Rugby League Live 3

Have you ever played a good Rugby game? I certainly haven't. For some reason, rugby games just don't seem to translate well into video games. Maybe it's the complex nature of the sport or animations and rules that don't really capture the adrenaline and excitement of the real sport. The last rugby league game I played was tragic - but Rugby League Live 3 has promised to fix some of these things that detracted from the virtual experience.

Incorporating all the major rugby league tournaments such as the Australasian NRL and the English / French Super League. Rugby League Live 3 looks more ambitious to create a worthy video game. It's chock full of features, teams, players, and more. Is that going to be enough to provide a palatable rugby league game, though?

Six-Touch-Challenge

The first impression that jumps out at you with Rugby League Live 3 is it looks good. The visuals have had some work to actually look like a full experience, where crowds look real, and fields are detailed. Player animations, including tackles, scrums, and passes, flow a lot better than in recent memory.

Aside from the looks, though, there is absolutely no interest in gaining any new players into the series. The developers have chosen that hard-knocks route. If you don't understand the game of Rugby League, don't bother playing it. The gameplay is very focused on intricacies of the sport - such as timed tackles, kicking, and play strategies. The ability to try and score from the kick-off is long gone - you'll have to think about what you're doing now.

Rugby League Live 3 is unashamedly a game for the enthusiasts. The controls are challenging, strategies complex, and the execution of plays and tackles can be hard to get right. The game remains faithful to the sport - and all the teams and players that come with it - those looking for an exciting State of Origin experience can easily find it here.

Again though, the visuals make a vast improvement on past rugby games. The cinematic ways to score tries and the edge-of-your-seat experience is what you would want from a sports game. Even if it is difficult to understand. New players will face a baptism by fire, which can be frustrating - but Rugby League Live 3 mounts a superior rugby game if it's played to standard.

You'll Enjoy It If You Know It.

It's hard to see players who don't understand rugby league or have a little fascination - getting any kinds of enjoyment out of this game. Unlike the Madden NFL series, the gameplay and mechanics are not trying to appease the masses. They are trying to deliver a playable rugby league experience to those who have craved a decent game for so long.

Pros:

• Intricate in rugby league detail
• Presents a cinematic experience for the sport
• Visuals look fantastic

Cons:

• Frustrating control mechanisms
• Lacking tutorials and guides for new players
• The game will drive away those that don't understand the sport