I love Rugby Challenge but I've got to say I've never played single player or online yet. For me so far, playing co-op with a friend is probably the most fun I've had on a ps3, definitely challenging NBA 2k11 for intense excitement anyway. The game's far from perfect though, I've all ready come across a few bugs forcing me to quit the game I was playing.
The graphics and presentation is superb, definitely the best thing going for the game. All of the cut-scenes really do make it feel like your watching a live union game on TV. The Haka is awesome and fairly life like as well.
The thing that's got most people struggling or disliking the game is the passing and offloading. At times it does look like the passing from sidhe's rugby league titles but when playing, it really feels 10x better and you don't really make any comparison to the rugby league passing which was pretty shocking. It's much more flowing and natural, but at times they do seem to throw the odd loopy league pass. Offloading is definitely excessive, you can get away an offload in 80% of tackles. They don't always go to hand and it's important to pick the right time, especially in the wet, but there are way too many miracle offloads and most of them go to hand. Even when playing the AI, a highly rated, more expansive team like Australia goes too far with the offloads and will throw up to 10 in one phase!
I'm still only just getting to grips with the passing now but after reading the advice on the sidhe forum it makes sense and is definitely helping, especially since this passing system is pretty new to most rugby gamers. If you're not used to it a lot of passes will go to ground. The passing overall I'd probably give a 6/10, not as bad as some people are making out if you give it more time, but still a lot of room for improvement.
Scrums are stupid, it's all about timing when to push the sticks up. You can get dirven back 5m then drive the other team back 10m at win their ball all in the same scrum. They go for to long and are stupid and unrealistic. They actually look awesome until they engage! 2/10 for the scrum.
Lineouts are good, quick and easy to do. You have to throw it in straight which is an important part. Nothing wrong with the lineouts but no quick throw option is annoying.
Rucks are pretty good, well the idea is good. Add too many, no defensive line but a higher chance of turning them over/securing the ball, add too few, get turned over/less chance... They are way too slow though, no where near enough quick ball. I think this could be down to only playing two player so far and both players tap the ████ out of heavy bind at every single ruck
I expect to see an improvement in single player but I can't really give a final view of the rucks right now.
Goal kicking- Good simple idea, way too f'ing hard. Instead of having the old power then direction it's just one click for direction. I like the idea, but I can't kick a thing on any mode higher than Medium.
General kicking, well who the heck kicks when you can offload all day
But the general kicking seems fine.
VS RWC 2011... Well it's a no brainer for me, Rugby Challenge by some distance. It's just not possible to score the amazing life like try's on RWC like it is on RC because there's just no support players on World Cup. I find both games fun, but one is just so blatantly obviously better, even if it's got it's let downs.
I was pretty brief in all areas I covered here becaues I'm off to play Otago vs Canterbury at Forsyth Barr then actually go to the game in a few hours.
