Rugby 08

As New Zealand’s campaign to get back the Rugby World Cup starts to really fire up, and as national pride shudders with Dan Carter’s every misfired kick, you might be thinking that it’s time to start looking at some footy backup plans – in case (god forbid!) we don’t win.

It is, then, as fortunate as it is predictable that EA Sports are about to unveil their latest rugby union offering. EA’s Rugby 06 was something of a coup, so this is a title I’ve been looking forward to for a while. But there are still areas that need improvement, and still a number of ways in which the developers could – if you’ll excuse the pun – drop the ball.

Even before the national anthems begin (metaphorically speaking), I have some grave doubts. Rugby 08, it seems, will only be playing at a limited set of stadia: the game takes the field for PC and PS2, but not on the Xbox, or on any of the latest generation of consoles. This stands to be a great weakness. Sports titles are generally much better as the domain of consoles, and the Xbox version of 06 was noticeably better than its PS2 team-mate.

One can only hope, then, that the improvements to the game will shine through this omission. And there are some exciting changes coming.

New defensive formations, which can be changed on the fly, should offer a more dynamic game – even when it isn’t your side with the ball. And the CPU teams will apparently also be getting tougher on defence as you approach their try-line.

The shakier areas of play in previous titles – lineouts, scrums, rucks, and mauls – may be what determine the quality of this incarnation. Developer EA Canada is touting a system which simplifies set pieces for novices, but allows more experienced players a much greater degree of control. This sounds great – but I’ll believe it when I see a strategy other than button-mashing to win out in a test match.

Better control of the in-game cameras is also on the cards, as is an overhauled kicking system. Maybe that will give Daniel Carter back his mojo… We can only hope.

Obviously, the World Cup will feature prominently. But the game will also feature 30 special challenge games from rugby’s history – winning which will unlock bonus video content. I for one, though, am most interested in the hints towards an increase in between-game management features – something which has typically been lacklustre in EA Sports Rugby. This may be just hype, but little things like this can turn a game around.

As with the real World Cup, there’s no telling exactly how it will turn out until the players take the field. All the promise in the world can easily turn to disappointment. But for those wanting to get into the Cup spirit early, or for those who fear the result may need rewriting in their living rooms, this is a game to watch.

EA Sports Rugby 08 is expected to kick off on the 26th of July.