• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

Rugby Nations 15: A Review

Draggs

Hall of Fame
TRF Legend
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
10,373
Anybody playing it? Honestly enjoyed RN13 so I figured I would give this a go. Will report in with my thoughts.
 
I play Rugby Nations 2011

141121030100360810.jpg
 
Anybody playing it? Honestly enjoyed RN13 so I figured I would give this a go. Will report in with my thoughts.

They're hopefully going to host a forum on here for players - fingers crossed :)

PS. Don't let that put you off writing an honest review though (I know it wouldn't, just saying!)
 
Here are my overall thoughts:

User interface is very nice and clean, good changes.



Plenty of tournaments to choose from: Six Nations, Four Nations, Pacific Cup, Americas Cup, World Cup. Of course, all are unlicensed, but you can edit player names, and the kits look close enough. Also have a friendly option, just pick any two teams to play each other.



Autumn Internationals includes various scenarios, usually playing as some losing team and having to rally bak. One is Wales 34-38 Fiji; ouch!.
Also includes a separate scenarios mode, one set on each difficulty, as well as Six Nations scenarios. Noticed the arrows are broken: to move left, there is only a right arrow at first, so you have to tap in the blank space on the left side where the arrow would be.



Career mode is interesting and has great potential. Create a player and start him off in a lower league team. You control the entire team, and get points for doing good things, while losing points when you make a mistake.



Some things about points:
-Losing points by not winning opposition set pieces
-No points for a drop goal
-Very easy to lose points, you can make a great break but if you get isolated and turned over you lose points. Furthermore, lineouts are difficult, so one ends up playing a very conservative game.




Gameplay:
Feels similar to RN13, but noticable changes. Overall, the timing seems 'off'. Passing is slow, and it is difficult to make a break or move forward. Lineouts are more difficult, I find it difficult to judge how far to throw; feels very different from RN13. Conversely, scrums are too easy, I don't think I lost a single scrum on my or AI put in. It's a very easy way to milk points in career. I'd never do a lineout, scrums are guaranteed points (probably shouldn't mention that, but maybe changing the lineouts will balance it out). I found it more difficult to score, most of my tries coming from breaks, rather than pressure. These points are used to improve your players stats. I made a wing, so I dumped them all on speed and stamina. Seems pointless to do a forward, as there isn't much to differentiate them (no scrummaging, rucking, jumping).







One of my biggest issues with RN13 was the pick and go. If the opposition made a break, if they had a player in support, as soon as they went down, the next player would grab and run, and another, and another. In RN15, I haven't seen one pick and go. Player attempt it, but they just keep bending down to grab it and pop back up over and over until the ruck is formed.

Probably the worst change is kicking. The viewing angle is very awkward, not straight down the middle, but skewed. Like the lineouts, it is difficult to judge power, so I ended up with plenty of balls skidding across the grass. Combined with having to judge the angle, I'd be lucky to have a kicking success rate greater than 50%. Very rare for the AI to give away penalties, which gives a noticeable effect on the scoreboard. I have scored more tries than all others, but due to poor conversions/lack of penalties, I am way down for points scored. At least my defence is great (75% possession though).







Online says coming soon, so that could be promising. I think with a few changes this could be a very solid game. Perhaps as I play more I will get used to the new setup, but like I said, sometimes it feels a little clumsy or awkward. The new game modes are fun and I hope they continue to improve it. My pictures are screenshots, reduced in size and quality so that they could fit. On my iPad, the graphics looked pretty good for a tablet. Quite a few different options for stadia as well, seemingly based off their real-life counterparts. How nice it is to have a rugby game with more than one stadium, a career mode, and possibly online multiplayer! ;)

I will answer anything more in-depth if needed, just a few observations from playing so far.
 
Pretty fair review that.

I downloaded the game and I am enjoying it very much. Just finding getting players to change direction a little slow. Would recommend giving the game a go.
 
Mines iPhone 5 and iPad Mini. Definitely a better game on the iPad because of the screen probably.
 
I have a seriously hard time judging power on the place kicks and lineouts. Definitely feels different, anybody else finding the same thing?
 
I hope its on Android, I fancy a bit of that on Nexus 7!
 
it's showing up int he play store as compatible with my nex4.

Going to wait till i get my Nexus 9 though.
 
Here are my overall thoughts:

User interface is very nice and clean, good changes.



Plenty of tournaments to choose from: Six Nations, Four Nations, Pacific Cup, Americas Cup, World Cup. Of course, all are unlicensed, but you can edit player names, and the kits look close enough. Also have a friendly option, just pick any two teams to play each other.



Autumn Internationals includes various scenarios, usually playing as some losing team and having to rally bak. One is Wales 34-38 Fiji; ouch!.
Also includes a separate scenarios mode, one set on each difficulty, as well as Six Nations scenarios. Noticed the arrows are broken: to move left, there is only a right arrow at first, so you have to tap in the blank space on the left side where the arrow would be.



Career mode is interesting and has great potential. Create a player and start him off in a lower league team. You control the entire team, and get points for doing good things, while losing points when you make a mistake.



Some things about points:
-Losing points by not winning opposition set pieces
-No points for a drop goal
-Very easy to lose points, you can make a great break but if you get isolated and turned over you lose points. Furthermore, lineouts are difficult, so one ends up playing a very conservative game.




Gameplay:
Feels similar to RN13, but noticable changes. Overall, the timing seems 'off'. Passing is slow, and it is difficult to make a break or move forward. Lineouts are more difficult, I find it difficult to judge how far to throw; feels very different from RN13. Conversely, scrums are too easy, I don't think I lost a single scrum on my or AI put in. It's a very easy way to milk points in career. I'd never do a lineout, scrums are guaranteed points (probably shouldn't mention that, but maybe changing the lineouts will balance it out). I found it more difficult to score, most of my tries coming from breaks, rather than pressure. These points are used to improve your players stats. I made a wing, so I dumped them all on speed and stamina. Seems pointless to do a forward, as there isn't much to differentiate them (no scrummaging, rucking, jumping).







One of my biggest issues with RN13 was the pick and go. If the opposition made a break, if they had a player in support, as soon as they went down, the next player would grab and run, and another, and another. In RN15, I haven't seen one pick and go. Player attempt it, but they just keep bending down to grab it and pop back up over and over until the ruck is formed.

Probably the worst change is kicking. The viewing angle is very awkward, not straight down the middle, but skewed. Like the lineouts, it is difficult to judge power, so I ended up with plenty of balls skidding across the grass. Combined with having to judge the angle, I'd be lucky to have a kicking success rate greater than 50%. Very rare for the AI to give away penalties, which gives a noticeable effect on the scoreboard. I have scored more tries than all others, but due to poor conversions/lack of penalties, I am way down for points scored. At least my defence is great (75% possession though).







Online says coming soon, so that could be promising. I think with a few changes this could be a very solid game. Perhaps as I play more I will get used to the new setup, but like I said, sometimes it feels a little clumsy or awkward. The new game modes are fun and I hope they continue to improve it. My pictures are screenshots, reduced in size and quality so that they could fit. On my iPad, the graphics looked pretty good for a tablet. Quite a few different options for stadia as well, seemingly based off their real-life counterparts. How nice it is to have a rugby game with more than one stadium, a career mode, and possibly online multiplayer! ;)

I will answer anything more in-depth if needed, just a few observations from playing so far.

That looks promising, as an accountant I do not like to invest in technology because the technological items have a high depreciation, but apparently I must to buy a new smartphone to play this game :lol:
 
That looks promising, as an accountant I do not like to invest in technology because the technological items have a high depreciation, but apparently I must to buy a new smartphone to play this game :lol:

I too used to be an accountant but I am alright now!
 
I have it on my mobile phone. It isn't too bad. Get a good game on the middle difficulty....an even better game on hard difficulty. Lineouts are a bit quirky....and don't hang around for too long when the blindside/ drop kick or box kick icons come up cos the ref is rather unforgiving with timewasting. Just have to remember to implement the special move after it has been chosen. It just takes time to understand the gameplay icons but if I hold mob in both hands then these icons are accessible with both thumbs. Great game to get your rugger fix while on the move.
 
After a few more days of playing, I can give my overall verdict.

There was recently a patch released, not sure exactly what it fixed, but nice to see developers supporting it. The game is more challenging, which is welcome after getting used to RN13. The goal kicking system is still odd, but I am now used to it and does add a little more of a challenge than the "swipe a straight line" method. The career mode is fun, runs of steam a little bit though. I'd like to see more of a manager model where you can sign players (essentially rugby 08s world league, rather than RUTM). If you enjoyed RN11 or 13, 15 is a worthy successor. For anybody looking at a mobile rugby game, I can recommend this one.
 
Which is better? Rugby Nations 13 or 15 and why?
 
RN 13 in my opinion is a little bit better, i played career so much i maxed out my guy i got annoyed because you can make a break but forwards and others still catch up to you i was a winger btw
 

Latest posts

Top