• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

Running Wild on Rugby 08 - my preview

S

St Helens RLFC

Guest
I had a great time this afternoon down at Locksley's having a right good laugh on Rugby 2008. I'm not the biggest fan of EA and their games but I actually did enjoy Rugby 2006 and I am still playing it at the moment. However, come July, that will be on the scrapheap, because Rugby 2008 is in town and it's very, very good.

I have deliberately avoided much of the stuff that's been posted because I wanted to form my own opinion without any sort of bias for or against anything, and I am very, very impressed with what I played. I played 5 matches. I got walloped in 4 and dramatically won my last match with some late, late antics, but more on that later. I jumped straight into things with a game as South Africa against Ireland. The first thing I noticed that was different was the kick off angle. You can see lots more of the pitch and if you aim your kick well enough you can get the ball into touch with a bounce or two. However, if you kick straight to a man you will get punished a lot more than you would on Rugby 06

The next, and I think possibly the biggest thing on my list, was the sheer size of the pitch. It's HUGE. Unlike Rugby 06 when one good kick would get you from your 22 to your opponents, not this time. Only good kickers like Wilkinson and Carter are going to make the big yards. The kicks are huge from those guys, but still... the pitch is huge. That's not to say that you can't go full length because you can. I have seen plenty of full backs get burnt off by the pace of a searing winger (Habana, Robinson) but I have also seen the full back make a great last ditch tackle and turn the ball over. I had to do that lots actually, because I was getting pasted. I'm not the best at Rugby 06 and I got showed up in the main today.Many of my breaks came from grubbers, taking me past the line before doing the same to the full back and cutting inside to go under the sticks. It feels great, doesn't it?

Another thing that impressed me hugely is the way that players now rampage onto your passes. This hasn't been noticable in the past, but it certainly is now. No hanging back, players move onto the ball, looking to make the yards. And if you execute the right set move and time your pass to perfection, you will bust through the gap. It's great to watch and it's great to see. BOOM! Straight through. It of course helps if you put a pace merchant through one of these gaps. For example, in one game Locks went trough a gap and it was Martin Corry, who was tackled easily. Later that match, it was Tait who went through and the set move directly lead to a try. It was very realistic to watch.

I like the new scrum system. The camera angle changes to a side view and you can see the way the scrum is going to go and you can actually hook the ball. I like it. Scrums can be moved about a lot - in my last match (my only win) I won a scrum against the head and moved it 12 yards or so. Think England 2003. I was France in that match as my tenures with South Africa were disastrous.

As always, multi player is great fun. I got biffed 4 times out of 4 although I always challenged for the first half and in my last game, it looked like I was going to end up winless. But I didn't. Despite trailing to Ireland 28-7 I came storming back to win 35-28. At 21-28 down I caused uproar by passing the ball behind the line to get me closer to the sticks (I was poor at the goalkicking) but I always do this in Rugby 06. I got myself level and suddenly after a knock on by O'Gara I put myself in at the corner, again repeating the trick of passing behind the line for the easy conversion. At the time I had no idea it was past 80 minutes as it wouldn't have mattered anyway, I thought there was time to play. It feels great to do that against a fellow player, but that sort of comeback would be great against the computer as well to be fair.

And it's a great game to play. Easily the best Rugby game out there at the moment. Can we not stop the silly turnover things, take 2 players out from each team, stop competetive scrums and call this a league game please?

I will answer any questions as best I can but please note I didn't play against the AI.
 
Has the defensive play improved from rugby 06 and what stadiums are in it [/b]



There are lots of stadiums, too many to name. The usual suspects. They will have expanded on what was available in 2006, they always add licenses but not lose them.



As for the defence, I struggled. I kept taking people out off the ball, which is now a penalty without question or pause. It's different from 06. I would say it's better but it does take some getting used to.
 
Nice preview... at least it's an optimistic one!

Lox commented a while ago that players now feel more 'solid'... would you agree with that?

Also, what's the deal with sidesteps etc, have they been improved at all in your opinion?
 
I think the sidesteps worked well last time out and they are pretty much the same in this. I expect they would work well against the computer - against a fellow human its impact was minimalistic. It doesn't really work like that does it, when you're playing someone else? There were one or two moments but only star players seem to be able to pull it off effectively from what I can see.

I would agree with the "solid" comment as well. It's not floaty or flimsy, nor treacle like a la RL2.

Is it more fluid and smoothe than 06? [/b]



Yes. I thought 06 could be a bit clunky at times, but not in this instance. The ball actually does seem to flow and float about.



Oh yeah - I also like the additions to the line outs. You can fire in a line out or do a long, floaty one.
 
Good rapid response! And did you notice any changes to the ball physics - are miss passes still floaty? And what is your view on the set plays - more effective this time round?
 
Good rapid response! And did you notice any changes to the ball physics - are miss passes still floaty? And what is your view on the set plays - more effective this time round? [/b]



Miss passes are still floaty, not a bullet pass in sight. With regards to ball physics, it does seem to have a couple of little legs at times, especially when hoofing downfield. A few times I thought the ball would have kept in play in the in goal only for it to bounce, bounce, bounce all the way out of play. Just a minor thing.
 
Good rapid response! And did you notice any changes to the ball physics - are miss passes still floaty? And what is your view on the set plays - more effective this time round? [/b]



Effective use of the set plays is important for this game. You will get little change if you don't use them. My "run from one side of the field to the other with my fly half then pass to the centre then straight to the winger" trick was exposed very easily today and I have nobody to blame but myself.



The ball feels as realistic as ever. It bounces well, the passes aren't as floaty, they feel more purposeful and driven. But obviously the longer the pass, the more air time it has.
 
What jumpers can you use in the lineout? I thought it was terrible that you could not use Harinordoquy in 06 even though he was one of the best jumpers in the french time but could not play second row. Is it still just throw to 5 at the front, 4 in the middle and 8 breaking off the back or can you choose which player you want to jump in the same way as your goal kicker for example?
 
What jumpers can you use in the lineout? I thought it was terrible that you could not use Harinordoquy in 06 even though he was one of the best jumpers in the french time but could not play second row. Is it still just throw to 5 at the front, 4 in the middle and 8 breaking off the back or can you choose which player you want to jump in the same way as your goal kicker for example? [/b]





Still the same as '06
 
<div class='quotemain'> What jumpers can you use in the lineout? I thought it was terrible that you could not use Harinordoquy in 06 even though he was one of the best jumpers in the french time but could not play second row. Is it still just throw to 5 at the front, 4 in the middle and 8 breaking off the back or can you choose which player you want to jump in the same way as your goal kicker for example? [/b]





Still the same as '06
[/b][/quote]

that's dissapointing, when i heard improved lineout i expected more than throwing style. Oh well, If it's not broken don't fix it i suppose :mellow:
 
did you play all multiplayer games or did you play against the AI as well? if you did, what is your opinion on the AI compared to rugby 06?
 
Hey can you just tell me if the graphics have improved from 06.



And also if you have played as a fench club team,are the teams licensed and

players licensed. e.g. S.Baba instead of Sireli Bobo.
 
Lol.....I can't ask questions as it seems you guys do not play on sideview...but I have to say you guys are very lucky indeed....



...we are very lucky the game is actually here next month rather than in 4 months!



The main question I have is the tackle ball area....any differences in the contesting of the ball...playing it with your hands....holding it in....people added to the ruck...isolated players????????
 

Latest posts

Top