Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition News Post

Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition Gameplay Videos, Ships June 13th

10:50 AM - June 5, 2013 by Steve_OS

The Lions Will Roar - Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition Out June 13th

Launch trailer unleashes the power and spectacle of international rugby

Home Entertainment Suppliers Pty Ltd (HES) and Alternative Software are pleased to announce that Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition for PlayStation®3, Microsoft Xbox 360® and PC will release on Thursday 13th June worldwide.

Developed by New Zealand based games developer Sidhe, the sequel to Jonah Lomu’s Rugby Challenge is the only videogame licensed by the British and Irish Lions 2013 Tour of Australia.

With more licenses than any other rugby game In history, from players through to teams and tournaments, Rugby Challenge 2: the Lions tour Edition offers more content, more authenticity and gets closer to the action than ever before with new features, including:

Refined and expanded gameplay with the addition of quick taps, quick lineouts, mauls from lineouts, interceptions, contesting ball at the breakdown, removing players from the ruck, number 8 scrum pickups, and dynamic in game team strategies on both attack and defence
110+ teams and 50+ stadia from around the world are featured including official team, competitions, and special match licenses for the British and Irish Lions 2013 Tour of Australia, Aviva Premiership Rugby, RaboDirect PRO12, TOP 14 , Pro D2, Super Rugby teams, the All Blacks, the Qantas Wallabies, the USA Eagles, Bledisloe Cup, Barbarians FC, Combined Country, ITM Cup, and Ranfurly Shield
More options to create or customise players, teams, and competitions, and change game rules and behaviour to shape the game to play how you want and keep the game fresh year after year
Revamped sound and commentary systems, with real-time commentary from seasoned rugby commentators Grant Nisbett and former All Black turned commentator Justin Marshall, and French language commentary from Eric Bayle and Thomas Lombard

“The Lions Tour has begun with a bang with a 59-8 mauling of the Barbarians, and we’re excited to be able to bring Rugby Challenge: The Lions Tour Edition to consumers on June 13th,” said Roger Hulley, Managing Director, Alternative Software. “This is our finest videogame to date and we’re very excited to be launching the stand-out rugby game of a generation”.

Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition will release worldwide for PS3, 360, with PC to follow later in 2013. More information and ongoing updates about the game can be found at the official website www****gbychallengegame.com and at www.alternativesoftware.com

Check out some Rugby Challenge 2 gameplay videos below, courtesy of VG24/7.

If you can't view the embedded video, click here.

Game: Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour EditionReader Score: Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 0 - View All

Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition Videos

Member Comments

# 21 MattyEdgeworth @ 06/17/13 05:39 AM

I'm not going to make the mistake I did last time and buy it day one. The first game was decent at best and I'm not sure how improved the game is. To me it still doesn't look particularly realistic.

# 22 MattyEdgeworth @ 06/17/13 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy


	Got my copy this afternoon, and have played a few games. Some observations: -Control and player movement is much better. Players feel heavier, and this leads to fewer large breaks and swerving type runs on higher difficulties. -organization of players in open play and breakdowns is improved, thankfully -cpu ai seems pretty decent attacking and defending, but I'll need to gather a larger sample size. -Rucking is well improved, and the addition of removing players from the ruck is welcome -tactics seem well implemented, but I need to spend more time exploring this aspect of the game. -The visuals look great, but how come kits don't get dirty? This was in the last game and it looked great. If I'm playing in the rain I want to see my guys get covered in muck. -So far this better resembles the game I wanted out of RC1. I'll definitely be playing this for a while.

The main problem for me was always the passing, what is it like this time around?

# 23 stizz @ 06/17/13 03:30 PM

Passing's pretty much the same. Back line is usually very unorganised so you see passes to the man standing right beside you, especially from the AI.

Way too many turnovers. You can barely get multiple phases on one possession and even using the send runner right and left (cool addition) seems to increase the chances of a turnover rather the opposite.

Still a pretty fun game though but the restrictions are killing me. Sucks that I can't use players for the international teams with likeness in some leagues due to the restriction.

# 24 bad_philanthropy @ 06/17/13 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stizz


	Passing's pretty much the same. Back line is usually very unorganised so you see passes to the man standing right beside you, especially from the AI. Way too many turnovers. You can barely get multiple phases on one possession and even using the send runner right and left (cool addition) seems to increase the chances of a turnover rather the opposite. Still a pretty fun game though but the restrictions are killing me. Sucks that I can't use players for the international teams with likeness in some leagues due to the restriction.

Agree with all of this. The ball should be turned over more often on the tackle, through handling errors, or most of all more phases rather than two phases and then the defending team overpowers in the ruck.
I haven't experimented with sliders yet, but I will shortly. After that I'll hopefully get a Lions tour up in the dynasty forum.

I'm enjoying the game though. A couple of things that I'd like to see fixed in a patch (excluding the player restrictions which I know is the licensor's prerogative rather than Sidhe's). Note I'm playing on PS3

-a few rules glitches: Sometimes balls kicked into touch are are awarded to the wrong team, and some instances 22 drops are called when there should be a scrum.

-number of balls turned over in the ruck. Already explained above. I'm not asking for pure sim gameplay in the breakdowns, but I think a few changes could go a long way to improving gameplay.

-progression/regression in career mode. This is a big one I'd like to see young players progress more than 1 point overall every three years or so. Would like to see older players regress by the time they reach late 20's/early 30's.

-I'd like long passes and passes by forwards to feel riskier/less accurate.

-maybe slow the game down a bit (though I'm sure the game speed is a well-deliberated design decision.)

-Painfully slow menus. Probably due to the design style, and how much is rendered. See NCAA Football 14. They had the same problem with overly elaborate menus in previous year being slow and unresponsive—this year they went with simple and responsive.
-cosmetic: I'd like to see dirty uniforms back int he game. It looks like player limbs still get dirty, but kits are perfectly clean even in rain games.

It's the best rugby game I've played (and I loved JLR on PSX, and Rugby 06), but there are some really annoying niggles detracting from a game that would otherwise be an all-timer for me.

# 25 Anners @ 06/18/13 01:15 AM

It's good (if that's even the right word?) to see that some of the things I've noticed are actually problems rather than me being frustrated. The rucks are particularly killing me at the moment.

Finally got to the 6 Nations in my first career (chose Ireland as my International team) and I've just come up against those player restrictions. Is there no way to get around it? I might have to start a new career and pick a minnow possibly.

# 26 bad_philanthropy @ 06/18/13 01:32 AM

One terrible thing I noticed. In a career test of Super Rugby, players made unavailable due to international duty actually show up on your bench and you can sub them in. Imagine my surprise to see Dan Carter doing double duty for the All Blacks and Crusaders at the same time.

And about rucking. I would simply like to know if I'm doing it wrong or if there is an issue. It seems like I often have guys at the tackle, and I quick bind, but get blown off the ball by no apparent opponents. I'm just not sure if I don't understand the rucking mechanic or if this is how it's supposed to be.

# 27 stizz @ 06/18/13 03:14 AM

I think if you contest (X or []) then the ruck bar increases a fair bit, but after you do and you get a warning by the ref you can't add more players to the ruck (I don't seem to be able to anyways).

# 28 MattyEdgeworth @ 06/18/13 04:44 PM

I don't like the sound of it to be honest. I mean it sounds like it is an improvement, but still not sim enough for me. I'm usually pretty lax with wanting pure sim, such as with Madden and FIFA(which isn't a sim despite what some say) but Rugby is by far my number one sport. I live and breath rugby hehe

# 29 Anners @ 06/19/13 03:22 AM

Finally bumped it up to hard and I'm noticing more things, some of which have already been mentioned:

- The long passes are quite ridiculous, particularly by forwards who can seemingly throw a 30m pass to perfection consistently.

- The amount of offloads by the CPU is far too much, I know you can adjust this by sliders but I haven't touched any of them yet.

- A lot of the time there isn't any sort of defensive structure and when an attacker breaks free, defenders occasionally stand there and watch them go by.

Have noticed a few glitches as well. Latest one is if you knock on and keep kicking the ball along the floor, the game carries on. Theoretically, if you knock-on inside your own 10, you could kick it 80m for example, let the CPU recover and carry on there if you let the ruck play out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy


	And about rucking. I would simply like to know if I'm doing it wrong or if there is an issue. It seems like I often have guys at the tackle, and I quick bind, but get blown off the ball by no apparent opponents. I'm just not sure if I don't understand the rucking mechanic or if this is how it's supposed to be.

I've noticed this as well. I've resorted to just doing heavy bind and it seems to work a bit better but it's still an issue.

# 30 stizz @ 06/19/13 05:44 AM

Here's a quote from Milla.

Quote:


	There are people who want a sim. They won't get one from us. We never set out to make one, and don't plan to do so.

Pretty disappointing really.

# 31 MattyEdgeworth @ 06/19/13 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stizz


	Here's a quote from Milla. Pretty disappointing really.

To be honest I think that Milla guy is a bit of ****.

And yeah that is very dissapointing, I mean Rugby is a pretty niche sport. A rugby video game even more so, especially one that is more expensive than other games and harder to find. I'd wager that the majority of people buying the game want a sim.

# 32 Krebstar @ 06/19/13 02:02 PM

Something that bothered me in the last game was that many teams played in the same stadium in career mode. Almost all European clubs.

Even if you edited their home stadium, when you went into career, it would use the default.

Is this different?

# 33 Anners @ 06/19/13 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krebstar


	Something that bothered me in the last game was that many teams played in the same stadium in career mode. Almost all European clubs. Even if you edited their home stadium, when you went into career, it would use the default. Is this different?

Yep, this is different now, just checked.

# 34 Milla @ 06/19/13 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattyEdgeworth


	To be honest I think that Milla guy is a bit of ****. And yeah that is very dissapointing, I mean Rugby is a pretty niche sport. A rugby video game even more so, especially one that is more expensive than other games and harder to find. I'd wager that the majority of people buying the game want a sim.

I'm not a guy, or a ****.

The section of the rugby gaming market that would buy a sim is a fraction of the whole. It makes bad business sense to reduce an already small possible market.

# 35 Stormyhog @ 06/19/13 09:05 PM

I think people should be thankful to have a rugby game. Sure I want it to be realistic but you also have to make it fun. Even games that say they're sim still have arcade elements so it's not to overly frustrating. I wish the game was available in canada for the PS3 so I could give it a try.

# 36 bad_philanthropy @ 06/19/13 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milla


	I'm not a guy, or a ****. The section of the rugby gaming market that would buy a sim is a fraction of the whole. It makes bad business sense to reduce an already small possible market.

Is it logistically impossible to develop the game with "sim" orientation and simply reduce the more demanding features by default to please both aspects of the market? For example: EA's NHL series is developed as a sim, and out of the box plays more toward the "arcade" end of things. There is an option for those looking for it to switch to "hardcore." I feel like the development of the game as a sim positively serves the more accessible version meant for the every day consumer.

I'd argue purely on the basis of opinion that Ruby Challenge could benefit from a more sim-oriented design in the same way. As it is now, it feels a bit incoherent pairing things like strategies on the d-pad—with which you can set things like line depth, and add the fullback to the backline—with gameplay that doesn't really reflect the value of these strategies. Add a quite well-executed, and deep career mode, and it is out of place when in-match play inadequately differentiates forward and back play. I have a game in which I can manage my squad, have players away on international duty, deal with injuries, select an international squad, all over multiple years, but on the field a lock can fire the ball 20+m with perfect accuracy?

Subjectively, successful sports titles appear to favor sports games developed as sims, but tuned out of the box for a less discerning audience. We can see it with MLB the Show, FIFA, NHL, and even a title like Football Manager finding solid footing in the market, and general praise from gamers and critics. I won't debate the size and popularity of these sports vs. rugby, and the budget the EA games have versus RC, but I think you should give gamers more credit. I understand doing what HES, or whoever does the market research, and supplies metrics about what the market does and does not wan say, but I'd like to see Sidhe have a bit more faith in developing the product they would like to see. If that is what RC is actually doing, then I digress.

Sidhe have done an amazing job in a lot of ways with RC on a shoestring budget, but it feels like there is an element missing. To me that is a bit more attention to the authenticity of the rugby action on the pitch. Regardless of whether the aim is to create a sim or something else, I think the game benefits in either sense from gameplay better resembling real life the union game. I'll continue to support the title because I find it an encouraging framework, and do enjoy actually playing it. I just hope the trajectory of its gameplay in potential future iterations trends toward something deeper.

# 37 Milla @ 06/19/13 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy


	Is it logistically impossible to develop the game with "sim" orientation and simply reduce the more demanding features by default to please both aspects of the market? For example: EA's NHL series is developed as a sim, and out of the box plays more toward the "arcade" end of things. There is an option for those looking for it to switch to "hardcore." I feel like the development of the game as a sim positively serves the more accessible version meant for the every day consumer. I'd argue purely on the basis of opinion that Ruby Challenge could benefit from a more sim-oriented design in the same way. As it is now, it feels a bit incoherent pairing things like strategies on the d-pad—with which you can set things like line depth, and add the fullback to the backline—with gameplay that doesn't really reflect the value of these strategies. Add a quite well-executed, and deep career mode, and it is out of place when in-match play inadequately differentiates forward and back play. I have a game in which I can manage my squad, have players away on international duty, deal with injuries, select an international squad, all over multiple years, but on the field a lock can fire the ball 20+m with perfect accuracy? Subjectively, successful sports titles appear to favor sports games developed as sims, but tuned out of the box for a less discerning audience. We can see it with MLB the Show, FIFA, NHL, and even a title like Football Manager finding solid footing in the market, and general praise from gamers and critics. I won't debate the size and popularity of these sports vs. rugby, and the budget the EA games have versus RC, but I think you should give gamers more credit. I understand doing what HES, or whoever does the market research, and supplies metrics about what the market does and does not wan say, but I'd like to see Sidhe have a bit more faith in developing the product they would like to see. If that is what RC is actually doing, then I digress. Sidhe have done an amazing job in a lot of ways with RC on a shoestring budget, but it feels like there is an element missing. To me that is a bit more attention to the authenticity of the rugby action on the pitch. Regardless of whether the aim is to create a sim or something else, I think the game benefits in either sense from gameplay better resembling real life the union game. I'll continue to support the title because I find it an encouraging framework, and do enjoy actually playing it. I just hope the trajectory of its gameplay in potential future iterations trends toward something deeper.

We just had the budget and time to make one game. And we didn't even get to put in everything we wanted.

No, not impossible, but out of our reach, and outside anything we wanted to attempt. Knowing your scope and sticking to it is important in this industry. A sim of a simpler sport might not be unreasonable, but a rugby sim is always going to be pretty profound, because of the nature of the game. A sim would be a much more formidable and unforgiving genre than what we went for, and then to throw in the arcade version as well? It would be like making two games in one, and probably not doing either genre justice.

# 38 bad_philanthropy @ 06/20/13 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milla


	We just had the budget and time to make one game. And we didn't even get to put in everything we wanted. No, not impossible, but out of our reach, and outside anything we wanted to attempt. Knowing your scope and sticking to it is important in this industry. A sim of a simpler sport might not be unreasonable, but a rugby sim is always going to be pretty profound, because of the nature of the game. A sim would be a much more formidable and unforgiving genre than what we went for, and then to throw in the arcade version as well? It would be like making two games in one, and probably not doing either genre justice.

I can accept that. If RC2 is the direction Sidhe wants to take so be it.

Quick question to other users. Has anyone seen the cpu sub for anything other than an injury?

EDIT: n/m saw the cpu make a sub.

# 39 fearwhatnow @ 06/20/13 03:17 AM

@Milla, Sidhe ofc has every right to make the game as they wish. It's pure business after all. But this quote seems a little bit harsh to me:
"There are people who want a sim. They won't get one from us. We never set out to make one, and don't plan to do so".
Never? RC2 may sell well and Sidhe may find the funds to improve the game and make it more sim-friendly. I feel that your reaction was a punch in the stomach for all those that provide feedback and for 2 years buy the game to support Sidhe.

# 40 MattyEdgeworth @ 06/20/13 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milla


	I'm not a guy, or a ****. The section of the rugby gaming market that would buy a sim is a fraction of the whole. It makes bad business sense to reduce an already small possible market.

Well whatever you are, to me you seem like a ****.

I don't believe that's right either, anyone that I know wants a sim because they all play rugby. Even if it's impossible to go for a pure sim, you could do a better job of it than you have. I appreciate it can be difficult for a small studio but when you have forwards or anyone throwing inch perfect passes from 30-40 yards it is a bit ridiculous. Not to mention all players seem to have glue on their hands and can catch any pass no matter how awkward.

I haven't bought this game, and don't think I will but from the gameplay videos I've watched I can see that those problems have not been addressed.

I'll also say that the excitement for this years game is considerably less after the last effort, which while it wasn't awful didn't really give people(that I know anyway) what they wanted. As well as the fact that so little attention was given to northern hemisphere teams, which was a joke.

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