Great for he who hates Cricket! (Cricket 2002 (PS2))

Member Name: D1A1

Product:	Cricket 2002 (PS2)
Date:	21/04/02 (1492 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun game

Disadvantages: Emm

If cricket is one of my most loathed sports, why is it I can?t stop playing Cricket 2002? This game is absolutely fantastic - there really is no need to play the actual sport thanks to EA Sports? PS2 offering! I cannot stand watching cricket on the television, nothing ever seems to happen, but at least the sport was the inspiration behind this game. My perception of Electronic Arts is rapidly changing for the better. SSX and Tricky were fantastic sports games, if a little crazy, they?re fun to play in one or two player games, and believe it or not non-extreme sports other than football can actually make a decent video game.

If cricket is to you as it is to me then it?s simply about batting and bowling, with a few other players scattered about the field. Find a few mates, one is all you need though, choose a couple of teams, select a 10 over match, read the on screen control instructions and away you go!

The first notable aspect of Cricket 2002 is the brilliant graphics. It?s as close to watching the real thing on the Tele, only without all that waiting. The player animations are superb, very smooth indeed ? everyone looks at moves in a far more realistic way than in previous sports games. The textures and colours are all first rate, the crowd and stadiums are all accurately represented ? I?d say it?s on a par with Fifa 2002.

The commentary is supposedly insightful from Mr Richie Benaud, everything is remarked upon, which can be useful if you?re playing manual fielding ? ?that one?s right up in the air!? you?ll learn whether it?s possible to catch the batsman out, or when to run in order to prevent them hitting the boundary. Of course when you perfect your bowling you might be able to send the batsmen walking straight from the bowl. Anyway, the commentary is realistic, although some phrases aren?t put together all that smoothly. The crowd don?t make much noise ? it?s just like the real thing!

The presentation is all very EA, wit
h suitably low key menu music, as you?d expect ? very professional ? the menus offer game modes from Exhibition Match, Tournaments, honing your skills in the Practice Nets, you can even edit all the player details, why not put yourself in the England Squad! If you?re like me and can?t be hassled to change anything, then go straight through to ?Play Now?, select everything including the weather!

Select from the likes of India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Australia and England. Go with a high ranking side if you?ve never played before. When you?ve complete certain sections in the game, won tournaments and so forth you?ll be able to play as the unlocked All Star squads too.

As ever, start off with the coin toss to select the starting positions. Here?s where the fun starts?I?m much more a football or basketball person, yet for me the gameplay in Cricket 2002 eclipses the very best of other sports related computer games. If you?re bowling you?ll have to set your target from the moving circle, set the pace from the ball bar (make sure not to over run the line or get a wide ball) and away you go. I would advise leaving auto-fielding for your first few games, leaving your only responsibility to bowl to your heart?s content. Make the batsmen work my adding spin or blistering pace (I didn?t know it could get up to 130kmh!?).

Batting is much more fun ? slog the ball at your peril, play the safe shot and don?t run when the signal is ?no run?! It?s a great feeling to get a 6 or a boundary, watch the umpire wave his arms about as you get 4 runs. What a game! For the fanatics, or those who know more about cricket than me, there?s all the up to date 2002 statistics, all the official players, 10 international teams and 22 magnificent stadia.

I still wouldn?t sit through 30 minutes of cricket; I?d rather play tiddlywinks than actually play ?real? cricket, but for some reason Cricket 2002 offers superb gaming for more than just
fans of the sport. 1st class delivery from EA!

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