Attacking the line both you and the AI opponent will find joy in simply running the ball until a particular tackle animation is triggered to drag the defender into the in goal, while momentum is better accounted here than in Rugby League Live 3 it can still be ruthlessly exploited, house rules will be necessary in multiplayer though getting online opponents to agree to them will prove challenging. The canned animations come into play primarily around the tackle, where runners have no qualms with running over the sideline from five metres out in order to complete a “stumble out of tackle” animation and the old “can’t catch a ball next to the sideline without running out” trope is in play too. The result is you play within yourself, on the cusp of thrilling, running rugby but not able to truly experience it. You will attempt to run what feel like natural draw and pass or through the hands play only to be stifled by a runner not appearing where he should or the pass inexplicably going behind its target.
You will often run an angle and pass only to find the ball dribbles along the ground and over the sideline, your winger apparently not able to keep up with play. Most are caused by terrible AI positioning and the use of canned animations. Sadly these flaws are exposed in continued play, especially as you attempt to ramp up the difficulty settings. Just about every compliment for Rugby Challenge 3 has to be qualified but for many hours I enjoyed playing through a Super Rugby season and rarely encountered controller throwing frustration which is an achievement for modern games of either rugby code.
While there are some unfortunate bugs in passing it feels great when you do get a backline movement flowing and despite relying on canned animations stepping, fending or dummying past defenders is satisfying. Rugby Challenge 3 is hardly a prize heifer but the milk is far from sour, the basics of rugby union are fun enough here. Most effort clearly went into the new coat of paint but putting a cow into a rugby jersey does not a Jonah Lomu make.
Unlike Rugby Challenge 2, it runs silky smooth and isn’t ugly by any stretch. Not that Rugby Challenge 3 looks great to compare it to Madden or FIFA is embarrassing, particularly in details like stadiums, weather effects and clothing. Rugby Challenge 3 brings menus, fonts, controls, modes and gameplay over wholesale from Rugby Challenge 2, adding only token extras and spicing up the graphics to fit a current generation release.
Now Wicked Witch Software has been called in to bring the game to this generation of consoles, delivering Rugby Challenge 3 a full (and I mean full - it sells for $102.45 AUD on the Xbox One marketplace) priced game that bears striking similarities to its predecessor.
Rugby Challenge 2 was released in 2013 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC and was a decent game that suffered serious performance issues on console and the superior PC version was sadly removed from sale only one year after release.
The Rugby Challenge series started in the hands of Sidhe, best known for the Rugby League series, Gripshift and Shatter. While you won’t be playing for said World Cup trophy thanks to the messy licensing issues that pervade rugby union games in 2016, you will get to honour the act of mythmaking in Rugby Challenge 3 by pretending it is a new, modern video game. Facts should never get in the way of a good story, and a small matter such as truth hasn’t stopped the man being heralded as father of the sport and having its premiere trophy named in his honour. Refined and expanded gameplay with the addition of tightened up offloads and passing, reduced number of turnovers, new Conversions gameplay, improved and balanced strategies.It is sadly myth that William Webb Ellis invented the sport of rugby by picking up a football and running with it. New tattoo system - customize players by selecting and positioning tattoos!Įven more custom strip designs and accessories.Īll New Rugby Seven-a-side mode added to quick match, International competitions and career mode.Ĭustomise the game with more options to also change game rules and behaviour to create and shape a unique game play experience.
Gain an all new insight and experience from controlling the game from a single player’s perspective.Īll New Online Player Creator – create, share and download customised teams and players.
All New Be A Pro mode - play rugby from a professional rugby players point of view, customise and control your player though their career.