World Championship Rugby - PC

Not long ago, few developers dared to venture into the genre of virtual rugby. And many of those that did gained very little. In fact, only the likes of EA seemed to gain any kind of ground or worthwhile profit. But the sport is much bigger now, and during 2002 and 2003 we've come across more than a few rugby games. And as we move into 2004, the latest publisher to jump on the proverbial bandwagon is Acclaim with World Championship Rugby on PC. It follows just several weeks after the console equivalent and - graphics card permitting - looks spectacular.

In earlier days, developers had trouble mastering the play mechanic behind the virtual contact sport, but with time, the control method and on-screen animation has been improved and refined no end. This is in many ways reflected in Acclaim's World Championship Rugby. A multi-player affair for one or two players, WCR affords gamers what is perhaps the greatest level of control ever seen in a rugby simulation. Gameplay is free-flowing, players are responsive and a dynamic tackling system makes the whole experience convincing. Individual characters are accurately modelled, and a new 'degradation' system helps show the wear and tear of both the players and pitch over time.

The rest of the game is pretty much standard. There is an array of game options, a large selection of moves and tackles and a choice of 20 international teams. It's simply rugby at its best. more