Brian Lara Cricket? Go back to the drawing board.
But it was not to be. Today, Friday 23rd March 2007, at 2:00 GMT, did i venture forth to my nearest computer game retailer to buy this 'cricket god'. I write this now, after hours of assessing every inch of the gameplay, and what I have come out with is as much of a shock to me, as it will be to you - it is utter rubbish. It has gone backwards. It makes me hate the game, my 360, myself, even life itself because I am absolutely sure that this game was concocted by a 1930's possy of moonshine brewers, brought from the past, injected with a burning hatred of cricket, and asked to direct the creative process of this fabled tablet.
But seriously. The graphics. They are marginally better. It has 2 new shots - the sweep and slog sweep. You can move down the wicket.
Woopey doo.
Some other points. It is so appallingly easy it makes me want to tear my hair out. On my first go, test difficulty, versus New Zealand, I scored 450 runs in 23 god damned overs! Thats a new ODI record on the hardest setting on my first go with less than half of the given overs! I feel angry writing about it. Making quick singles your batters don't rush in and make it safe, they stop with yards to go, turn around and slowly place their bats in the crease. I got run out twice in comfortable singles because they just tried plonking the bat down even though they would have been 2 metres into the crease if they ahd carried on! I scored 6 6's in and over twice. It has digressed.
Thats it. No, no its not it, its not it at all.
The fielding side give the impression that they are blind, or unaware that they are required to stop the ball. I hit 4's directly through fielders, and men on the boundary just don't fancy the 2 yard run to their left. No. They're all right where they are thankyou very much. Its not good enough.
Fair enough the bowling engine is ok. But thats because its exactly the same as '05 (which rocked), even though it seems clunkier and generally frustrating.
And another thing - you can't put yourself in a national side and compete in any real competitions. No, you must create yourself with mega stats and put yourself in a custom team?!?!?! There is no gaining skill points by doing well, scoring runs, takings wickets. No, its given to you! It's no fun! It's so boring!
I invite anybody to play this game for more than 2 hours and feel satisfied. It is a stain on Brian Lara's legend, the Brian Lara trademark, and the game of cricket.
Imagine FIFA 07 for the 360. Make it even worse.
Build a passionate hatred for that game and the game it simulates, and then play it.
And there you go, you may be within a few lightyears of the feeling of deflation this game provokes.
Brian Lara. HA. Your the cricketing equivalent of Tony Blair with a gammy leg and 1 arm. Leave it out.
What an utter failure.