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REVIEW of Rugby 2005 @ Chch (NZ) Media Launch

J

jgough

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Well well well...

So I have just come back from the EA SPORTS Rugby 2005 launch in Christchurch at the Heritage Hotel.

EA had sent me the invite saying that it was from 8-9pm, yet when I arrived it looked like it had been going for ages. (Apparently started at 6.30pm).

So I missed the presentation.

Luckily though, a lot of people had left so I got consols a plenty to myself - I wasn't there to make friends, I just wanted some Rugby 2005!!!

Turned out, people that worked in the media were supposed to turn up at 8 (which was me, although I'm only a very part time writer for my mag).

The rest were people that worked at the game stores that were going to be promoting the game. EB Games, Gamesman, Central Park etc etc etc.

Okay, I'm not trying to build myself up here too much or anything but most people there were straight out FREAKS. All those freaky strange people that every knows that you see around town... well they were there! I was pretty much the only normal person.

I'll try and give an example, they had two selections of free alcohol, CD or Stellar, when I arrived almost all the CD was gone, and the Stellar wasn't touched (At all! Not one glass taken!). I would sooner eat my own scrotum than take a sip of that crap CD. Luckily, Stellar, my drink of choice was in grand supply.

All the freaky people there were in there little groups, with their untra baggy jeans and death metal tee shirts. I was the only person that was there under the invite for the 'media' as well. I was also the only person NOT wearing cargo pants (at least half of them were camo cargos too). They were speaking about NZ Idol and what High Five chick was the hottest. Okay, they were total losers.

Annnnnnyway, and nonetheless - Rugby 2005.

I still didn't quite get to have the game time I wanted but let me say this...

It is worth the wait.

Everyone here looking forward to the game should be, because it is very good.

I think I have a fairly universal approach to games, so what I like, you'll like, I think my views will be similar to yours...

Heres a few things I had to check out - as far as comps go, you have World Cup, 6 Nats, Tri-Nats, and a thing called "10 Nats" which is 6 Nats + 3 Nats + Argentina, it's not a real tourny but it makes it look like they have more to offer. It is stupid that it is there. They should have just had a "Create a Tournament" instead - which it doesn't. + World League (which I didn't get to try)

I don't know why I am getting onto stuff like that though now, I have things that should be covered before that.

Quick Play allows you to play as either a country vs country, or Super 12, or Euro or Rep (Barr Barrs, PI, Aus A & NZ Maori).

New Zealand All Blacks have a Haka (as you know), the NZ Maori DO NOT have their haka. I didn't get a chance to see if other pacific island teams have their hakas or not, but we gotta leave something for you
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Hmmm, I'm trying to think of the best way to explain this... Rugby 2005 has everything (as far as options go) that Rugby 2004 had. But they have done it better. You can still pick your WORLD CUP SQUADS!!! Except you can't seem to see individual player rankings?! It just says their position, height and weight. Plus you can pick the format of tornys, for example, your the World Cup the sched can be for either 1999, 2003, 2007 (??, yeh I know!) or RANDOM, as for Super 12 it can be 2005 or random.

I guess... It is a very much improved Rugby 2004. It is the game that Rugby 2004 should have been.

It looks crisp and sharp. And the gameplay is great (I'll go into that a little bit later).

One thing I did notice that you might find interesting, the XBOX version has a hell of a lot better graphics than the PS2. I don't own an XBOX, so I'll buy the PS2 version, but XBOX looks a tad better. (You'll notice it, for sure).

PS2 edges look a little rougher, but all in all thats about it.

Gameplay is good. You'll like it alot. We used 'Boardcast View' at the event and nobody else wanted to change from that. It looked cool tho. AI seems quite good, and I was stoked when I finally got some time to play it by myself.

Graphics are pretty good.

I went out for a drink with a friend afterwards so I'm a bit tidley to keep on track here, ergh.

In sum up, I can't wait to buy it.

It isn't outstanding - it is just, hmm, how should I put it... It is everthing Rugby 2004 SHOULD have been, they could have done a bit better with more options, or career stuff, or more stats, but all in all, it's a good game.

When you run to the side that isn't the near side (on the broadcast view) the players seem to run EXTREMELY fast, but that could just be the view. The replays also seem to speed up for some reason which is a bit strange.


It's got its good points, but it doesn't have bad points, it has points that could be improved.

All in all, and I mean it... It is a good game.

It is worth buying & you will like it.

It is better than the vids show.

Ohhh I can't wait to have it
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When I'm a tad more sober tomorrow I'll try and answer any more I can.



Hope this helps some people. I liked it, and I don't think anyone will be dissapointed. It is good, not great, but a good game.

Best rugby game we have ever seen (but I don't know if that does it justice).


Cheers guys.


Jamie Gough
 
Cheers Gough. I'm meant to be going to this training camp thing tomorrow but I doubt I will. Come on demo.
 
Thanks Goughie!! Great review, what with you and locks and ak, we'll know all about the game before we get it... A nice read indeed, I can't wait!
 
Thanx Gough!
Kinda dissapointed that there are no individual stats though!
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Can't you create your own tournament in the game?

Did you by any chance see the PC version?
 
Originally posted by Springbok@Mar 1 2005, 10:26 PM
Thanx Gough!
Kinda dissapointed that there are no individual stats though!
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Can't you create your own tournament in the game?

Did you by any chance see the PC version?
I'd imagine it would be the same amount of difference as was between the PS2 and XBOX versions... in other words highly improved on PC.
 
That's what I wanted to hear! KICK-ASS Graphics!
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I'm sure the PC will be much more detailed!
 
playin sports games are just gay on PC... (that is only my point of view, dont feel offended and hav to start up one of those arguments like the one between the french guy and Los love)
it just sux sitting in a compute chai (the lette on my keyboad between the E and T has just failed so fit it in whee u see fit...) infont of a 19" o wuteva sized sceen just doesnt feel ight...
 
yup 187, you're right ... you need a kick ass tv screen for playing sports games

... monitors just don't cut it
 
yea coz i remember having JLR on PC and PS2 and it just sucked playin it on PC with like 3 or 4 of my cuzinz all huddled around the desk looking at the little sceen... and the computer chair feels wrong sitting strait up, u cud sit in a couch but then u wud be too far away from the screen!!!! unless u hav like atleast a 29" computer screen than u cud probably pull it off... Big ups to u brah!
 
Originally posted by Springbok@Mar 1 2005, 10:26 PM
Thanx Gough!
Kinda dissapointed that there are no individual stats though!
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Can't you create your own tournament in the game?

Did you by any chance see the PC version?
Hey m8,

I tried to write a reply last night but my computer crashed just before I posted it, so I thought I'd just do it again in the morning, so here I go
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PC Version: Nope, they didn't have that there, just PS2 and XBOX (with those XBOX graphics looking a tad better)

Create Tournament: Nope, not that I could see.
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Individual stats: There are some, it's just I think I've been spoilt with Madden. In Rugby 2005, during a tournament, you can see some team stats, but they are just the same as the ones Rugby 2004 had, i.e. it has a list of your squad, and then says how many tries they have scored, cons, droppies, yellow cards, red cards and stuff like that. But, you can only see it for your team. Unlike in Madden, where you can see heaps of stats for the other teams also, and for the entire league. I wish they had that in Rugby 2005, but alas, just your own team.


Jamie Gough
 
Nice read Jamie, sounds as though you liked it.

quick, silly questions that I like: how many games did you play, what teams did you play as, what level of difficulty etc . . .
 
Originally posted by captainamerica@Mar 2 2005, 06:56 AM
Nice read Jamie, sounds as though you liked it.

quick, silly questions that I like: how many games did you play, what teams did you play as, what level of difficulty etc . . .
I didn't get a chance to play any full games against the AI, I just had a quick NZ Maori vs Aus A (to see if the Maori haka was in, which it is not), Cru vs Highladers, so just ran a bit, tackled and passed, and then quit. I felt like a kid in a candy store, I wanted to see so much!..

I played a full game (5 min halves) against some guy there, I was Crusaders and he was the Blues. I also played a full game against another guy (on 20 min halves), I was NZ and he was ENG, at half time it was 18-17 to NZ and he had to go.

For some reason, the rucks don't really feel too 'responsive', when you are tackled you are asked to press (I think X) to put players into the ruck, but it doesn't feel like JLR or WCR, where you feel it is crucial. It feels kinda random, but EA assure me that it's not. This isn't as bad as it may sound tho, it works pretty well and maybe it will feel like I am really 'winning the ball' after I have got a chance to play a lot of it.

Also, hmm, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news here, but in my short time of playing I couldn't seem to EDIT current players or squads. I could CREATE players, but that seemed it
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It could be there, but I couldn't access it in the time I had. But, create a player is very detailed. You can start off with a face template (which there are about 20 of, from black ones to white ones and slim ones and fatter ones).

I didn't see how many body types there were tho.

Then you do the abilities, which is JUST like Madden, all the skills, they are set at 50 when you start, so you can move them up or down. Then you can assing up to 3 positions (like Rugby 2004), and also add 3 special abilities (just like Rugby 2004 again).

So I don't know if you can edit currents, which is, well,
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Jamie Gough
 
from the screenshots the create player looks very similar to Fifa 2005 , the celebrations also look similar to Fifa 2005 ( i know it's the same engine ) , so I'd expect it will be like Fifa 2005 if you're familar with it .
 
Originally posted by disco123@Mar 2 2005, 07:28 AM
from the screenshots the create player looks very similar to Fifa 2005 , the celebrations also look similar to Fifa 2005 ( i know it's the same engine ) , so I'd expect it will be like Fifa 2005 if you're familar with it .
please tell us what the fifa 2005 editor is like - I'm not familiar with it. Can you create new players and add them to existing teams like rugby 2004?

Cheers
 
Originally posted by jimmy44+Mar 2 2005, 07:30 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jimmy44 @ Mar 2 2005, 07:30 AM)</div>
<!--QuoteBegin-disco123
@Mar 2 2005, 07:28 AM
from the screenshots the create player looks very similar to Fifa 2005  , the celebrations also look similar to Fifa 2005 ( i know it's the same engine ) , so I'd expect it will be like Fifa 2005 if you're familar with it .
please tell us what the fifa 2005 editor is like - I'm not familiar with it. Can you create new players and add them to existing teams like rugby 2004?

Cheers [/b]
Dammit Jimmy! I've answered it both in not only this thread but also the new one you started!
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Regards,

Jamie Gough
 
Originally posted by NZL fan@Mar 2 2005, 08:35 AM
Just a question on the Aussie "A" team - anybody of interest in that squad??
No, well, I sure wasn't, NZL fan.

Seems silly that it is there, and the only A team at that. It would make more sense to have it as an unlockable, perhaps if you won the World Cup with Oz or something... But thats just me.



Jamie Gough
 
You all know why they're there though, right? Lions tour to Oz. Same reason as the Maori are in the game. Only thing missing would be the Emerging Springboks for the SA tour.
 
Edit: Just realised how my question was interpreted (I should have been clearer).........

I was actually asking if you noticed any of the player names in the Aussie A team........
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Anyone who wants to rock up to the Sheraton Hotel to play the game can go and say their name is Alex Mengel.
 

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