Rugby 2004

 PlayStation 2
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 65 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 65
  3. Negative: 20 out of 65
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  1. SpringBok
    Dec 1, 2003
    2
    Total crap! went to the tutorial, didnt learn a thing, figured out how to pass and pick up the ball in a ruck and havent lost a single game since. Unrealistic, crap jerky graphics, embarassing ball gravity. EA should pay us to play this game. Awful.
  2. PeteW.
    Oct 8, 2003
    2
    I'm really gutted. The gameplay is dreadful, the graphics rubbish and the AI is retarded. Menus, options and in games stats are good, which gets my 2 points. Stick with 2001 - this beats this sad affair hands down !
  3. DavidO.
    Sep 30, 2003
    9
    Cause it is so realistic.
  4. JamieD.
    May 2, 2004
    9
    Absolutely fantastic if you were a true rugby fan you wouldnt be bitchen and moanin bout b thankful they brought it out.
  5. ZachForce
    Oct 13, 2003
    10
    This game is truly spectacular utterly amazing! rugby fans will love it i promise. the people that rate this bad have something wrong with them its probably cos you suck at it 10/10! buy it now i highly reccomend ea rocks!
  6. JimS.
    Nov 30, 2003
    10
    A solid game despite some criticsm, a must for any rugby fun. Well Done England! World Champions!!!
  7. Stephen
    Oct 31, 2003
    5
    Game is way too easy ! graphics not comparable to say Fifa 2004. also seems out of players control whether you can retain a loose ball once a ruck forms. Also almost impossible to pick up a loose ball. Very disappointing.
  8. SavageD.
    Sep 20, 2003
    3
    The graphics are bad, the gameplay is worse. Lomus rugby eats this game and it was made how many years ago?
  9. George
    Sep 26, 2003
    2
    Lazy coding and a poor effort all round by EA. I hope Codemasters or H.E.S (the new rugby league game) develop a rugby game in the future.
  10. PhillipS.
    Sep 29, 2003
    9
    This is the greatest rugby game available... If your are a rugby fan, this game will give you the accuracy with neat ball handleing, and a easy to pick up passing system, but if you aren't a rugby fan, this game will go a long way to making you one!
  11. Rushid.
    Feb 1, 2004
    0
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. I will contact EA Sport in an attempt to get my money refunded. Not only is the game buggy it's not close to being fluid to be a sports game.
  12. DarrenM.
    Jun 3, 2004
    0
    Very poor....come on EA. What happened? Give us something better by next world cup please!!
  13. AtaarM.
    Oct 10, 2003
    8
    Love those crunchin tackles the real rugby players will like this, as a game it has faults but makes up for it with atmosphere.
  14. DionP.
    Nov 20, 2003
    6
    The graphics are not good u cant tell the difference from the players but it was fun to play.
  15. CraigW.
    Oct 17, 2003
    4
    This game is terrible! The gameplay is repetitive and the rules are not constantly adjudicated unequally. The players all look the same unlike Madden and NBA Live games by EA Sports who should be embarrassed by this game.
  16. JoelG.
    Oct 18, 2003
    10
    It is the best sport game ever.
  17. DanielF.
    Dec 4, 2003
    6
    A big disappointment from EA. its only the best rugby game on a console because there is only one other that came out a few years ago which was total crap... this has a lot more to it apart from the playabilty being very poor, far too easy to win, its always nice winning but there just is no challenge to the game, after a few weeks you wont bother coming back to this game unless yourA big disappointment from EA. its only the best rugby game on a console because there is only one other that came out a few years ago which was total crap... this has a lot more to it apart from the playabilty being very poor, far too easy to win, its always nice winning but there just is no challenge to the game, after a few weeks you wont bother coming back to this game unless your playing against a mate.… Expand
  18. JonoN.
    Dec 5, 2003
    9
    It nice but wrecks your eye's.
  19. LiamW.
    Oct 29, 2003
    9
    This is a fab game! The only problem with it is that the players dont look anything like the real ones!But overall this games has super and realistic gameplay.
  20. NathanS.
    Sep 13, 2003
    10
    F*#k'n Mad.
  21. TomF.
    Sep 17, 2003
    10
    It has great Gameplay and deserves every mark 10/10!
  22. TomD.
    Sep 19, 2003
    0
    Anyone who praises this game is a ringer who worked on the development. It is truly, truly pathetic. If you are a hardened Lomu's fan, and thought Rugby 2001 was bad(which it is), this is 10x worse.
  23. LouisS.
    Sep 21, 2003
    10
    Brilliant game for rugby fans truly one of the best games to hit the stores this year.
  24. EricS.
    Sep 20, 2003
    10
    Awesome game,Too bad rococoko's a reserve.
  25. TomH.
    Sep 22, 2003
    1
    Shockingly poor. Everything about this game is awful. Avoid!
  26. TomM.
    Sep 25, 2003
    9
    Only had it for a few days, but I have to say it's a great game. It has a different style to Lomu rugby and 2001, but far superior (apart from a few minor bugs).
  27. MP
    Sep 25, 2003
    3
    Pretty poor all round. Why do all the players walk with a limp on the PS2 version? As for the commentary...
  28. MG.
    Sep 25, 2003
    3
    This game is a joke.how can you do that in 2003. the gameplay is poor, the control awfull. jonah lomu was 6 years ago and is 100 times better.When we will get a proper rugby game?
  29. climdosdos
    Sep 25, 2003
    0
    pokemon pinball on gameboy and rugby 2004 on ps2. SPOT THE DIFFERNCE. the worst game i,ve ever played it lacks in everything. Super Nintendo graphics beat the living F#$K out of this game. if i was the creator of this game i would be trying to drown myself like the complete waste of human skin that i am. BOOT YOW!
  30. JohnK.
    Sep 28, 2003
    10
    Hey to you f...ing nerds who doesn't play rugby, i give you all a big f.. you for giving this game a low rank. Real rugby players like me have been waiting for so f...ing long for a rugby game, so go f... yourself and play your pokemons and your tennis master series or some other crap.
  31. DiegoA.
    Sep 29, 2003
    2
    Rugby 2001 was 10 times better than this sh.t... can't believe that it's too slowly and has lot of bugs... continue waiting for next RWC game.. 2007...and pray for a realy cool game.. this new one is pathetic.
  32. D
    Mar 16, 2004
    7
    This may lack a few points and the season mode is a real load of sh.t but besides these points it's a good game and a game not to miss for true fans of the game I give it a 7/10.
  33. DonKnotts
    May 23, 2004
    1
    Truly sad. I played my old rugby game on the PS2 and it beats the hell out of this game. The only good thing is that I only spent $10 on this pile of crap.
  34. Maximus
    Jun 11, 2005
    10
    It is such a good game, i could'nt stop playing.
  35. L.G.
    Oct 11, 2003
    4
    What a wasted opportunity. There are so many things this game does well, but so many that it doesn't that make it sometimes all but unplayable. A few things that come to mind: Despite the fact that the instructions say that you simply walk over a loose ball to pick it up, this is not the case. You cannot pick up loose balls in this game. That kills it for me. When a ball is loose, What a wasted opportunity. There are so many things this game does well, but so many that it doesn't that make it sometimes all but unplayable. A few things that come to mind: Despite the fact that the instructions say that you simply walk over a loose ball to pick it up, this is not the case. You cannot pick up loose balls in this game. That kills it for me. When a ball is loose, you must dive on it and start a ruck. It's nearly impossible to kick while running, as you will be tackled during the kicking animation. The computer can do it just fine, though. Spot Kicks at the goal are way too easy to do. The meter is the slowest-moving I've ever seen, and wind seems to play no part in it. Another annoyance is an insistence to cut to a wide view of the stadium on every break in play, leading to a very disassociated feeling from the game. Overall a very disappointing experience. I don't see why they overhauled the whole thing when they had a very good engine in Rugby 2002 that they could have simply ironed out. … Expand
  36. NickL.
    Oct 11, 2003
    10
    This is a great game to play, the graphics complete the game.
  37. LarS
    Nov 3, 2003
    6
    Due to its "one-of-a-kindness" the game desirves "6" But my imression of it is: the game is simply not finished. It looks like an alpha-version. What is the most important part of rugby? Collision between the playes. In Rugby 2004 this is the worst part. Players just jump on the air, while their opponents suddenly fall down. The pass system is horrible. AI passes are great and quick but Due to its "one-of-a-kindness" the game desirves "6" But my imression of it is: the game is simply not finished. It looks like an alpha-version. What is the most important part of rugby? Collision between the playes. In Rugby 2004 this is the worst part. Players just jump on the air, while their opponents suddenly fall down. The pass system is horrible. AI passes are great and quick but player passes are... are not finished :) I can go on for hours describing how bad is this game. What makes it good is the overall gameplay that is just nice and Rugby 2004 is the only rugby sim avaliable now. … Expand
  38. BrentD.
    Dec 5, 2003
    3
    EA have blown their chance here - the gameplay in their previous version is miles ahead of the stuttery effort in 2004 - the options are the only good thing available - why not combine the 2??? And why does this situation happen so much with eagerly awaited games????
  39. [Anonymous]
    Aug 21, 2003
    10
    Got my hands on an early release..... Damn MINDBLOWING !!!!
  40. BillyD.
    Sep 25, 2003
    9
    This game is brilliant, the only problem is the offsides, but if you take them off it opens the game right up. also defending is quite hard to get used to. but otherwise this game is pretty darn good.
  41. wReK
    Sep 27, 2003
    9
    WTF if u f.....s dont like this game then u dont play rugby, this game is the shiznit once u get the hang of it and the amount of players makes up for lack of detail in graphics. f....n think madden was the sh.t over night ffs get a clue noobies.
  42. Willo
    Jan 21, 2004
    9
    I love this game. While the graphics need some work, the gameplay is awesome. Little things like the scrums and the lineouts show a true understanding of the game.
  43. 8Man
    Aug 25, 2004
    5
    EA really sh*t the bed on this one. Passing is slow, no backline plays in open play, player always goes down on ball even if there is no opposition within 10 metres of him (among other blaring inaccuracies). The addition of super 12 and other teams is a nice touch, but what about all of the other extras included in the other EA titles. How about dynasty mode, national anthems for EA really sh*t the bed on this one. Passing is slow, no backline plays in open play, player always goes down on ball even if there is no opposition within 10 metres of him (among other blaring inaccuracies). The addition of super 12 and other teams is a nice touch, but what about all of the other extras included in the other EA titles. How about dynasty mode, national anthems for international tests, the Haka, laying the boots, throwback jerseys, or a 7's mini game. Wasted potential. Definitely not champagne rugby. The previous version is much better. … Expand
  44. GriffinM.
    Jan 28, 2005
    10
    This is the greatest game in existence! The huge hits! and very realistic commentators make it the best game on my list.
  45. NeilF.
    Nov 13, 2003
    10
    Rugby Rocks!
  46. NathanT.
    Nov 17, 2003
    3
    An extreme disappointment. This game is basically an enbarrassment for EA. The graphics look terrible, all of the players look identicle. I may be a rugby fan. I may even play rugby! But the tutorial mode is rubbish! It barely tells you anything about the game. With the RWC going on right now this game is an embaressing example of a rugby game. that is why i rate this game a 3.

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
61

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
  1. BBC Sport
    65
    Passing between players is slow and cumbersome, kick-offs are genuinely ugly, rucks are something of a lottery and to top it all off the game is far too easy.
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  2. Operation Sports
    52
    If you're looking for a PS2 rugby game, I'd recommend the original EA title. It must be cheaper by now, and has better gameplay. If you need a PS2 rugby game with updated rosters, there are some upcoming titles you could wait for.
    Read full review
  3. Gamestyle
    60
    A decent translation with much to enjoy (primarily the sport itself); as a videogame, despite its problems - but hampered with the ruck to individual control flaw - the game seems more unfair, and less sporting.
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