Gertlushgaming banner logo

Give Our Rubgy 25 PlayStation 5 Review A Try!

by · Published · Updated

Get ready to dive into the adrenaline-pumping world of Rugby 25 for the PlayStation 5! From local club clashes to the most epic international championships, this game has it all. Each pass, tackle, and try is meticulously crafted to bring the essence of rugby right to your fingertips. With lifelike gameplay, strategic depth, and heart-stopping action, you’ll feel like you’re on the field, battling for every victory.

Rubgy 25 PlayStation 5 Review Pros:

  • Decent graphics.
  • 67.93GB download size.
  • Platinum trophy.
  • You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions of the game.
  • Officially licensed.
  • Five game difficulties – easiest to hardest.
  • A full 3D game stadium and gameplay.
  • The camera will spin around when possession changes hands.
  • Lines will appear when needed during the game.
  • The player’s name and number will show when in possession of the ball.
  • Referee calls show on the screen.
  • Commentary chimes in with plays and set pieces.
  • End of game breakdown and you can view it in the pause menu.
  • Before the game fully downloads you can play an arcade game where you pick two teams.
  • Four ways to play – play now, career, Six Nations, and online.
  • Camera settings – gameplay camera, field of view slider, conversion kick camera, line out camera, and camera switch.
  • Gameplay settings – replays, offside indicators, offside lines, and crossplay.
  • The Rugby Academy lets you create players, a team logo, a team, and a stadium.
  • Upload and download other players’ Creations.
  • You do not need a Playstation Plus subscription to download player creations in Rugby 25 on Playstation 5.
  • Eight competitions to play – men’s 6 nation, top 14, Premiership rugby, United Rugby championship season, Super Rugby Pacific season, Major League Rugby season, Pro D2, and custom one-off competitions.
  • Four-player local multiplayer support.
  • Before an arcade game, you can choose which side to be on or go in the middle and watch the CPU play each other.
  • The game does support local co-op against the CPU.
  • 21 leagues – World Cup, international Oceania, top 14, Pro D2, international South America, international Asia, international Europe, major league rugby, Premiership rugby, international Africa, international North America, individual clubs, Romanian Liga nationala, Portuguese top 10, Polish Ekstraliga, Brazil super 12, Belgian TVH rugby league, Bangladesh NCRC, Super Rugby, Liga De Rugby Kaufland, and United Rugby Championship.
  • Each team has an Overall ranking of 0 to 100 rating.
  • Match settings – half-length (5/7/10/15/20/40), difficulty, managing line up, stadium, time of day, weather, extra time, ball, sin bins, and injuries.
  • Six times of day – random, morning, day, afternoon, dusk, and night.
  • Extra time options – golden point, no extra time, and sudden death point.
  • Six weather types – hot, auto, damp, showers, cloudy, and clear.
  • Each league has its own ball type.
  • Players have stats for – strength, speed, kicking, hands, and mentality.
  • Career mode has you creating an identity – first name, surname, date of birth, and currency.
  • Set all the game settings for career mode – half-length, match difficulty, recruiting difficulty, and injuries.
  • The career mode has 13 domestic league choices. You then pick a team and a sponsor that has a season goal attached to it.
  • Set your coaches, fitness trainers, doctors, and scouts rating in career mode using the starting points allocation.
  • The career mode has standing, the next match schedule, objectives, a calendar, and an inbox.
  • Full team management system no matter the game mode.

Rubgy 25 PlayStation 5 Review Cons:

  • The game doesn’t inform you that the game says downloaded but it’s not actually finished and until then the game will automatically pick arcade mode and make you think something is wrong.
  • You cannot remap the controls.
  • I never managed to stop the ball or steal it making defense a mess of mashing and praying I somehow get the ball.
  • The camera angle would just change for no reason or in such a way it was jarring.
  • There is no referee on the field only the sidelines.
  • The commentary is not amazing and is repetitive and monotone.
  • You cannot see a preview of the rugby ball choices.
  • Being a physical sports game like rugby you expect slow movements and passes as the game goes on butt the passes and tackles are all just as quick as an arcade game and it is kind of immersion-breaking.
  • Animations are not great and every player looks and moves the same on the field.
  • The soundtrack sounds very generic and is not good or fitting to the game.
  • To me the controls feel horrible, they are not responsive or tight in any way.
  • Performance issues dogged games from slowdown to occasional freezing.
  • Players will just stop or slow down straight away for no reason other than to be tackled.
  • The crowd and stadiums only look good in flyover then they look blurry in the game.
  • The game believes and acts as though you know everything about Rugby beforehand.
  • Tutorials if you can call them are far and few between and only ever seem to state the obvious.
  • Robotic animations make the game feel miles behind what it should be like by now.
  • Inconsistent penalty calls.

Related Post: Stunt Flyer Review

Rubgy 25:

Official website.

Developer: Big Ant Studios

Publisher: Nacon

Store Links – 

PlayStation

  • 7/10
    Graphics - 7/10
  • 6/10
    Sound - 6/10
  • 5/10
    Accessibility - 5/10
  • 6/10
    Length - 6/10
  • 5/10
    Fun Factor - 5/10
5.8/10

Summary

Rugby 25 presents itself as a mixed bag of experiences for players. On the positive side, the game boasts decent graphics and offers a substantial 67.93GB download size. Players are rewarded with a platinum trophy and both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions of the game are included. It is officially licensed, adding an air of authenticity. The game features a full 3D stadium and gameplay environment, with the camera dynamically spinning around when possession changes hands, enhancing the immersive feel. Players’ names and numbers are displayed when they are in possession of the ball, and referee calls are shown on the screen, while commentary chimes in with plays and set pieces.

The game offers five difficulty levels and several gameplay modes such as play now, career, Six Nations, and Online. There are also various camera settings and gameplay options like replays, offside indicators, and crossplay. Rugby Academy allows players to create custom teams, logos, and stadiums, and upload and download other players’ creations. Notably, on PlayStation 5, players do not need a PlayStation Plus subscription to download these creations. The game supports eight different competitions and four-player local multiplayer, allowing friends to compete in person. There are also options for local co-op against the CPU.

However, the game is not without its flaws. A major issue is the game’s failure to inform players when the game says it’s downloaded but isn’t fully finished, leading to confusion and frustration. Additionally, the inability to remap controls, problematic defense mechanics, and jarring camera angles detract from the overall experience. The absence of an on-field referee, repetitive and monotone commentary, and lack of previews for rugby ball choices further hinder the game’s appeal. The fast-paced, arcade-like passing and tackling can break immersion, and the animations, which make players look and move the same on the field, are not up to standard.

Furthermore, the soundtrack is generic and does not fit well with the game, and the controls feel unresponsive. Performance issues, such as game slowdowns and occasional freezing, plague the experience. The visuals of the crowd and stadiums are only impressive in flyovers but appear blurry during actual gameplay. The game assumes players have a prior understanding of rugby, with sparse and obvious tutorials that fail to provide meaningful guidance. Robotic animations and inconsistent penalty calls make the game feel outdated and frustrating.

In summary, Rugby 25 has some redeeming qualities, such as decent graphics, multiple game modes, and the ability to create and share custom content. However, the numerous gameplay and performance issues overshadow the positives, making it a subpar experience. Overall, Rugby 25 feels like a game stuck in the past, with outdated mechanics and visuals.

 

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!