Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13244 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Electronic Arts
• Released on: 2003-09-19
• Platform: PlayStation2

GamesMaster Magazine
"The best way to play rugby on your console."

Manufacturer's Description
For true sports fans looking for the unique thrill of rugby, Rugby 2004 is the most complete and authentic rugby game available. Building on the success of EA Sports' previous Rugby titles, this is world rugby at its body-ramming, bullet-passing, try-scoring best.

Rugby 2004 features an all-new intuitive control system, as well as all new motion capture, animations and character models. Hone your skills in the Super 12 and European Domestic Leagues and then take your team to victory in the fast-paced action of World Cup Rugby. With a significantly enhanced career-building mode, the addition of 67 stadia from around the world, and all-new audio commentary and camera angles, Rugby 2004 puts you on the field for authentic rugby competition.

Customer Reviews

Try scored but conversion missed.
I can't quite see why EA sports chooses to short change us Europeans on our top Sports. If you look at the Sports the Yanks play and the corresponding EA sports Video Games, they're jam packed with top notch graphics and a wide range of realism scenes to really glitz up the package. Then you look at Rugby 2004...
The game merits its 3 stars on the actual play, fast, furious and fun. You have to play on normal (otherwise you'll get bored of the endless easy overlaps and general schoolboy errors perpetrated by the opposition.) All the technical considerations and stategy options are great. Make no Mistake as a rugby fan this game is everything i'd hoped for, for the first time you can control and plan your game to a huge degee.
The disappointment is that no the graphics are deplorable. All the players look like they have had their heads inflated, the only difference between Johnny Wilkinson and Jason Robinson is that one is a darker shade other than that they look the same. the wide angle shots resemple World Cup '94 on the Megadrive at times and every try scored is followed by the same commentary phrase and the same celebration by the player ( he waves and walks back to the line,). The real Kicker is that you play a FIFA game (EA sports as well) and you see what they are capable of, why is it that even during a World Cup year Fans of any Sport except Football and those strange rituals they play across the pond have to put up with second rate products because EA can't be arsed. I dread Cricket 2004... they'll peddle us the same rubbish because they have a monoploy over all us fans who can't go anywhere else. The Ea Sports tagline 'it is the game!' seems rather empty when you consider this offering perhaps 'it's all about the benjamins!' would be more appropriate!

Average Game, but fun to play
I must say that I was really looking forward to this game, but was slightly pt off by the reviews. After playing it for a week, I do like it. There are some bad points, and these are major points that EA must rectify for the next release. The graphics are awful, the players are in no way realistic and the gameplay takes a little to get used to. The rucks and mauls seem utterly arbitary, the line outs are still a mystery to me and the scrums seem overcomplicated. The referee is infuriating and the opposition can range from stupid to world beaters at the drop of a hat. BUT it is more realistic than the last version. It's so satisfying to throw a miss pass and then to put the afterburners on and speed through the space you've created. If all teams could play like this game encourages you to, the world would be a better place. Because of the rucking and mauling deficiencies, you can no longer afford to take it up through the forwards, but spin it wide and make supported breaks. Oh, one last thing, the commentary is awful, John Inverdale shouting Coh-En at the top of his voice when ever the big man touches the ball! As for the game, Try it, you might like it! (Excuse the pun)

RUGBY 2004
Rugby is a great sport, but even more greater on PS2. Rugby 2004 is another great sports games crafted and concocted by EA SPORTS (It's in the game!). Lots of rugby fans should already own this amazing game, It's simply fantastic, lots of features and this should get more better ratings, everyone says that this is rubbish, It isn't, maybe that's why every sports fan should own this, it's on PLATINUM, so it sold loads.

All the best international rugby teams are on this if you did'nt know, and there are tournaments to fulfill (World Cup, 6 nations, Tri-Nations Championships, etc), I wanna go straight to the features but thats way too soon, I need to do more describing, the gameplay has improved vastly, another great point, another thing the graphics are cool aswell, and it's got loads of licensed players, well, here are the features...

-Intuitive new control system (more easy to handle, hmm?)

-Easy to pick up and play but with greater depth for experts (another improvement by EA SPORTS).

-New co-op multiplayer mode (2 players aswell as one).

-Improved player AI (AI is more sensible than last time).

-Buy/sell/trade players to build an all-star team (now you know why you should get this).

-Over 67 detailed stadia with realistic pitch types and weather conditions (You can play at Murrayfield, Twickenham and Landsdown Road, etc).

-62 teams and over 1500 licensed players from the World Cup to the European Domestic League teams.

-Dynamic commentary (play by play commentary from legendary commentators John Inverdale and Gordon Bray).

-Harder hitting (you can cause injuries like you're in a battle).

Fantastic gameplay, amazing features, Rugby 2004 will go down as one of the best rugby games of the millennium for sure, BUY THIS NOW!OVERALL 100%/100%

~Calum Fairweather (RUGBY PLAYER AND FAN)