While PALGN has provided our polarising views of each game, it may be a more effective comparison to show how do they stack up against each other. With that, we present the first gaming comparison...
EA Cricket 2005
Features:
- 10, 20, 50 over one-day games and 5-day test matches
- Play now, Test Series, Test Tour, World Cup, Knockout, Domestic Season modes.
Stats:
- Up-to-date from Australia’s tour of New Zealand in April of 2005.
- Players from all Test playing nations, all minnows from the 2003 ICC World Cup and 2004 ICC Knockout Trophy, season 2004/2005 domestic squads and numerous ‘other’ squads.
Setup:
- All face buttons are used. There is the option between analog stick and D-pad. Shoulder buttons/triggers are used as well.
Batting:
- Four different shot selections; front foot, back foot, charge and leave.
- Technically and visually sound.
- Very accurate animations.
- Workable controls - on paper.
- Extremely frustrating due to poor physics, poorly programmed controls and advantageous AI.
- It’s virtually impossible to implement the power shot.
- It’s impossible to beat the field or find gaps, unless the fielder isn’t there. This is due to poor physics that greatly limit the areas the ball can travel.
Bowling:
- Technically sound.
- New “bowler confidence” metre.
- Animations are not varied but are solid.
- When the metre is filled, bowlers have access to “special deliveries”. This adds a new dimension of strategy.
- Controls are relatively responsive and well implemented.
- However, swing, seam movement and spin is limited and not indicative of reality.
- The umpire’s head is in the way of the bowling marker from the default camera.
- Yorkers get hit for six too often, and the opponent AI has too much of an advantage.
- Bowling for long periods can end up quite boring.
Fielding:
- AI is based on the team’s quality in real life.
- Solid but many will be tempted to leave it on automatic.
Presentation:
- Detailed and effective HUD.
- Accurate and realistic TV style presentation. Replays of key moments, umpire decisions are generally correct. Not enough new technology implementation, such as Hawkeye or snickometer. Games can take too long.
- Stadiums are well recreated.
- Very few players resemble their real-life counterparts.
- There is no “atmosphere” in the games. Poor crowd and life-less players don’t help.
- The game isn’t much better in multiplayer, even though it avoids the AI issue, the poor mechanics remain.
Commentary:
- Terrible.
- Very few phrases.
- Said at the most inappropriate and incorrect times.
- Butchered pronunciations.
- Richie Benuad imposter.
Overall:
- EA Cricket 2005 simply fails to deliver an accurate or fun sports simulation. There are too many things wrong here to recommend it. Despite this, it has obviously ridden the wave that was the hyper competitive Ashes series and has sold by the bucketload.
Brian Lara/Ricky Ponting International Cricket
Features:
- Variable over one-day games and 5-day test matches.
- Double Wicket tournaments, Historical and Classic clashes, ICC World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy.
- Career players that you can "develop" by playing lots of games, making lots of runs, and taking lots of wickets.
Stats:
- 15 International sides accurate to the end of the 2004 ICC Knockout Trophy.
- Individual stats accurate as of January 10th 2005.
- A few other squads such as the World XI
- However, outside the World Cup and knock-out tournament, the player names aren't licensed. Thankfully, there is an editor to rectify this.
Setup:
- A simple yet effective setup. Less face buttons used.
- However, not quite as intuitive as EA's game. Needs a little bit of time to get used to.
Batting:
- Three different shots shot: On the ground, lofted (power) or defend.
- Technically and visually accurate.
- Simpler controls are very effective.
- Though the batting has a slightly arcade feel, it is incredibly intuitive and immensely rewarding.
- Get your timing right and you can actually beat the field, hit gaps and hit boundaries on a regular basis.
- Confidence meter actually plays a part in the game.
- Meter works in conjunction with bowler’s meter.
- Batting can be lots of fun and there is much less frustration here.
Bowling:
- Animations are solid and lively.
- Bowling mechanics are limited and scripted but functional.
- When the confidence meter is filled, bowlers have access to “special deliveries”. This adds a new dimension of strategy.
- Meter works in conjunction with batsmen’s meter.
- Controls are relatively responsive.
- Swing, seam movement and spin are limited and not quite indicative of reality.
- Bowling for long periods can end up being boring and at times, unrewarding and frustrating.
Fielding
- For the most part, it’s automated.
- There is the addition of the throwing/catching meter. A reflex action by where you hit a button as a bar appears over a fielder’s head. Hit it at the right to time to take a catch or cannon a throw back to the keeper. It keeps you interested and on the ball.
Presentation:
- Much more arcade-like than EA's game. Colourful menus
- Less complicated HUD.
- TV presentation that includes Hawkeye.
- Graphically, not as realistic. The game opts for a slightly cartoonish feel.
- Many more players that resemble real-life counter parts.
- A much more distinct and livelier atmosphere.
Commentary:
- While lacking the pedigree of EA's game, it manages to be much more bearable.
- The phrases are plain, generic and at times, out of place, with no players named.
- Not very exciting.
- Tony Greig AND Bill Lawry.
Overall:
- Ricky Ponting International Cricket 2005 utilises a simple yet effective formula to make an enjoyable and light-hearted sports game that can be enjoyed by everyone with a remote interest in cricket. Probably the best cricket game made to date. Unfortunately, the "late" release in Australia may hurt the game a bit, not only from the scarring caused by EA but by the fact that it's named after the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes in 18 years. Still, the success in Europe may help guarantee a follow-up in the future.
FINAL RECCOMENDATION:
- Ricky Ponting International Cricket 2005
While not perfect and lacking the statistical depth and realism of EA Cricket 2005 iteration, here players simply will find a much more enjoyable title. At the end of the day, fun and enjoyment is why we play.
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