subject: Rugby League Challenge PSP Go Game Review - Download Rugby League Challenge For Free! [print this page]
Rugby League games have been few and far between over the past couple of years. Fans of the sport basked in the glory of 2005's Rugby League 2 on the original Xbox and PlayStation 2 consoles, but the franchise's lack of an update has left fans clamouring for more since its release. It's disappointing, then, that the latest effort to bring the sport to consoles is such a poor one, mixing dodgy AI, shallow gameplay, a lack of multiplayer support, and dud production values.
Rugby League Challenge's gameplay is lacklustre at best, and the game's second-rate visuals and audio don't do anything to help rectify the situation. There's no audio commentary, and while a guitar-heavy rock track plays during menus, there's no soundtrack during matches. This leaves you with only the two similar-sounding tackle sound bites as players crash into each other, the referee whistles, and a cheering crowd rumbles while you crash over the line to score a try. Despite being a licensed product, there are no videos of the game's flesh-and-blood players in action or cutscenes.
The only form of encouragement you'll receive for successfully winning a match is the rather sterile "Congratulations Match Won" static image flashed up on screen. Fans of the UK league are even worse done by as player photos have been replaced with generic character renderings in the team selection. Character animations alternate between smooth jogging and clunky shambles as you lurch around the field. Player jerseys don't include numbers, so you'll need to rely on the name that appears next to the stamina bar at the lower part of the screen if you care who has the ball.
Ultimately, the game's all-or-nothing difficulty, dodgy camera, and lack of compelling reason to return once you've completed a season makes Rugby League Challenge extremely hard to enjoy regardless of how well you play it. If you like your Rugby League games, give this one a miss and dust off your copy of Rugby League 2 instead.
Rugby League Challenge PSP Go Game Review - Download Rugby League Challenge For Free!
