EA Cricket 2005 or Brian Lara Cricket 2005?

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I've owned cricket games (not including the management games I've owned) in the past ranging from Graham Gooch's Cricket on the Amiga, Brian Lara's on Megadrive, Codemaster's Cricket game on PS1 and Cricket 2002 on PS2.

What I want to know, as a purist fan of cricket who loves field settings, playing 50 overs or 5 day matches rather than 20/20, who wants to see players in hegame who don't look all the same, where pitches and weather makes a difference, where graphics are decent, bowling variations make a difference and batting is varied and enjoyable...Which game is better?

I've read reviews for both and I'm confused.

I've heard that EA's effort is more for the purist while Lara's is more knockabout fun but I really need to know ASAP.

Help?

[Dan]

I prefer Lara by quite a bit. It's worth trying them both out before buying.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Blockbuster Rental here I come...

[Dan]

The only minor problem I have with BLC is the kits/player names. Though the teams are right for the tournaments and so are the kits.

[Thomas]

Whioch is the best for ... y'know.... cricket? Realism. In shot selection, player movements and the like...

[Mongrel]

Cricket 2005.

Very hard to begin with, don't expect to slog everything.

My advice, buy it on the PC, as expected with most Cricket games there are bugs.

Edited August 11, 2005 by The Flamin Mongrel

[FunkAsPuck]

My brother rented both, I got a chance to play both of them.

Brian Lara. By far. Its easier to pick up and get into and generally more fun to play.

[Darloboy]

I own Brian Lara, and I've played Cricket 2005, and Brian Lara is light years better.

[Mongrel]

Again, it depends on what you like.

If you want big run rates and generally easy game player, BLIC is your go.

If you want realism, yet at some stages real difficulty, go C2005.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The Mongrel has a similar view of cricket as myself from what I know. Therefore I'd tend to agree with him in most cricketing things. I like the concept of averaging 3 runs an over rather than 10 and having stages of having to defend everything or getting slogged for a few overs...

Just on silly things, are player likenesses any good? Do the players celebrate at all on 50 or 100? Is fielding slick? Are spin and fast different enough?

[Whisper]

fielding on ea cricket can be a bit dodgy at times (at least on the PC version anyway) and I don't believe there's a patch.

In my opinion the bowling is very good. I got a bit frustrated playing on easy cos a full toss seemed to get them out nearly every time but i assume once i shift the difficulty up it wont happen. Spin and fast are extremely different and the whole bowling system works well.

Player likeness seems ok to me, but i'm just a passing cricket fan so you may want another opinion there. Having only made one 50 I can't really comment on the celebrations but the comp has made a few and they do celebrate with the usual raised bat etc.

The single best part of the game though is how realistic it is when it comes to getting batsmen out. Once they make 20 or so and gain confidence it gets difficult, more so with the top order than the tail enders. Touches like that make me feel like this game is better for the cricket purist than Brian Lara. Although i've only played Lara once it did seem more of a pick up and play game.

Edited August 16, 2005 by Whisper in the Wind

[Dan]

You have to contribute to the catches on BLIC.

Cricket 2005 is just too damn hard, I have never hit a 6 on it, and seldom get 4's.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I'm just about to go to Blockbuster to get one on rental.

I'm going with EA unless they don't have it or it's out...Then I'll get Lara's.

Very exciting. Could only be a few days away from splashing all my wife's hard-earned cash

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

I have 2005 and have rented BLIC, and by a country mile its Cricket 2005. These are the reasons why. 1. Realism - ITS HARD, ITS LIKE REAL CRICKET. You don;t just have to choose where you want the ball to go like in BLIC you have to choose whether to go forward of back, a decision that is the basis as to whether you get out or stay in.

2. Graphics - in my oppinion I enjoyed seeing the faces of the England players it was funny.

3. Player names - I don't want Brat Bee i want to be bowled by Bret Lee.

Go for Cricket2005 its the obvious choice.

[Dan]

So liscences make it better?

That means Fifa is better than Pro Evo right?

Even though it would take 15 minutes to fix the names.

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

Thats a fair point Dan, I totally agree, however the other reasons are still viable as to whether C2005 is better than BLIC. I really hate Fifa haha.

[Thomas]

So liscences make it better?

That means Fifa is better than Pro Evo right?

Even though it would take 15 minutes to fix the names.

←

Edited August 16, 2005 by Thomas

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I went for Cricket 2005 in the end and think I made the right choice.

Though in my first county championship game for Kent my opponents got 223 for 4 off their 45 overs and I was 25-4 before I had to stop playing.

Gonna be nice and hard and frustrating for a while.

Commentary is a bit ropey though. I like the way the fielders hustle and the "special ball" you have to save up for.

Andrew Hall > *

[Troy Maskell]

I would've picked neither

BLC is too arcadey and C2005 is just C2004 with create a player and a stat update.

I would've said get C2004 and splurge the rest on a gift for the missus

[Dan]

I went for Cricket 2005 in the end and think I made the right choice.

Though in my first county championship game for Kent my opponents got 223 for 4 off their 45 overs and I was 25-4 before I had to stop playing.

Gonna be nice and hard and frustrating for a while.

Commentary is a bit ropey though. I like the way the fielders hustle and the "special ball" you have to save up for.

Andrew Hall > *

←

I think you made the wrong choice >_>

Anyway, gunna play BLC in a bit, some of the good things about it are... The commentary is great, I love that they have different commentators for different matches. I love the way that Tony Greig will start talking about shane warne's ability to spin a ball during a match and stuff like that. I much prefer the confidence thing on BLC, say your bowler has just bowled 4 dot balls his confidence bar will be up, and the batsmans will be down, so the bowler can bowl some of his dangerous balls e.g yorkers. If the batsmen has his bar high he will have more chance of hitting a 6 and not missing it etc.