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Rugby 2005 xbx Game Reviews
Rugby 2005
Critic Score
Metascore: 75 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
7.7 out of 10
based on 20 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 10 votes
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EA Sports Rugby 2005 incorporates all the major Rugby teams, players, and tournaments, including the Tri-Nations, Super 12 and many more authentic and prestigious events from the world of Rugby. The game incorporates a completely upgraded graphical engine with individually differentiated players, realistic motion-captured player animations, dramatic lighting and cameras, and stadiums that are accurate with details such as crowd reactions, songs, and chants. EA SPORTS Rugby 2005 plays realistically with on-the-fly play-calling, right analog stick controls for fakes and crushing hits and improved kicking control. The game also features a "Rugby 101" training mode outlining the rules, controls, and tactics of the sport through videos and interactive challenges. [Electronic Arts]

PUBLISHER: Electronic Arts
DEVELOPER: HB Studios
GENRE(S): Sports, Rugby
PLAYERS: 4
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: March 8, 2005

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90
Cheat Code Central
The controls are responsive and the animation has been smoothed out with motion-captured animations and virtually seamless transitions. The Xbox version is much better looking than the PS2 although there are some traces of slowdown, flicker and online lag.
90
Australian GamePro
Clearly the best rugby title every made and a vast improvement on what was seen in the series' two previous outings. Sure there are still some frustrations and plenty of room for growth, but Rugby 2005 stands as a worthy virtual alternative to the stud-happy reality.
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84
BBC Sport
Despite the fact that the developers still quite haven't managed to replicate the bounce of a rugby ball entirely satisfactorily, kicking now forms a vital part of the gameplay and every kick imaginable can be used to your advantage, including the good old 'Garry Owen' and grubber.
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82
GameZone
The controls just feel right and the game moves along at a smooth pace. In short, this is a game easy to get into whether or not you’re new to the sport.
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80
Xbox Solution
I hope that EA will adjust the game’s camera and offer an online mode in the next installment.
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80
Operation Sports
This is one of the few games recently released that fed my “just one more game” desire - and I really had a hard time putting it down.
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80
GamerFeed
This game is addictive, pure fun for those who find the sport to their liking, and its presentation is actually pretty sharp, a lot more focused than the somewhat flawed "Rugby 2004" over on the PS2.
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80
Xbox World Australia
Everything from the graphics, audio, animations and commentary have all been vastly improved from last year. Unfortunately there’s no Xbox Live support.
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80
IGN
Includes all the modes that rugby fans would want, with a ready-to-play engine that improves on everything that has previously been available in a rugby video game. The graphics have made a quantum leap, the soundtrack is fun, and the commentary is excellent.
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80
Computer and Video Games
A triumph, and had it not been for these few clumsy fumbles, it could have been a world-beater. As close to the real thing as you're likely to get without strapping on a groin guard. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]
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78
3DAvenue
A stepping stone to a better game and if EA continue to build on this engine and title they could possibly have the definitive Rugby game.
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75
Gaming Age
Audio does a fine job, with some great commentary that never gets old, and is spot on accurate when calling the action on the pitch.
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73
PGNx Media
The commentary, though accurate, is repetitive and doesn’t induce you to pay attention. It just isn’t very interesting to hear the same lines over and over again.
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73
Team Xbox
Some very fun moments arise in the various tournament offerings. Hits in the game make "Madden" look like its players are playing patty cake with each other. Controls could have been handled a bit better but what we have is acceptable.
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72
Official Xbox Magazine
In a market of precisely one, this package lacks a number of bells and whistles (decent multiplayer most of all), but it had me pursuing a repeat of England's World Cup victory for many hours. [Apr 2005, p.88]
71
GameSpot
While the game serves as only an adequate primer to this tough-guy sport, it's a fairly approachable and fun game, and it's one that does a decent job of conveying the finer aspects of the sport it portrays.
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70
GamePro
Defense is all about bone-jarring tackles, and after every one there's a mass shoving match (called "the ruck") for possession of the ball.
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70
GameSpy
Rugby lovers will love how far this franchise has come since last year's version.
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60
G4 TV
There is a bit of difficulty with the camera, however--that being the lack of a universally useful view of the pitch. The default side camera is restrictive when it comes to all that punting, and more than once a bit of critical action took place out of view. That's fine for art films, but frustrating here.
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36
TotalGames.net
Rugby 2005 still sucks. Why? Well, how about the dumbest AI we've witnessed in a sports game since, well, since "FIFA Street."
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What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 7.7 (out of 10) based on 10 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Alex K. gave it a9:
Great for ne rugby fan, and to TotalGames.net turn up the difficulty and u find some of the smartest rugby played ever!

Gordy M. gave it a7:
Game does have its faults and when I 1st played it I thought it was average. However in time I picked up a few more moves and are enjoying it a lot more. For a rugger fan like myself, we have been waiting 4 a decent footy game like this since Lomu's Rugby on PS1. A big improvement on rugby 2004.

Jonny W. gave it a2:
Just not good enough. It looks good and the teams are all there, but overall it's an infuriating and disappointing game. The camera system is poor - rucks and scrums occur behind graphics on screen so you can't see what is happening. Play on the far side is too small to see what's happening. All the alternative camera options are useless - in broadcast you can't see the opposition when attacking from your own half, and I passed to players off screen who I couldn't see!! The AI is terrible - opposition players lined up in my backline and tackled me and weren't called offside!?! Terrible. And the music in the Australasian version is horrible, tired, new Aussie rock. Ghastly. The Xbox controller doesn't help - not suited at all to this game.

Giovanni G. gave it a9:
At last a pretty decent rugby game! maybe it has its faults....e.g. kicking the ball is a bit clumsy, a bit more of tactics such as offensive and defensive plays would have been highly welcome....but let's face it...it's the best rugby game around since the times when I played with Subbuteo Rugby on the floor!

RichardS gave it a1:
Typical EA sport rubbish. Glossy, smart graphics, but terrible, woeful gameplay. Just like EA's FIFA games, get beyond the slick exterior and the game sucks bad. If you know anything about rugby, you'll hate this. The AI is abysmal, passes go astray at every turn, backs line up to attack behind their own goal line, forwards run away from loose balls. Worst of all, it's nigh on impossible not to stray offside every time there's a ruck. If you want to play football (soccer) stick with Pro Evo 4, if you want football (US style) play NFL 2K5. Don't play EA sports games. Don't give them your money, it will only encourage them.

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