Cricket 2004

I think this game is one of the best cricket games ever produced. EA have done another great sports game! Any second thoughts on this game?

Having already got Cricket 2002 I was expecting a significantly enhanced version in 2004. So here's how it shapes up:
Batting
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The batting has certainly been improved and now requires you to focus a lot more on the type of shot you need to play - this is a big move forward. The new batsman confidence meter is a good idea and works well. Running between the wickets is still a bit suspect. Sometimes you try to cancel a run but it doesn't respond - resulting in a run out! very annoying. Action replays of you hitting a four or a six are fun to watch and the amount of control you have over this is great. Don't get too frustrated if at first you can't hit the ball or keep getting out quickly - it takes time but eventually you'll get the hang of it.

Bowling
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From what I can see there is not much of an improvement in this area. It's fairly straightforward and like it's predecessor works well. At first, positioning the ball on the right spot can be difficult - resulting in too many wides being given away. However, a little practise helps a lot with this.

Graphics
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Improvement on 2002 but not brilliant. Sure the stadiums are good and the player movements are better but it still leaves me feeling that it could be so much more somehow. I just wish that as much effort would go into this game as goes into the EA soccer games.

Commentary
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Yes it's better but it still lacks a basic intelligence of when and when not to say certain things. For example, I'm 47 for 5 after six overs and the commentator says something like "that's a good start to the innings"!! Duh! Yes I've managed to score a lot of runs in just a few overs but I've also lost 5 wickets! It also repeats the same phrases ball after ball. I still leave the commentary on because I think hearing Richie Benaud alone adds to the atmosphere.

Other stuff
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There are lots of statistics and player info etc which I guess is interesting. For me though I'm more into picking up the game for a few hours and having some fun. Can the programmers spend less time on the stats and more on improving the graphics?

Conclusion
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The gameplay has definately improved in certain areas especially batting (which after all is what is most important). The overall feel to the game also feels much slicker and well packaged. For me though, it is not a significant improvement over the last version. It is the best cricket game out there and I'm pleased that EA Sports continues to develop it - which is why I give it probably 7 out of 10 stars. Is it worth saving up for if you already have the 2002 version? Probably.... but only just.

I'm with u

I played Cricket 2000 and Cricket 2002 for quite a while and was really excited to switch over to 2004, however, I haven't got the chance to play Cricket 2006, and haven't heard much of it either.

I quite agree with you too, the gameplay had a major improvement in the 2004 version. In fact, I still find the game quite a bit exciting as I used when I started playing this game. I particularly liked how we could also manage the squad with ease, which wasn't a feature in the older versions of this game. But with games like FIFA around, this game didn't gain the popularity it deserved. None the less, a very nice game.

This is not a good game. None of the EA Sports games are good. Graphics is ok and stadiums ok. Very confusing!!!!! I've played it for a year now and i still dont know how to ball. It is very confusing. And batting, i just survive with my cheats bigbat. Thats how i winn.

i have played cricket 2005, and the graphics are better than brian lara. gameplay is also good.

EA sports is improving its game continuously and cricket 2007 is nice game, it is something difficult but interesting too and graphics are excellent in 2007 than 2005.

-ANKUR

cricket 2004
Cricket 2004

Cricket 2004 is one of the best and easy game to play among all cricket games


-reply by talha

Brian Lara Cricket 2000 is better
Cricket 2004

I have played Ea cricket 1997,2000,02,04,05,07   a lot on my pc.. But what I experienced from brian lara cricket 2000,none of the Ea game has given me...

 As a matter of fact Ea cricket games are good in graphics but they are much lacking in gameplay..Whereas brain lara cricket 2000 pc was much much better than and its been past almost 10 years but I am really loving it...This game is awsome...If I have a chance then I like to modifiy this game to some new extant...And would like to play it with refreshment

-reply by drmony

 

I've only ever played EA Cricket 2004, it still needed some work all around but I enjoyed it immensely.  The only thing I'd like would have liked as well would have been to be able to select where my bowler lands in the propping crease sometimes

-reply by Turbulent Lord