Here is my review on Sidhe's Rugby League 3 Forum:
After a few days of playing it, I thought I'd pass on my thoughts.
In summary, this is the best rugby league release of the series, although at first I didn't think so and was quite concerned that it was a step back, sacrificing any good steps made on the last two versions of the Rugby League Series. I will break it down the review by components.
Graphics: 6
To me this is the poorest part of the game, but it is infintely better than Rugby League 2. Apart from the issues about the sharpness of the picture (which has been discussed here with solutions involved), the colour tones and the actual stadiums are fantastic. Playing at Toyota park feels like you are there. The most impressive part of the graphics to me, as strange as it sounds, it the grass. It looks like how are real NRL football field looks. Unfortunately, a number of the player likenesses are pretty poor attempts and the continuation of the 2D crowd is disappointing. But we need to remember the budget the game was on, and the fact that not only for we have NRL, ESL, Aust., NZ, Eng., and SOO, we also have the addition of Toyota Cup, Champs 1 and 2, and a host of new international teams. Thinking about the squads involved, it is understandable that likenesses may be off. On the sharpness again, I do find it dissappointing that a lot of people have had issues that needed to be solved here via the component cable (which is extremely helpful), but if the average game player doesn't come to this site they will be left dissappointed. Perhaps a note in the booklet could have been useful.
Sound: 7
The commentry and crowd noise comes together really well. Whilst Andrew Voss' commentry can come off a bit annoying at times, the broad scope of commentry is a welcome addition to what I thought was repeated lines in the first two games. However, there is the occassional stuff up during interchange - rarely does he get the name of who is coming on right.
Gameplay: 8
Now this is the area that seems to have contention. I first played the game with the horizontal remote, and I hated it. I thought it made things too fiddley jsut to past the ball. As I did not have a Gamecube controller (and by the sounds of it, it is a good thing) I then went to the remote with nunchuck. After a few problems early on, I found it really fun and enjoyable and allowed me to feel involved in the game. It is a bit annoying you can't sprint and pass, but then again - you can't really do it in real life. There is a bit of a problem for me that sometimes when I want to barge/palm I end up side stepping but this is not a big issue. I find the two different movements for a short pass and long pass useful, as it can lead to some real effective play.
One thing I did notice, going from schoolboy to reserve to me seemed like a big jump. But then, I realised the game tends to be more realistic then its precedessors, in that the game really is about possession and field position. Whilst I think the previous games were more about your ability to throw the ball around, this one is more focused on completing the set and kicking the ball in the oppenents end of the field. Also with attack, I found a lot more tries were being scored out wider by creating the overlap, with the occassional hole as well. This to me felt more like a rugby league game, then a game that looks like rugby league.
Features: 9
One thing I noticed about the game, was the abundance of new features that really added to the game. I will attempt to go through them, but may miss out on a few.
Franchise: This is unbelievably good. Easy to navigate, and simply fun to play. Whether it is the regular Dally M updates at the start of the year, the club records a click away, or the media reports, to me it gives you a small insight into what a club coach/manager needs to do.
Strategy: This was may favourite addition to the Rugby League series. Whilst the uninterested gamer could just leave it on auto, I love being able to set my attacking and defensive strategies. The aggressive defence, or full line defence is fantastic, as well as being able to set your back three ready for a kick on the 4th (and stopping a possible 40/20). In attack, having the ability to set a flat or deep attack is great, as well as working towards a field goal. It makes the game more interactive and interesting to play.
Kicking system: Another vast improvement. Whilst the punt, bomb, and grubber seem the same (though I still believe they have improved), the addition of the chip is fantastic and can lead to a great plays, half breaks leading to a chip over the fullbacks head billy slater style.
Overall: 7.5
This game is a fantastic improvement on the previous games of the series. Am I happy this on Wii? Definitely. I think using the remote and nunchuck makes you feel a part of the game. This, with the addition of the new strategies and franchise features, you really feel a part of the sport and like you are in total control of all aspects of your club of choice. There are still a few issues to fix that perhaps have been reoccurrant from previous versions, but this is a big step up.
Will the game work as well if it were on PS3 or XBox 360? I don't know. I think the Wii allowed the game to be a bit more interactive, but I would like to see a new one on these HD systems if just for the improved graphics. But it would need to have the budget.
For the next version, I would like to see the time frame used a bit better. Whilst I know it would have been extremely difficult to get the 2010 rosters for this game, perhaps if it were organised for the start of the 2009 finals it would have been better. But I know Sidhe may not control this, but it is something to think about in the next version.
I know I will get many years of entertainment out of this game, whilst Rugby League 1 & 2, I grew a bit tired of fairly quickly, there is a lot in this game to maintain it's entertainment level. Whether it is trying new strategies, or competing in different tournaments, I won't be putting this game down anytime soon.
f**king lack of cover defence
