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Rugby Challenge 2006 review

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sean43

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Is this the best Rugby Game since JLR? Most probably, but it lacks depth, real depth. It is an arcade game which is really understandable, but their are to many of those old annoyances left in.

The positives,

I love the graphics and stadiums, the pitch looks amazing and the crowd are well detailed aswell. Very good passing system, good offload system but it has not been used to its full potential. I get around 4/5 offloads in a whole game, and a lot of the time they go to the floor. It is a real shame. The kicking system is good and the running of the players is good.

Negatives

Big Hit tackle? Why oh why is that silly big hit tackle still in the game? It can really annoy me and my friends at times. The forward play is to hit and miss, and it is a bit silly when the 1st back always seems to miss a tackle on a forward. The rucking system is improves, but I guarantee you will find yourself button bashing. Still, with Italy against my friend (England) I could barely win a ruck, which is just not realistic. Before you say it, I know it isnt really meant to be that realistic but losing the ball all the time is not fun either. The sprinting is really good, but that little power bar is another mistake. Shane Williams intercepted from the 22 today and he was near walking pace at the half way line, it is really annoying. There is barely any crowd noise in the game, one chant, half a version of swing low.

Overall

You will get this game, load it up and think this is really good. After a few hours play you will start to get annoyed with those stupid things that made WCR unplayable. Swordfish have done a good job under a small budget but their is something lacking. Roll on Rugby Challenge 2007 which would undoubtly be the best.

I would give it a 6.5/10 maybe a 7/10.
 
Ooh, that's annyoing to here that winning rucks with lower teams is nearly impossible again...
 
Originally posted by JJ-@Jan 29 2006, 09:21 AM
Ooh, that's annyoing to here that winning rucks with lower teams is nearly impossible again...
Not that I've encountered, I generally seem to do OK.
<
 
Thanks for the input/review Sean...

It's getting increasingly hard to get a good picture of just how this game is gonna play out, from everyone who has so far played the game - for every good report, there is a bad one; for every flaw that annoys and seemingly detracts from the game, somebody else is able to dismiss it as not affecting them

... its def gonna be a wait and see thing for me - the non-lineout calls & passing issues are not something that would detract from the game for me; the "not able to win a ruck on hard mode/against better teams" issue would cause me a fair bit of distress tho

still looking forward to it immensely; its just hard to know if the issues reported will really affect me or not

... StHelens, what sort of ruck win ratio do you have with lesser teams on hard mode? 3 out of every 5, 50/50 ?
 
Originally posted by raziel_eire@Jan 29 2006, 09:37 AM
... StHelens, what sort of ruck win ratio do you have with lesser teams on hard mode? 3 out of every 5, 50/50 ?
It's not easy to turn the ball over (I'm on Intensive Care mode) but I'm not especially struggling in rucks. 3/5 seems about right.
 
good stuff,

I don't mind not turning it over so much, its not actually being able to recycle my own ball that would become a spoiler

How do you find the goal line defence? - did the idea that was offered to the programmer back when the game was tried out make it into the final version?
(I only ask as a few of the other early players have said it has become annoying for them)
 
Again, I'm not finding too many problems with it, My scrum half does a lot of work and I find that a good way to quell the problem, although invariably I am conceding tries because I am playing at the highest level.
 
Rugby challenge 2007 is off the cards permanently isnt it?

Is it just me? I was under the impression that rucks would be more winable with lower teams. I thought the button mashing had been toned down, and that the runnaway try ruining speed meter was gone? Did anyone else hear this? or am i just a victim of wishful thinking?
 
I don't think you need to button mash at all in the rucks. its not like hitting the buttons actualyl does anything. all oyu can do is add a player and watch the bar. it's not like you can add 45 players to the ruck cos you keep hammering the button.
 
Originally posted by CeeJay@Jan 29 2006, 12:08 PM
Rugby challenge 2007 is off the cards permanently isnt it?

Is it just me? I was under the impression that rucks would be more winable with lower teams. I thought the button mashing had been toned down, and that the runnaway try ruining speed meter was gone? Did anyone else hear this? or am i just a victim of wishful thinking?
From Swordfish at least - that doesn't mean they can't hand it over to a new developer, does it?
 
I think the ruck system is the fairest and most usable ive encounted so far in a union game.
 
i really rate the rucking system...its all about getting more men in than the opponent so they admit defeat, then they pull players out so you can get yours out aswell. On defence on intensive care you really have to be selective about which rucks you think you can win, alot of the time, for numbers, its safest to leave the default 3 in the ruck and try and force a turnover when you reckon you have the best chance.
i think the rucking system in this game is excellent. i dont know if ive really made my tactic clear but i think its a really good system.
 
The max amount of men you can add to a ruck is 8. I was Gwent against my Friend who was Northampton. He could not win a ruck against me, it was stupid, he eventually had to quit after going 21-0 down.

The rucking system is improved but I guarantee you will button bash. Button X is to get players into the ruck as fast as possible. So as soon as someone goes to ground you want your men in straight away, therefor bashing the button as fast as you can.
 
Originally posted by sean43@Jan 30 2006, 04:11 AM
The max amount of men you can add to a ruck is 8. I was Gwent against my Friend who was Northampton. He could not win a ruck against me, it was stupid, he eventually had to quit after going 21-0 down.

The rucking system is improved but I guarantee you will button bash. Button X is to get players into the ruck as fast as possible. So as soon as someone goes to ground you want your men in straight away, therefor bashing the button as fast as you can.
I wouldnt call it button bashing. You push x to add players you dont have to do a daily thompson. I remember saying after I first played this that you can tell if you have a chance of a turnover by how quick your guys get to the ball and if the opposition is isolated.

Think its better than 06 either way. In EA06 you have a set time to get the ball out and if you dont you get turned over regardless of numbers in the ruck. Sometimes the player who is going to pass the ball from the ruck cant get there quick enough and you know your going to get turned over. Doest happen all that often but stil. Add to that you always seem to get turned over more when you are close to the opposition line and it begins to get frustrating.
 
Originally posted by knowsleyroader+Jan 30 2006, 06:08 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (knowsleyroader @ Jan 30 2006, 06:08 AM)</div>
<!--QuoteBegin-sean43
@Jan 30 2006, 04:11 AM
The max amount of men you can add to a ruck is 8. I was Gwent against my Friend who was Northampton. He could not win a ruck against me, it was stupid, he eventually had to quit after going 21-0 down.

The rucking system is improved but I guarantee you will button bash. Button X is to get players into the ruck as fast as possible. So as soon as someone goes to ground you want your men in straight away, therefor bashing the button as fast as you can.
I wouldnt call it button bashing. You push x to add players you dont have to do a daily thompson. I remember saying after I first played this that you can tell if you have a chance of a turnover by how quick your guys get to the ball and if the opposition is isolated.

Think its better than 06 either way. In EA06 you have a set time to get the ball out and if you dont you get turned over regardless of numbers in the ruck. Sometimes the player who is going to pass the ball from the ruck cant get there quick enough and you know your going to get turned over. Doest happen all that often but stil. Add to that you always seem to get turned over more when you are close to the opposition line and it begins to get frustrating. [/b]

Something else that works for me at least, is after you have men in the ruck, if you hold down X, (or A on X-Box) then it seems like the forwards in the ruck use their full strength, and you have a much better chance of winning the ruck.

Not worth doing with only three men in there, but is great if say five get in there really quick.

Anyone else found this?
 
Originally posted by knowsleyroader@Jan 30 2006, 02:44 AM
I think the ruck system is the fairest and most usable ive encounted so far in a union game.
A step back from JLR
 
Originally posted by sean43@Jan 29 2006, 08:43 AM
Negatives

Big Hit tackle? Why oh why is that silly big hit tackle still in the game? It can really annoy me and my friends at times.
Without the big hit tackle, it would be virtually impossible to steal possession from the opposition with a slightly inferior pack.
 
Apart from offloads and kicking, what has actually been improved or changed from WRC?
 

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