Previous Next

If you don't immediately know what bowling a googly, standing at silly mid off or playing from the Pavilion end mean, then Cricket 2005 will punish you. It's rock hard, requires serious commitment and offers almost no explanation of how the sport works. At the same time, it's also a great cricket sim.

You have just two jobs - bowling and batting. You can control the outfield players, if you're feeling brave, but the disorientating camera and flawed controls will likely persuade you otherwise. Bowling involves guiding a target to where you want to bounce the ball, stopping the power gauge at the required time and then adding spin. To stand any chance of getting a battyman out you must pay close attention to how he reacts, in order to seek out weak spots and exploit them, but the controls are too unresponsive to make this really practical. And if you don't know the tactics behind taking wickets (see One Off The Wrist, below), then you're bowling blind. We'd played three entire matches before persuading the umpire to 'give the finger'. It's that hard.

Batting is almost as tricky to judge. Holding a direction and either X or Circle performs a stroke, with different shots suited to different deliveries. Spending time in the practice nets is essential for success, because until you learn how to react to the pitch, spin and speed of each type of delivery, Cricket is very frustrating. Then there's running. Pressing Circle and down sprints your player down the pitch to score runs, but you can only view this through a tiny picture-in-picture image, because the camera follows the ball after you hit ti. The restricted view means it's tough judging when to turn and run back, regardless of how far you hit the ball. It's just bad design (Why not minimise the fielding camera instead?) and it threatens to ruin what's otherwise an addictive and tactically demanding game.

Cricket is an impenetrable sport at the best of times, and this game is unlikely to rope in any new converts (wait for the inevitable Cricket Street for that). However, if you can put up with its shortcomings, then Cricket 2005 makes for a solid version of the sport. Could be worth waiting for Codemasters' Brian Lara game to lace its pads before deciding.

Taking wickets requires tactical thinking. Here are just a few of the options on offer:

1. Early Pitch
   Bounce the ball towards your end and it shoots into the air, making it hard for the batsman to drive it down, creating a catching opportunity
2. On The Foot
   Aim a straight delivery right at the batter's toe. This'll result in an awkward bounce and, with a bit of luck, will slip through to take out the stumps.
3. The Draw
   Aim three or four swinging deliveries wide of the batsman to draw him out. Then aim one dead at the wicket to surprise him.

Graphics 70%
Decent mainly, but arse picture-in-picture.

Sound 70%
Slightly repetitive, but some entertainment.

Gameplay 70%
Deep tactics, unresponsive controls.

Lifespan 70%
One match could easily last two hours.

Overall 70%
Cricket 2005 is not for casual, half hour sessions. It's also sodding difficult. But persevere and you'll find it's a well judged simulation.