Despite Rugby Union being more recognisable to the average eye, the sport of Rugby League has instilled itself within the video game world for quite some time now. Debuting on the original Xbox, then jumping to the PS2, and now finally to the current-gen systems, the Rugby League series has become the ‘go-to-guy’ for rugby fans; but does Rugby League Live put in a big enough hit to please veteran fans and newcomers?

Rugby League is essentially pretty different from Union rules (which is what we are more familiar with here in South Africa), so if you want to check out a brief breakdown, head over to the Rugby League 3 Review, so we can jump straight into the game itself.

Although the series has been going for a fair while, development has been handed over to a new studio. It’s Big Ant Studios turn now and they definitely add some nice touches to the game, while maintaining the series’ core. This does leave the gameplay feeling similar to any other Rugby League game; however the running, physics and animations are obviously helped out thanks to the game finally hitting the 360 and PS3.

The control scheme has also been revamped quite a bit. The X (or 360′s A) button is held to sprint, while the triggers (or the right analogue) are used for fending and sidestepping. The shoulder buttons then handle the passing, and a clever mechanic which assigns buttons to certain players, helps the player to pass to exactly who he wants. The new control scheme works, but the responsiveness is a little sloppy, and it also doesn’t help that tackle is assigned to Circle (or B) making sprinting and tackling a finger-wrestling match.

When things are going right, Rugby can be one of the most beautiful sport to watch, however Rugby League Live isn’t so gorgeous. It’s not bad looking by any means (given the budget of the game), however it lacks that charm and shine of other sporting titles. In its favour, the re-worked menus and overall match presentation are making the right steps forward. But for crying out loud, the series really needs a Replay system.

Overall, Rugby League Live is the best game in the series; however it hasn’t evolved much since its debut back in 2003. There are a lot of new features, such as online multiplayer and a gimmicky “Impact Camera”, but it’s all style over substance. A good effort, but the developers need to focus on the foundations of the gameplay in order to deliver a real translation of the fast, fluid and intense sport we all love.