of okayish fitness. If Thrill of the Fight does one thing right, it's very efficient in wearing you down quick and really works the arms in ways that are hard to get without serious weights. Basically all my other fitness-adjacent games are way more fun than this one, but if instead I compare this game to exercise in general...the fact of the matter is that a lot of exercise is kind of boring and this isn't any more dull to me than lifting weights. It's also extremely efficient with a couple quick rounds feeling like a powerful supplement to any day I'm working arms. I will caveat that like most exercise, you definitely adapt to it and I'm not nearly as spent when I play it anymore, but it's still very efficient.

I wouldn't recommend the game heavily unless you're into boxing, though you may get more out of it in that case. But I don't totally regret buying it either considering it's something I can easily slip into my workout regimen for a change-up.