Rugby Union Team Manager 2017

1.) The positives: If Rugby is your favourite sport, this is the best Rugby management sim currently available to buy. The general feel of the game is pretty good - the layout is very simple and it doesn't take you too long to get used to navigating your way around and working out each little game facet.. The player/league database is pretty accurate and up-to-date, although only certain teams from certain leagues are licensed (Aviva Prem, Pro 12, Top 14) and for some reason if you decide to coach international sides, the player's names are not licensed when they are called up to their international squads (something which I found slightly bewildering). Some of the competitions are also not licensed, eg: the Six nations is called the "NH Nations" - but if you can get past the lack of full licensing, this IS an enjoyable game. You can take over a club - build your club facilities, set your own tactics, bring through and cultivate your own youth teams, sign/loan players - even set your own ticket prices. I have spent many enjoyable hours so far, and I would normally reccommend a game like this - however: 2.) The negatives: If you are looking at this game, hoping for a Rugby Manager sim which is similar in style and execution to the Football manager game series - think again. This is absolutely nothing like Football manager, it is clearly years behind in it's development. First of all, the tactical side of the game I found massively wanting - you only have the option of setting extremely basic game tactics. You can manually select players for line-out and scrum, but that is about it. As a result, I quickly found a tactical system within about 1 hour of game time which was almost unbeatable, and with an average Northampton Saints team which has struggled in real life, I went the whole calendar year unbeaten, winning the treble in my first season. I repeated this feat for the next three seasons, using the same tactics, and almost the same players. I then took over as Italy manager and won the six nations grand slam at the first time of asking using the same tactics, beating england 40-0 in the process. Basically, this lack of in-depth tactics has made the game incredibly easy to beat - it is just not challenging or realistic whatsoever in this regard, which I thought was a a massive shame, as there is the basis of a good game there. The second major negative point is the 3-D match engine. Far from the crisp graphics and smooth flow of the Football manager series, the 3-D engine on Rugby union Team Manager is one of the worst I've ever seen in a sports sim game. The players run around randomly, rucking at random intervals. This chaos leads to an enormous amount of glitches, the most common of which are passes which go about 10 feet forwards yet are still counted as legal, and nearly always lead to a try. There is also a glitch which occurred in about 30% of my matches where sometimes a player would get possession of the ball, and run 50 metres the opposite way down the pitch to his own try line, and the ref would blow for a scrum to the other team in the try zone - sometimes even blow a try to the opposing team! When you're in the opposition try zone powering towards a 78th minute try to win the game and this happens to you, it's incredibly frustrating. The only positive thing about the 3-D match day engine is the team call system which is used - it makes for an interesting dynamic, but is incredibly frustrating to me because like the general game mechanics, there is the basis of a good game there, it just needs massive development. Overall, if you're a fan of Rugby, this is an enjoyable game, but it is so mind-numbingly easy and incredibly riddled with bugs and glitches, that it is not worth it unless you are a seriously big fan of the sport like I am. At £29.99, this game is almost the same price as Football Manager, but it is absolutely light years behind it in terms of the experience it offers. I say this - don't waste your money.

considering i read somewhere this was a 'completetly rebuilt' game and not a update to 2015 - i'm massively disappointed so far. the transfer market is exactly the same, players aged 21 or 33 at the same level are valued the same, you cant even see the transfer market, loan list or freebies - you have to scout it each time (so if you only have 1 scout and send him out looking at the player, team, league - then your screwed). i get that you need to 'scout' players but why can you scout all transfer listed players instantly and get their stats, yeah if i wanted to just view one player (george north for example) - i would need to either scout his club, position and have to wait a few days. masking player stats would have been a better way of handling this. frankly the transfers opperate awful. one of the bit user feedback on 2015 - was the interface, still as frustrating at before - and because there are more features, its takes longer to remember everything. staff - as far as i can see, every staff member in the world is employeed??? am missing something, so again you have to scout staff and then a 'transfer fee' for the staff member. to promote and talk about 'new manager profiles' .... wow desperate times, its one or the other, thats the feature! i really enjoyed the first game and put in nearly 100 hours, this after 2 hours i was massively disappointed, is it better than 2015 - yes of course, but its no where near what i expected. will this negatvie review be amended down the line to a positive - possibly! for me, its a facelift, and a poor one at that, majortity of the game is the same as 2015, and for £30 its expensive... especially compared to other recent releases around the same price point (FM17, motorsport manager and planet coaster)

10hrs GP: I've played the game for 10 hours now and I have so far only experienced one bug, so I'm not sure what other people are doing, maybe it's their OS? The menus aren't very laggy, taking less than a second for each click to respond and load the corresponding request, so I don't really know how much quicker people want it? The game is very enjoyable, and is definitely like many other strategy games, I've just reached Christmas and I've now got a set tactical game plan, and I've promoted a few academy players. I've slowly overhauled my staff and the team training is much more effective. I think the problem is, because the game looks rough, it's hard to see past this on first viewing. It's the same as every game, when you get used to the interface, everything is quicker and you look past what it looks like and instead focus on what it does. Would still recommend! 2hrs GP: Right, firstly I need to say this will be a working review even though I am reviewing after 2 hours, because I feel there needs to be some balance after seeing the first couple of reviews. It's rough and ready, but it's good. You can't compare it to Football Manager and their level of detail as they have much more money and have been developing the game over decades, not a couple of years. Plus rugby is far more complex in terms of tactics and positioning. The database is a bit iffy, Manu Tuilagi has around 40 power, and Harry Thacker has apparently reached his potential at the age of 22. However, I restarted the game a few times, and the attributes and potentials changed for just about all the players. So I feel the game may have a randomiser similar to Football Manager where it randomises some attributes to create an original experience each time you start a game. It creates an air of luck, it is a game and you can't expect to replicate real life exactly. When playing, there isn't a database of players, you must scout for the position/team/league, and then view the players from there. This for me is more realistic: attributes, value, potential, injures etc. all change from day to day, so it doesn't make sense to have a spreadsheet full of players, you need to scout them! My favourite feature is during the match, you can choose the kind of kick off, choose the play you're going to do off your set piece, and choose what to do for a penalty. Which gives you much more control compared to just watching the players do it themselves. The match engine is a bit raw, but it's only been a few years in development, what do you expect? The defensive positioning is poor, but it is just a game, you can't expect to see or implement a Paul Gustard style blitz defence. The interface is rough and it's not the cleanest or neatest. But it is understandable at the very least and I feel I'm getting my head around it. Give the game a go, it is enjoyable, but don't expect it to blow you away.

Poor interface, very basic with buttons that must be toggled to navigate, no smart design with user experience in mind. Lots of bugs, constantly having to refresh pages. Only Prem, Pro12, Top14 & D2 licensed with inaccurate player info & attirbutes. Feels like a framework of a work in progress rather than the finished article. Very disappointed.

I really hope that my review is able to help you; if you would like to know more, post a comment, and I will endeavour to answer. As a long time player of Cricket Captain and Football Manager, I was especially keen to get stuck into a management game focused on my beloved rugby. I have not been disappointed - the game is really excellent, although there are a couple of things that I personally would like to see change. - I really like the interface - it is easy to navigate and easy on the eye. - From a resource management point of view, this game is excelent - one has to manage finances, staff, players, a long term plan (attempting to please the board and also grow the stature and infrastructure of one's club etc). - Tactics: I really enjoy matches and the tactical side of things, although I slightly prefer the FM (and even early Championship Manager) approach of having sliders for everything. The team calls are fun, but I would rather have to analyse my team's strengths and weaknesses, adjust a whole host of tactics with sliders (so I don't do silly things like try creative passes with a prop etc). There is so much potential in rugby for multiple tactical elements one can control, from individual decisions, to varying team philosophies. Some of this is already in the game of course. One can vary one's attack "expansiveness" in 12 different zones on the pitch and change one's defensive system in 4 different zones on the pitch, but I think individual instructions for each position would also be nice. - Matches: These generate realistic score-lines and are enjoyable. If you want a hands on approach, you can ad-lib defence and attack parameters and also decide when to kick, although it seems to be difficult to clear the ball to touch! I'd personally like the clock to operate in real time, but with "boring" passages of play skipped (as in Football Manager). If this were to be altered, one would then have more stats at the end of games for things like knock ons, penalties etc. Overall though, the matches as they are, are great, but I am sure that the developers are planning to improve the player animations, movements etc with time.

Good update from the 2015 version. The interface is much nicer and easier to move around. Lots of new things to get used to, such as the transfer system, getting staff etc. Also the changes during the match for choosing different plays, etc. is a very welcome change and makes games more fun to play. Obviously still a few issues, such as: - The defence is still rubbish, with players just randomly going walkabouts during the games. - Player ratings are all over the place, with random unknown players being the best on your team. - When any player gets sent off/sin binned, the no. 7 will move into his place and you can't move him back, which is quite annoying to have someone like Chris Henry playing at inside centre. But I do know it's a work in progress and will hopefully keep growing and I'll keep supporting.

This is a positive step forward for this new franchise. A lot of people are dissatisfied because they might have been expecting a radical difference from 2015's version. If this is to become "the FM of Rugby" like everyone hopes then it is going to take time and steps will be tentative. The look of the game is, for me, much improved. I like the new menu and interface improvements, it feels fresh and definitely an improvement on the vanilla layout of last time. I do think the menu system is a bit complex and that the game needs a tutorial of sorts to get people into the swing of things. Gameplay wise, not much has changed but there has been attempts to move forward with new additions. There are several more needed - a generic "search" function for players and staff is badly needed but it doesn't stop signings - you can sign pretty much anybody that you want to eventually. It's nice to see that licenses have been added to and it would be a major coup if more could be obtained going forward. The updates released have settled the game down a bit and it's pretty solid now. The match engine has showed (in my opinion) a lot more ambition this year though that is something that can continually be improved and sometimes the game gets ahead of the engine. Overall I do like RUTM17. It isn't perfect and I wouldn't expect it to be. Two games into a franchise will not yet yield what everyone wants from the game but it's a positive step in the right direction for me.

I liked this game, Good update from the 2015 Version. Not as much detail as Football Manager and there are some statistical/Positional errors on some players. Also doesn't have rights for Southern hemisphere teams but still very enjoyable game, For the most part I think the 3D engine is quite good, and feels like you can definetely change the outcome of a tight match with tactical choices. Occasionally there are some issues with players running off the pitch and in silly directions but overal thr feel of the match is quite realistic Overall this game is a bit rough around the edges and could do with abit more depth, But is definetely an improvement on RUM 2015 and is definetley the best Rugby Management Game, available at the moment, So would reccomend a purchase if you like Rugby and Management games

The management side of the game is certainly pretty detailed but it all falls down when the players run onto the pitch. First game of the season, one of ny players has the ball on his own 22. Runs all the way back over his own try line and concedes a 5 metre scrum. Well you don't see that very often on TV do you? Second half, have the opposition penned back inside their own 22. One of their players runs back towards his goal line, touches down between his own posts and scores 5 points. Not sure what is happening at this point, but while I watch amazed their number 10 claims the ball and runs the length of the field to place the ball for the conversion (at the right end this time) and adds the extra 2 points. Oh, and why do all the scrums feed from the tight head side? To say there are some issues with the 3D game is an understatement.

Great work by the team at alternative software in greating a really immersive rugby game that has just the right balance of on-field and off-field gameplay. Great things about the game: 1. Recruiting your back-room staff is vital to success. Getting a top forwards and weights coach if you want to win the physical battle, get a top notch southern hemisphere backs and track coach to develop a creative backline. 2. Investing in your facilities takes time, improves training, revenue but also increases overheads. 3. The actual matchday gameplay is suprisingly addictive. There are so many options, setting up the defensive and attacking styles depending on where you are on the pitch, or dictating each play. Speed up or slow down the game and select kicking options. Let your half-backs loose to take opportunities or have them focus on being playmakers. Its not the same as an actual rugby game, but its a manager product and there isn't a decent rugby game out there - its just too complex to make a good one. 4. Scouting building and selecting your squad is engrossing. Where will you scout - young academy players who need to be trained up, experienced premiership or super rugby stars who break the bank, or will you build up from the colts or amateur lower leagues. Get better negotiators on staff to make key signings or just grow your own talent. 5. Players get injured and worn out. Its rugby! The squad takes a real beating so you need to build strength and depth, assign doctors and physios and make the training schedule build fitness and stamina to compensate. Do you pick skills or fitness - you sometimes can't do both. 6. Plenty of options to skip the details if you want to get on and play. Loads of settings to simplify the process if you want to just chunk through the league. 7. Great community support in the forums and by the alternative software team. Seems to be regular updates plus the community have created updates to the database via the Editor with names, club badges etc that can't be in the product because of licensing. 8. Real licensed players and teams for the major leagues. 9. Salary caps make it much more realistic, managing your finances across the squad, staff, facilities means its not total fantasy with unlimited funds. 10 Coaching international teams and the Lions/Barbarians is pretty awesome. There are plenty of minor ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ - lower leagues don't have official kits, properly named stadia and photos for players, stadium all look the same, some in-match behaviours are a bit odd. But all in all very pleasantly surprised by how good this is and most of the issues I hope will be resolved as the updates keep coming from alternative.