Rugby 06 is the 2006 release in the Rugby series by EA Sports. The game allows players to play as many Rugby nations, both major and minor, and includes many tournaments, such as the Rugby World Cup, the Tri Nations, the Six Nations, and the Super 14.
| Rugby 06 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | EA Canada, HB Studios |
| Publisher(s) | EA Sports |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Xbox |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Features
editThis game has several new features. Some of the features are for graphical purposes (e.g. new weather effects), and others are for gameplay (e.g. new tackle options and off-load passing options). Some of the features are:
Playable modes
edit6 Nations, Tri-Nations (with the Bledisloe Cup), Ten Nations, Lions Tour (SA, NZ, Australia), Super 14, Guinness Premiership, World League, World Championship, European Trophy, manager mode
Increased tactical plays
edit25+ new tactical plays can be chosen by the player.
Off-load passing
editWhen the player's character draws a defender to him, he is able to quickly off-load the ball to a teammate before the defender actually tackles him. This can cause a gap in the defensive line, which can be exploited by the player.
Comprehensive commentary
editIan Robertson returns for this game, next to former All Black great Grant Fox, as well as comments from Murray Mexted.
Impact Players
editImpact/Star player, are players that could potentially turn a match in the player's favour. These player are the best in-game in their specialised area. Impact players are highlighted in game with a star above their heads.
Enhanced players and stadium conditions
editThe game features new stadium animations, such as banner rotations, 3D grass, and team relevant flags. Also the weather conditions are improved, and new conditions are added. The player can now play in snow and fog, and even see the characters' breath in cold weather.
Quick penalties
editThe game also includes the option of taking a quick penalty, which can help to score a sneaky try or just to gain some metres.
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
| Metacritic | 70/100[13] | 77/100[14] | 76/100[15] |
| Publication | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
| Eurogamer | N/A | N/A | 8/10[1] |
| Famitsu | N/A | 25/40[2] | N/A |
| GameSpot | N/A | 7.6/10[3] | 7.6/10[3] |
| GameZone | N/A | N/A | 8.7/10[4] |
| IGN | N/A | 8.3/10[5] | 8.3/10[5] |
| PlayStation Official Magazine – UK | N/A | 7/10[6] | N/A |
| Official Xbox Magazine (US) | N/A | N/A | 7.5/10[7] |
| PC Gamer (UK) | 39%[8] | N/A | N/A |
| TeamXbox | N/A | N/A | 8.4/10[9] |
| VideoGamer.com | 8/10[10] | 8/10[10] | 8/10[10] |
| The A.V. Club | N/A | B[11] | B[11] |
| The Times |   [12] | [12] | [12] |
The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions received "generally favorable reviews", while the PC version received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[13][14][15] In Japan, Famitsu gave the PS2 version a score of one seven, one five, one seven, and one six, for a total of 25 out of 40.[2]
The Sydney Morning Herald gave the PS2 version a score of four stars out of five and stated, "Scoring a drop goal can be the trickiest move in the game, simply because the camera angle makes it difficult to line up. Whilst the game tends to be annoyingly accurate on higher settings, just persuade a friend to play to even up the challenge."[16] The Times also gave the game a score of four stars out of five and said that "Rugby, with its elaborate set-pieces and impenetrable laws, is a hard game to render on computer, but this is an extremely good try."[12] The A.V. Club gave the PS2 and Xbox versions a B, saying that the game "isn't as pretty as the bigger EA Sports games, but it isn't as larded down with excess crap, either; just lots of teams, lots of tournaments, and what we'll assume are famous players in a good tough sport."[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Linnear, Nic (February 28, 2006). "Rugby 06 (Xbox)". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ a b "This week's Japanese game mag news (Page 6)". NeoGAF. September 13, 2006. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
- ^ a b Ekberg, Brian (February 14, 2006). "Rugby 06 Review (PS2, Xbox)". GameSpot. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ Valentino, Nick (February 16, 2006). "EA SPORTS Rugby 06 - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ a b Miller, Jonathan (February 10, 2006). "Rugby 06 (Xbox, PS2)". IGN. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ "Rugby 06". Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine: 99. March 2006.
- ^ "Rugby 06". Official Xbox Magazine. April 2006. p. 77.
- ^ "Rugby 06". PC Gamer UK. March 2006.
- ^ Ahearn, Nate (February 14, 2006). "Rugby 06 Review (Xbox)". TeamXbox. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ a b c Kerr, Jonathan (March 9, 2006). "Rugby 06 Review". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ a b c Krewson, John (March 29, 2006). "Rugby 06 (PS2, Xbox)". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 31, 2006. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ a b c d McNamara, John (February 25, 2006). "Rugby 06". The Times. Archived from the original on April 9, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2016.(subscription required)
- ^ a b "Rugby 06 for PC Reviews [mislabeled as "PlayStation 2"]". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
- ^ a b "Rugby 06 (ps2: 2006): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
- ^ a b "Rugby 06 for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
- ^ Fish, Eliot (March 4, 2006). "Rugby 06 (PS2)". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved July 31, 2016.