Rugby 25
- June 28, 2024
- Big Ant Studios
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"Rugby 25" is an exciting rugby video game now available in Early Access on Steam. It offers a realistic and immersive rugby experience, from local clubs to international tournaments, and allows players to influence its development. Although teams are not finalized in the Early Access version, it provides a promising glimpse into the most comprehensive Rugby video game to date.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has great graphics and player likenesses, showing potential for a visually appealing rugby experience.
- There are consistent updates from the developers, indicating a commitment to improving the game over time.
- The gameplay has moments of fun, and some players feel it could become a great rugby game with further refinements.
- The gameplay mechanics are clunky and unresponsive, particularly in passing, tackling, and rucking, making it frustrating to play.
- There are numerous bugs and crashes that disrupt the gaming experience, leading to unplayable situations.
- The game lacks essential features like a tutorial, proper AI behavior, and fluid gameplay, making it feel incomplete and rushed.
- gameplay82 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players criticizing its mechanics as clunky, unresponsive, and underdeveloped compared to previous titles like Rugby 22. While some users appreciate the graphics and potential for improvement, they express frustration over the lack of tutorials, poor passing and kicking mechanics, and overall gameplay fluidity. Overall, players feel that the focus has been misplaced on licenses and presentation rather than on refining the core gameplay experience.
“Overall gameplay and fluidity has improved along with some nice quality of life changes such as in-menu music/tutorials.”
“But it has the potential to be the best rugby game since Rugby 08 if they fix the controls and overall gameplay.”
“I'll be keeping up to date on this so devs: please keep focusing on the core dynamics of the gameplay and fluidity of running and passing etc. once that's nailed you've got a little gold mine all to yourselves.”
“The gameplay is an absolute mess and has less content, options, and controls than Rugby League Live 3, which was released by the same company almost a decade ago.”
“The gameplay feels clunky and unresponsive at times.”
“For a game that was initially supposed to be released as Rugby 24, as the companion game to the 23 World Cup, the gameplay seems shockingly underdeveloped.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising their quality and improvements over previous titles, while others criticize them for appearing outdated or reminiscent of mobile games. Some users noted that the graphics settings are limited, and despite the visual enhancements, gameplay issues detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics are considered a strong point, they are not without flaws and are overshadowed by gameplay concerns.
“The graphics are also a huge step up from any previous game.”
“The graphics are great and you can now even create players and clubs.”
“Graphics and presentation is probably the best of any rugby game to date but I hope this game doesn't get a full release for a long time.”
“The graphics look like it's a mobile game and I'm not exaggerating.”
“The graphics make the game look like it was released ten years ago.”
“The button prompts lie/don't work, the graphics/face scans that they claim was a reason for the delays are reminiscent of PGA Tour 08's face scans with the PS3 camera.”
- stability11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is severely compromised, with numerous bugs and glitches affecting gameplay mechanics, such as passing and rucking. Players frequently encounter issues like characters getting stuck, improper ball handling, and erratic AI behavior, indicating that the game is still in a very early access state. While the graphics are praised, the overall experience is marred by these persistent technical problems.
“The game is very broken and is extremely buggy; the rules and law book aren't correct.”
“Majority of the time, no player goes to the back of the ruck. There doesn't seem to be a way of just passing it from the back; instead, the player picks up and runs with it every time, and other times just picks up the ball and stands there or glitches into the ruck until the player gets tackled, which then causes the AI on my team to get confused as there's a tackle inside a ruck.”
“A similar and possibly related bug was that the player would either get stuck and run straight into touch, or it would get stuck running in a direction. The game then thinks the player is in touch, so the game state freezes and all players stay in the same position (animations still occurring). Doing a substitution/button mashing would get this issue to stop after a couple of minutes.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely unintentional, stemming from various bugs and gameplay issues, such as absurdly inaccurate place kicking and players contorting into comical shapes during rucks. While these glitches can be frustrating, they often lead to amusing moments, like players becoming "immortal" and un-tackleable, prompting laughter from players despite the game's shortcomings.
“I ended up just laughing at it.”
“That player sometimes becomes immortal and can't be tackled, which is kind of funny.”
“- occasional hilarious 1000mph passes from the scrum half direct into touch from a ruck on the other side of the pitch.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment with the game's optimization, noting that despite its outdated graphics compared to titles like NBA 2K, Madden, and FIFA, performance and loading times remain subpar. They call for significant improvements, particularly in utilizing technologies like DirectStorage to enhance overall performance.
“Performance should be significantly better, especially considering that the graphics are several generations behind compared to NBA 2K, Madden, and FIFA!”
“I understand they don't have the same budget, but come on, at least improve the performance and loading times with DirectStorage!”
“Performance should be a lot better, knowing that the graphics are several generations behind compared to NBA 2K, Madden, and FIFA!”
“I know they don't have the same budget, but come on, at least improve the performance and the loading times with DirectStorage!”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game, including the licensed soundtrack, crowd chants, and menu themes, is well-received and enhances the overall experience. However, while the audio elements contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, some players feel that the gameplay mechanics detract from their enjoyment.
“Overall gameplay and fluidity have improved, along with some nice quality of life changes such as in menu music and tutorials.”
“I really want to like this game because of the graphics, menu design, UI, licensed teams, crowd chants, soundtrack, and cinematics.”
“The soundtrack is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during gameplay.”
“While the graphics and menu design are impressive, the music feels uninspired and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
“The crowd chants are great, but the overall music selection is disappointing and doesn't match the excitement of the game.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the stadiums is generally praised for being well-suited for games, enhancing the overall experience for players and fans alike.
“The atmosphere in the stadiums is electric, making every game feel like a grand event.”
“The game creates a suitable atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
“The immersive atmosphere draws you in, making you feel part of the action.”
“The atmosphere in the stadiums feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking the energy that makes live sports exciting.”
“Despite the potential for a vibrant atmosphere, the game fails to capture the essence of a real match day experience.”
“The crowd noise is muted and the overall ambiance feels flat, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
