Rugby Challenge 3

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a game by Wicked Witch Software Pty Ltd
Platform: XBox 360 (2016)
Editor Rating: 7/10, based on 1 review
User Rating: 9.3/10 - 3 votes
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See also: Sport Games, Sports Management Games, Football Video Games
Rugby Challenge 3
Rugby Challenge 3
Rugby Challenge 3
Rugby Challenge 3

When EA ended their rugby series back in 2007, many fans of the sport were left wanting. Sure, other series had come along and tried their hand, but fans were still searching for that series that will take over where EA had left off. Rugby Challenge had been one of those series that had tried in the past, but how will Rugby Challenge 3 fare compare to the rest? Let’s find out.

Passing It Off

The previous two Rugby Challenge games were released to mild fanfare, but Rugby Challenge 3 was meant to be their biggest game yet. Let’s start with the gameplay improvements. If you played the previous two games, you might be aware of how the passing in the game didn’t feel quite right. Passes wouldn’t always go where you think they would. This has been tuned a bit better in RC3, although there’s still room for improvement. At least you won’t be passing to the opposing team as often.

The next improvement I noticed was the AI itself. In RC2, the AI would be about to be tackled and would magically through a cross-pitch pass to a teammate. This was incredibly frustrating and led to some easy scores. In RC3, this has been improved to where they aren’t throwing across the pitch. However, I still saw a decent number of last second passes right before tackles.

What We’ve Been Waiting On

A few new additions were made to the game as well, starting with the brand-new game mode 7s. If you’ve never watched 7s rugby, then you’re in for a treat. It’s a much faster paced version of Rugby as there is only seven players on the pitch for each team. This means each play is that much more important. It’s a great addition to the game and is one of the more fun game modes to be added to the Rugby Challenge series so far.

Next, we have the new Be a Pro game mode. In this mode, you’re able to create a new player from scratch and have them start out as a rookie. As you continue to play, you’ll improve your skills and set goals for yourself. For example, these goals can be winning your league, earning a captain spot, or making your national team. It’s a bit repetitive, but fun, nevertheless. This will more than likely be the most popular mode within the game, and for good reason. One of my favorite features that was added was the Fan Hub. One could argue it’s the most necessary part of RC3, but more on that later. In the Fan Hub, you’re able to download user created content. This includes both players and entire clubs. This means if you’d like to play with a player that isn’t in the game, you look for them in the Fan Hub to download. Not available? Try and make the player and add them to the Fan Hub. I’m sure you’ll get a ton of downloads.

Leaving Room for Improvement

As much as I enjoyed those improvements and new additions, there are some aspects of RC3 that still need work. To start, the Career mode returns to the game, but in the exact same form as it did in RC2. From what I can see, I was surprised that there were minimal changes, if any at all. The biggest change would be the addition of new club licenses, so the mode is more authentic. However, nothing else has changed. This is sad to see in a mode that a lot of fans enjoy playing.

Once you get into the game, you’ll notice the rosters in the game are already outdated for the 2016 season. This means if you want the roster for that year, you’ll need to download it using the Fan Hub. This makes the Fan Hub absolutely necessary if you want the most authentic experience. The downside is that there is a cap of how much content you can have downloaded from the Fan Hub at one time. This is a rather silly limitation, especially with outdated rosters from the get-go.

Lastly, the commentary might be some of the worst in any sports game I’ve played. It sounds like they were given a script and just told to read it, then they tried to piece those lines together. What comes out is sometimes awkward, while 100% of the time it’s repetitive. The entire commentary needs an overhaul going into the next game.

7

Rugby fans looking for that next big game may need to continue looking, but Rugby Challenge 3 might hold them over in the meantime. The additions are great, but there are still some glaring issues with the game that need attention. Once they do, fans will start to flock to it.

Pros:

  • 7s is a fun, fast paced mode compared to 15s
  • Be a Pro Mode is a great addition, although it can get repetitive
  • Fan Hub gives you the ability to download new players and teams
  • Passing and AI has been improved slightly

Cons:

  • Roster is outdated from the start
  • Career mode didn’t improve at all
  • Commentary within the game is some of the worst I’ve ever heard

Download Rugby Challenge 3

XBox 360

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Snapshots and Media

XBox 360 Screenshots

See Also

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