Cricket 2000 - PlayStation

Such is EA Sports pedigree when it comes to putting out user-friendly, easy to pick-up-and-play titles, it seems they can succeed at almost anything they turn their collective hand to. So while we await the inevitable 3D blow football simulation, they have produced yet another fun, if not exactly action-packed game. This is not an experience which will have the veins in your forehead pulsing, it’s more like a cool flannel on a fevered brow.

Now, I realise that to some people out there, cricket is strictly verboten, whether taking part, or even especially as a spectator. However, Cricket 2000 is not the cure for insomnia you might be expecting. True to form, EA Sports have produced a game which is easy to find your way into, and a lot of fun to play. Even if you’re not familiar with the intricacies of the rules - bowler bowls, batsman bats, scores runs…easy! – you will be playing like an England regular, or someone really talented, before you know it. The control system is so simple, it’s untrue, whether batting or bowling. One feature of the game you don’t have to worry about is the fielding, which is controlled by the console. Whether you regard this as a good thing or an annoyingly uninvolving aspect of play is down to the individual. Nevertheless, with some titles these days more concerned with accuracy over sheer enjoyable gameplay, it is refreshing to be able to get out there and slog away.

The graphics are green and pleasant (well, what did you expect?), and the commentary from cricket legends Richie Benaud and David Gower is unobtrusive yet informative – just like on the telly. Crowd noise is authentic – if you’ve ever been to a cricket match, you’ll know what to expect – and the realistic atmosphere is heightened with the team members barking instructions at one another during play.

This is in no way a criticism of Cricket 2000, but it is a most relaxing experience. Sometimes you have to take a rest from all the up-and-at-‘em games, and chill for a while. Just sit back and let Cricket 2000 ease your troubled mind, and take you way past your bed-time.
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