INTERNATIONAL CRICKET CAPTAIN 2006

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Empire Interactive

Publisher : Xplosiv

Engine : Not Revealed

Genre : Cricket

Release Date : June 16 , 2006

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows 2000 / Windows XP

CPU : AMD Athlon XP 1800+ / Intel Pentium 3 Processor

Memory (RAM) : 128 MB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 8.1 Compatible Video Card with Memory 16 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 4 Ti Series
ATI : Radeon 9250 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 200 MB

GAME FEATURES :-

In the full version of International Cricket Captain 2006, you can captain any English county side and earn the right to lead England, or take on both roles straight away. Alternatively, you can avoid the county circuit and jump straight to the international arena with any of the 10 test-playing nations. The final option is to revisit cricket's past with four historic clashes involving England and either Pakistan or Sri Lanka--who are both touring England during summer 2006. After assigning your players some coaching, you are quickly into the season with your opening fixture, and your first task is picking your team. You can base your decisions on current form, long-term performance, and the conditions. If it's a cloudy day, for example, then it makes sense to play a bowler who can swing the ball, while spinners should profit on a turning surface, especially towards the end of a four- or five-day game. If your players suffer a string of edged changes, or keep playing and missing, then you can calm things down. It's more likely, though, that reckless aggression will lead to the swift fall of a wicket. You get much more input when it's your turn to field, and a well-balanced attack should help you succeed in all conditions. The process is simple--select a bowler, decide which stump to aim at, where to pitch the ball, and whether to go over or round the wicket. Because bowlers can suffer fatigue quickly, you need to juggle them around to keep creating chances and stop the opposition from capitalising on tired deliveries. You also need to keep thinking about your fielding positions. The game will automatically arrange the fielders depending where the bowler is aiming and how aggressive you want to be. This can then be tweaked, so if a batsman keeps hitting fours through the same part of the field you can put a fielder in the way.

Visually the game is disappointing, especially if you've played previous versions of International Cricket Captain and hoped to see improvements. There are small differences in the way that the players move; for example, fast bowlers are slightly quicker, while spinners saunter in slowly. Players can be differentiated by hair and skin colour, but otherwise you may as well be looking at a low-budget cartoon. The audio is also rather basic, with just a few crowd noises, the clunk of leather on willow, and commentary from the BBC's Jonathan Agnew--many of whose remarks are unchanged from earlier versions of International Cricket Captain. You certainly get plenty of matches in a season. At the county level, there are four competitions; the two-division championship, two one-day competitions, and the Twenty20 'thrashathon'. In the longer games, strategy comes to the fore as you attempt to emerge victorious over four days. In the one-dayers, you find a test of nerve as you push your batsmen's aggression up and cross your fingers. Twenty20 games are a riot--because there are so few overs that you throw all caution the wind when batting, and as the fielding side it's vital to save every run you can. The players are also well created in style, if not in appearance. Leading bat swingers like Flintoff and Pietersen will thrive when instructed to chase runs, and it's good to see upcoming stars like Monty Panesar and Ed Joyce performing well. Squad training allows you to keep players in good form or develop the skills of younger cricketers, and when playing at home you can get the pitch prepared to suit batsman, seam bowlers, or spinners. At the end of a county season, you're assigned your budget for next year. This is based on your performance in the various competitions, so if you're promoted or enjoy a good run in the cups, then you're rewarded with the chance to improve your squad. After haggling with existing players whose contracts have run out, you can spend your remaining income on buying new players. This includes a wide range of international players, which can be the best chance of introducing world-class talent to your team. Your total budget depends on how well you performed in the previous season, although larger counties automatically enjoy a larger income. As well as salaries, you can spend money on coaching, youth training, and physiotherapy. This means you can balance your resources between strengthening your team, improving your players, keeping them fit, and improving your chances of finding bright young talent. Once you've built up your team, you can play against other human players online, with a league system that uses a ladder-based points system, so you can challenge opponents of roughly similar ability. Use your inspired captaincy to achieve glory on the county cricket circuit or in the international arena, but don't expect any big improvements over previous versions of International Cricket Captain.

GAME REVIEW :-

6.5/10

International Cricket Captain 2006 Trailer :-