Review: Rugby World Cup 2011 (PS3/Xbox 360)

Format: Playstation 3 (reviewed), Xbox 360

Developer: HB Studios

Publisher: 505 Games

As the first major rugby release in four years and the official game of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, it was always going to be difficult for HB Studios to live up to expectations with Rugby World Cup 2011.

HB developed the excellent Rugby 08, which was the official game of the previous tournament, and the closest to a complete virtual representation of the rugby world as we have come, offering a range of club and international tournaments with a match engine that didn’t make you want to scream.

Unfortunately, the developers appear to have rested on their laurels with this release, while the publishers evidently had neither the budget or the desire to secure the licenses necessary to offer players a genuine taste of the Rugby World Cup.

Good hands

As it’s based heavily on the Rugby 08 engine, Rugby World Cup is fairly decent in the playing department. Controls are similar to previous rugby games, with movement dictated by the left stick, the trigger buttons used to pass, sprint and change player, and face buttons used for kicks.

Rucks and mauls are largely similar to its predecessor, although a new gauge provides a visual representation of how much intensity you can apply. Use too little and you may not win the ball and use too much, you risk giving away a penalty.

Defending too has also changed very little and it still remains easier to let the computer do the hard work for you. By default, your players run after the player in possession and tackle, so if you control the player yourself, you might not be as accurate. In contrast, manual diving tackles seem far too easy, with players seemingly out of reach being brought down miraculously with a simple tap of the X button.

In fact, there are very few advances in gameplay. The right analogue stick now allows for side-steps and palm-offs, although it isn’t anywhere near as powerful as something like the FIFA 12 skill modifier. Quick line-outs and pick-ups are now possible, but that’s about it.

Graphically, the game is not something you’d expect from consoles as powerful as the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. From afar, stadiums look fairly good, but players close-up are very undetailed and it’s only just possible to distinguish Jonny Wilkinson without seeing the number 10 on the back of his shirt.

They think it’s all oval

The presentation is much better, with polished menus acting as a foil for some of the more unimpressive aspects of Rugby World Cup. The game opens to the rugby anthem World in Union, which although a nice touch, is not appreciated once you realise it’s the only song in the soundtrack and is played over every menu.

Test matches, international tours and online play are among the modes on offer, as is a place kick shootout option. Naturally you can play through the Rugby World Cup, using either the real fixtures or by randomising the groups. A selection of host venues are included, as are many rugby cathedrals from around the world, such as the Millennium Stadium and Murrayfield.

While the tournament is fully licensed, not all of the international teams are, with some not even having the real players. Hosts New Zealand are one such team, with mercurial fly-half Dan Carter known as ‘Harper in the game. Licensed teams include France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but England, who have Twickenham and official logo included, can only use their real kit in the World Cup mode itself.

Scrum down

The inconsistency with licenses sums Rugby World Cup 2011 up in a nutshell. It has many of the ingredients necessary for a half-decent rugby game, but there is too much missing to recommend it thoroughly. The absence of things such as club teams is inevitable, but other things aren’t and the game is completely void of innovation.

While Rugby 08 gives Rugby World Cup solid foundations, it doesn’t add anything significantly and if anything, it has regressed. It’s one saving grace is that it is actually enjoyable to play for a while, but the lack of an absorbing single-player campaign ensures that its lifespan relies on multiplayer.

The lack of competition on current generation consoles means that it will get far more attention than it deserves, but at least it’s not completely unplayable. Saying that it’s better than nothing is hardly the most ringing of endorsements, but in this case it’s true as the wait for a true successor to Rugby 08 continues.

Overall: 6