Rugby World Cup 2015 Review (Xbox One)
So the official licensed game for the current Rugby World Cup is here. So where are all the actual players? No real players are actually named in any part of the game! As for spotting a likeness of your favourite player, don’t bother. The two set camera angles are so far out that couldn’t even tell if a lock had swapped positions with the halfback! Not really off to a good start here, but as the saying goes, rugby is a game of two halves and there is still time before the final whistle for Rugby World Cup 2015 to redeem itself.
If I was to go by the old saying, ‘if you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say anything’, then this would be an extremely short review. So I’ll ignore that and come from an offside position to try and convert some good out of Rugby World Cup 2015.
Apart from the World Cup option you only have two other play options, Friendly and create a tournament. No existing Super Rugby or local competitions which isn’t a surprise considering there are no known players in the game. Also only seems to be the one or two generic stadiums, not that you see much of them anyway. And even the talking point for the real World Cup, the Haka, is missing. So basically you have Generic Rugby 2015 with the Rugby World Cup logo splashed around.
The controls aren’t fluid at all with the inability to contest at certain times and when you can contest you can easily turn the ball over. Player ratings dictate the run of play with a high level player able to completely run circles around opposition teams. Even their speed is significantly higher. And team ratings making it unlikely to ever see an upset like Japan beating South Africa. Trying to get quick ball off the back of the scrum or ruck is just painful, especially when the defence hasn’t formed and you have huge opportunities to score. Controls for goal kicking are the only real winner here. Kicks are taken very much like the majority of golf games on the market using the pull back, push forward of the stick. Wind plays a factor but have never had it really cause any problems.
As mentioned camera angles are limited to just two, side on and end on. Apart from goal kicking there is no change to these. No close ups when a try is scored, no celebration shots, no walk of shame when carded, nothing. Even winning the World Cup brings you no more than the standard ‘game won’ screen. I know rugby games have been notoriously hit and miss, well mostly miss, but presentation is one area that has no reason to be lacking. The commentators are even off the mark with many comments. I guess you need a following of millions, like NFL, to get a top notch sporting game. Oh, and also those millions need to be in America…..
Well, what is left to say? Another sub-par rugby game, not just in gameplay but across the board. I just can’t work out the lack of player names?!? Surely if you have the rights to use the Rugby World Cup logo then using the names of the actual players would be pretty simple to secure as well? National Anthems? Public domain I thought? So why isn’t there a nice intro with the National Anthems playing for each game? Rugby World Cup 2015 screams of a rushed job put out to coincide with the actual tournament. You might get a laugh or two out of it with a few mates playing together on the couch, which is actually the only way to play with another person as there is no online multiplayer, just have a few beers handy to dull any pain!
Closing Comments
If there was such a thing as an own goal in rugby, this would be it. Save your money and head down the pub with it to watch the real thing over a few pints.
