TechGazing

One of the biggest grudges we have been nursing against gaming consoles - be it the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, or the Nintendo Wii - is the fact that none of them have a decent game of cricket on them. We have had a few versions of EA’s Cricket and one of Brian Lara Cricket too, but none of them have quite hit the right buttons. International Cricket 2010, however, is quite a different matter.

For one, the game is incredibly simple and intuitive to play. We have been messing around with the PS3 version and must confess to being impressed. Yes, it is very - and we mean VERY - similar to Ashes Cricket 2009 (heck, it is largely the same team of developers from Codemasters), but there are a number of refinements that stand out. The most spectacular is the Power Stick control system while batting which allows one to do stuff like angling one’s bat at the very last moment - classy, very classy, once you get the hang of it. The bowling system is largely unchanged, although a simpler bowling process makes no-balling a tad more difficult. Fielding is largely automatic, except for the catching, where you come into play, if you are the fielding side. That apart, most of the basics of batting and bowling are covered in the game, with nuances like bowling grips and fancy strokeplay available for those with patience.

In terms of looks and specs, the game does very well indeed - we think that this is the best-looking cricket game ever by miles. The addition of the over the shoulder view for both batsmen and bowlers jazzes up the routine camera angles and the likenesses of the English and Aussie teams (although alas not for the others) are very impressive.  And while on the subject, the game only has the licensed versions of the English and Australian teams, which means that a mysterious “Sevak” opens the batting for India, but that apart, the game is pretty spot on with its animations and stadium renditions. The fact that factors like breeze, pitch wear and tear and age of the ball affect the game is a huge plus. All three formats of the game are supported - T20, ODIs and Test cricket, with the option to customise tournaments if needed.

International Cricket 2010 is not perfect. The absence of licensed stars from teams other than England and Australia will upset many, and the commentary and crowd response, not to mention the rather strange fielding (players stand and let the ball pass by them), will make eyebrows rise. But the intuitive gameplay and excellent presentation, not to mention the near-realistic simulation of cricket conditions, more than compensate. And give us hope of a much better version some time in the future - one that cricket gamers will cherish as much as those who love football love the FIFA and PES games.

We are willing to put it on record - it has got its rough edges, but International Cricket 2010 has got to be the best cricket game ever seen on a console. Take a bow, Codemasters.