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Pro Rugby Manager 2004 Review
Derek dela Fuente
31/03/2004
Rugby fans have finally got something to shout about...
Rugby Management games may not generate that much excitement and itās not because Rugby is a boring sport, quite the contrary. We need not mention the fact that England are the World Cup winners, nor the fact that we now have a whole list of players who are now celebrities in their own right.
The real dichotomy is that apart from a handful of well known Rugby players, and that would include players from other named teams like South Africa, New Zealand and all the home nations, many of whom are playing in the Zurich Premiership or French league, gamers will not have the kind of affinity with them, nor their teams or even the ground they play at, as opposed to playing and understanding a football game.
The success of games like Championship Manager is partly due to the fact we all know about the likes of Man U, even Millwall, gamers know where they play, have good insights in nearly all the players from the Nationwide League and Premiership and what characteristics the players and teams have. You could even talk about the merits of Duncan Ferguson against Alan Shearer or compare the qualities of Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridges ā“ similar players but with many subtleties. You know all about their positions on the field, what to expect and what are their strengths and weakness. Fans even know about the history of the game and how success is achieved. Itās not all about buying the best players; itās about creating a team where players compliment each other. Also, you could pick a team of footballers with 9 forwards and still get a good result!
Rugby, as they say, is a whole different ball game. Now compare that with the general knowledge that the average Rugby fans has of the position play of Austin Healy or even Ben Cohen. Most donāt even know their named position let alone what their position on the field would be in terms of what they are expected to do. Pick 10 hulks like Martin Johnson and you could well end up with a thrashing in more than one sense. Understanding the mechanics of Rugby, how to optimise playerās strengths, creating the perfectly balanced Rugby team is much harder than in football. The skills sets for rugby players are more diverse. Their training methods, bulk over speed, are also two other aspects that play a big factor in becoming a successful manager.
The facts as they stand are that you are able to take the reins of a preferred team throughout European and World Championships. Over 15,000 real players are included within the game. Managers can buy and sell players, train their squads and develop match tactics. Sounds brilliant but as we've discussed having more the most basic rudimentary understanding may be enough to get through this game but may not be enough to really appreciate it!
Now for all you eager fans there are some quick routes to getting into the game and seeing the real live action, which in this case is portrayed in real-time. Yes, watch the exciting play and be involved in the tactics and strategies throughout a full match. You can set up your team to play an offensive game, a defensive one or just go for out and out attack. You will soon find out that merely selecting any old collection of players will not win many matches. Although the great ambience of match day live on your screen with some āfabā commentary and some slick animation of the detailed strategic play is ok for a short period the essence of Pro Rugby Manager is all about the Full Monty ā“ the start to end experience of creating and building your own team and style and defeating some of the top teams around the world in both club and International form.
The French team, Cyanide, has developed the game and their understanding of all aspects of Rugby, from the commercial side to the pure physics and physical requirements, is boundless! If you sidestep momentarily and see this is their first Rugby game then you might pose the thought ā“ right or wrong ā“ that if their expertise was with a football management game then they could blow some of the brand leaders away!
Every single nuisance (many which could easily be overlooked) has been implemented and to actually play this game in its full glory through a proper time span would take weeks to tinker with and much longer to hone to perfection. Isnāt a management game all about having all the phases and elements stripped ready to reconstruct, but not the silly ones like selling hot dogs or hiring a police force for crowd safety and, put it together in the perfect order? Pro Rugby Manager targets all the features that matter leaving no time for fluffy bits and bobs that will only embellish.
The game structure is set up well and the early screens will gently guide you into what is on offer. There are the players, wages, injuries, and fitness skills, that are further broken down with their reactions ā“ speed, recuperation, and temperament. The fact of the matter is that the primary and secondary attributes need a bit of time spent on each element and itās a little like understanding the complexities of a RPG! Itās all essential but takes some digesting!
You will also be required to delve into the commercial side, the structure of the clubs, their finances, the scout system, the nursery for young talent, and sponsorship, which is also well covered and interspersed within the day to day events of the program.
You then have the physical side of Rugby to take care of - the players progression, the training, coupled with the strategic side, how they play against opposing teams and planning certain strategies for individual teams!
Possibly one of the hardest elements, and none of them is easy but this is said in a positive way, is actually understanding and then implementing the physical and tactical requirements when play is underway! There are so many slots of info to read and take in and methods you can employ, knowing the best way to scrum, for instance, getting the best from a line out as well as assimilating the endless reams of stats of players and teams could frighten many gamers off. The fact is you either want some definitive Rugby Management game or not!?
Both the execution and presentation of the game is impressive and dare we say it, this really is one for Rugby fans with a good understanding of the game. For those who are mere fans after the momentous events of the past few months then this is a daunting game to face but one that could well reap rewards if you sit and play systematically, not missing out any elements over a long period! If you tinker with the game donāt expect any real rewards!
The more time and effort you put into playing and understanding the layout and intricacies of the game the more enjoyment will be gained.
The one quality that we need to give special mention to is the immense amount of research and attention to detail, both of the team individual players! All the teams from around the world, and yes fav named players are included. It is the real live ambience the game creates especially when the match is underway that really transports all the facts and stats onto a new level. Many games come across as being stat led or with too much emphasis on the game actions ā“ here we have the perfect balance of the two, with some well presented locations as well!
