![]() ![]() The commentators do not do a very respectable job of highlighting the sport. ![]() Generally, the graphics aren't perfect, but they do support the gameplay well enough. It can be difficult to distinguish where the ball is in scrums on the far side of the pitch. You really should leave last generation consoles to be played on your tube television. Things look a bit fuzzy, especially on HD screens. ![]() If you select to play as the All Blacks, then you'll be treated to the Haka, though the captain's lips don't quite sync to the chant. The players' faces look fine, but all are a bit generic. There is a vast array of stadiums from around the world which are accurately rendered. Graphics are last generation fare, but everything's well done though. You can choose from a number of different clubs, specialty league teams, and full international squads. This mode of play rocks and will have you logging some hours. Rugby isn't nearly as popular as the beautiful game though, and so we are fortunate to have everything included in one disc. EA's FIFA series has always produced an additional title which has always frustrated me. The inclusion of the licensed Rugby World Cup 2007 mode on the same disc is great. This mode of play is decent if it weren't for the unlockable videos I probably wouldn't play it very often. There are many scenarios here to choose from, and there also many that can be unlocked as you progress through them. The Challenge mode is new this year and has the player reenact classic events in World Cup history. This mode is great fun and will be used regularly by owners of the title. Your goal will be to lead the languishing team out of the doldrums and into the Second Division. You will start out as the lowly manager of a Third Division squad. Within tournament play, you can choose to play in the World League which is Rugby 08's career mode. The Game Modes tab allows you to choose from various official tournaments such as the Tri-Nations Cup and the RBS 6 Nations Cup, or you can practice, or have access to the nicely made, if oversimplified tutorial. Game modes include Play Now, the Rugby World Cup 2007, World Cup Challenge mode, and a general tab called Game Modes. This game really is easy to control and a joy to play. Passing to the left or right is smoothly done by tapping or holding the L1 or R1 buttons accordingly. Kicks are a breeze with the familiar half-circle meter that demarcates both power and accuracy like in EA's PGA and Madden games of the past. You can organize your side both offensively and defensively with the D-pad depending on the situation. All in all, the controls are great and simplistic. The grubber kick, a quick toe poke, can be executed with the triangle button though, and this is a lethal move to help get you past the full back. I would have liked a few juke moves to be added to the right analog stick to help with long runs. The kicking game and time of possession becomes crucial against such daunting opposition. It's a different story against the Aussies or the French, however. Against poor competition and at low difficulty settings you will be able to easily score tries. Judging distance and accuracy while punting the ball can be a bit dicey at first, but as you become familiar with the speed of play you will able to kick your way to positional dominance and easy points. Whether you're executing set plays from the ruck, whipping the ball quickly down the line from one touchline to the other, or punting the ball forward in the run of play to gain field position, all the controls work remarkably well. Rugby is constantly moving, and EA captures the speed of the sport. Gameplay and ease of controls is what this game is all about. In fact, if you've never played the game before, or if you're uninformed as to the rules of the sport, this game will go a long way to familiarizing you with one of the world's greatest team sports. There's a lot of fun to be had for both rugby novices and aficionados alike. The controls are simple and well mapped to the dual-shock controller, and are conducive to a free flowing game of rugby. Graphics and sound are so-so, but they don't hold back the gameplay much. Club and international sides are well represented through various modes of play. Rugby 08 for the PS2 is really well made and simply executed. Rugby is back for 2008, and thank goodness for that. ![]()
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