- The WorldCup is in Asia after nearly 15 years and WC matches in the subcontinent are known to be high-scoring and thrilling, thanks to the dead plasticine pitches we have here. Add to it the fervor and enthusiasm that Asian supporters bring with them in the stadiums and you have a recipe for a dazzling WorldCup.
- The batting Powerplay. Yes it is the talk of the town because it is the first time that these restrictions would be applied in WC matches. So always remember to hold on to your seat, folks, whenever a batting Powerplay is underway because this is the point when, more often than not, the outcome of the match is decided. And yes, sometimes you will get a whole lot more than you deserve for your money and time.
- The home teams are in superb nick. Sri Lanka have thrashed the Aussies down under, Pakistan have taken series against England and South Africa down to the wire (before winning an away series in New Zealand), Bangladesh is resurgent with a clean sweep of New Zealand and India, the highest ranked Asian side, is in after an exhilarating tour of South Africa. So people in the subcontinent, are you ready to take up fervent support for your side?
- There is a lot of new, promising talent on show, talent that might have proved its mettle elsewhere but is yet to make its mark on the grandest stage of them all. Will the prodigy Umar Akmal make this WorldCup memorable for him and Pakistan? Will the bulky John Hastings do for Australia what Nathan Bracken did in 2007? Will the agile and ever-ready Martin Guptill continue his purple patch and light this WorldCup with his excellent strokeplay? Will the calmness and equanimity of Hashim Amla take South Africa to their first ever world cup finals? Will the talented Virat Kohli wash away the mark of unprofessionalism stamped upon him by his critics? Will the inscrutable (for most) Ajantha Mendis conjure his previous magic? Will the revitalizing Shakib Al-Hassan do what Bangladeshis have only dreamt of achieving? Will the masterful Coventry be able kick start the snoozing Zimbabweans? Will Darren Sammy utilize his all-round prowess to wave the West-Indian flag at its former, glorious position? All will become evident in this WorldCup.
- At the same time many stars are at the twilight of their careers and this WorldCup might be the last stage they set on fire with their performances. Will the maverick Shoaib Akhter convert his long-standing dream of winning the WorldCup to reality? Will the surreptitious Mutiah Murlitharan have his last laugh in Sri Lankan colors after sealing the team's victory at Mumbai? Will the master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar torment bowlers right through to the final for one last time? Will the canny, bespectacled Daniel Vettori take his meek and struggling side right through to the Golden Cup? Will the pacy Brett Lee dazzle with his unplayable 160 kph screamers right till the curtain falls on Eden Gardens? Will the sage of South Africa, Kallis, engineer a remarkable, long-in-wait WorldCup victory with his calm demeanor and bucket-loads of experience? Follow this WorldCup to find out.
- On a less serious note, just to see the sides in their new kits. A person gets bored with monotonousness and a change is always welcomed. :)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Road to WorldCup (Part 2)
6 Reasons to Watch it...
Road to the WorldCup (Part 1)
The Schedule & Format
This World Cup has been subject to widespread criticism from the cricketing circles due to its length. It spans for 45 days with only groups, quarters, semis, and the final (no super Stages). But then again periods of respite are good for the players as they can overcome their niggles and set along afresh for the next match(es).
I personally believe that the World Cup has to have a pre-tournament knockout round for the minnows, the best should survive as spectators find nothing interesting in one sided matches featuring the lesser, uncompetitive teams. A fact to mention here is that each group has a healthy dose of the minnows; three in each - this unnecessarily lengthens the tournament and does nothing else.
ICC has returned to its 2003 WC policy of two big groups with four qualifiers from each. it is good because barring any hiccups, the top teams are almost guaranteed progression to the next stage.
Groups seem pretty even when you first look at them but it is not the case when you peer into the depths. Group A is by far the more easier because the top four teams in this group are number 1 (Australia), 3 (Sri Lanka), 6 (Pakistan) and 7 (New Zealand) on the ICC ODI Ratings. While in Group B the top four teams are number 2 (India), 4 (South Africa), 5 (England) and 8 (Bangladesh), add to it a topping of number 9 (West Indies) who are not minnows in any sort of way and number 10 (Ireland) who have shown in the 2007 WC what they are capable of. So you can see that it is difficult tor predict the fourth qualifier from Group B, it can be Bangladesh, West Indies or even Ireland! But in the case of Group A, negating any upsets, the front-runners are clear.
Now lets have a peek at the schedule for the World Cup 2011...
As you see, each team will play six matches in the initial, group stages. The top four teams from each group will advance to the quarters - playing for the the two semifinal berths. The two teams standing victorious in the semifinal clashes will march on into the Final at the Eden Gardens on April 2nd.
....................................................................................................
The above images are screen-shots from Cricinfo's website and are their property. I just edited them.
This World Cup has been subject to widespread criticism from the cricketing circles due to its length. It spans for 45 days with only groups, quarters, semis, and the final (no super Stages). But then again periods of respite are good for the players as they can overcome their niggles and set along afresh for the next match(es).
I personally believe that the World Cup has to have a pre-tournament knockout round for the minnows, the best should survive as spectators find nothing interesting in one sided matches featuring the lesser, uncompetitive teams. A fact to mention here is that each group has a healthy dose of the minnows; three in each - this unnecessarily lengthens the tournament and does nothing else.
ICC has returned to its 2003 WC policy of two big groups with four qualifiers from each. it is good because barring any hiccups, the top teams are almost guaranteed progression to the next stage.
Groups seem pretty even when you first look at them but it is not the case when you peer into the depths. Group A is by far the more easier because the top four teams in this group are number 1 (Australia), 3 (Sri Lanka), 6 (Pakistan) and 7 (New Zealand) on the ICC ODI Ratings. While in Group B the top four teams are number 2 (India), 4 (South Africa), 5 (England) and 8 (Bangladesh), add to it a topping of number 9 (West Indies) who are not minnows in any sort of way and number 10 (Ireland) who have shown in the 2007 WC what they are capable of. So you can see that it is difficult tor predict the fourth qualifier from Group B, it can be Bangladesh, West Indies or even Ireland! But in the case of Group A, negating any upsets, the front-runners are clear.
Now lets have a peek at the schedule for the World Cup 2011...
As you see, each team will play six matches in the initial, group stages. The top four teams from each group will advance to the quarters - playing for the the two semifinal berths. The two teams standing victorious in the semifinal clashes will march on into the Final at the Eden Gardens on April 2nd.
....................................................................................................
The above images are screen-shots from Cricinfo's website and are their property. I just edited them.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Game In Focus (FIFA 2011)
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Loving the FIFA Franchise? Then think again before buying this one...
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Rating: 7/10Difficulty: Hard (Adjustable)
Learning Curve: 5-10 minutes.
Time Spent: 10-20 Hours
The Bottom Line: "Mixed Reactions"
Graphics: ***
Music: *****
Gameplay: ***
Replay Value: 95% (55% for Career Mode)
Music: *****
Gameplay: ***
Replay Value: 95% (55% for Career Mode)
Developer: EA
Release: September, 2010
I really had a lot of expectations with FIFA '11 after playing FIFA '10 up till the day '11 broke into the market, and was one of the first to try it among my friends and consequently the most disappointed.
The developers have taken a very disastrous route. In a bid to make the game feel at par with realism, they have integrated some pretty useless and pathetic stuff.
Messi can be overcome by a brawny, unheard of defender and so can Kaka, skill takes the back seat in this installment, you gotta have body power to survive on the field, a thing that I think EA should reserve for their American Football line.
Every unknown club in the world has a superman deployed instead of a regulation keeper, saving the most unstoppable of shots, it really feels like you are shooting at a wall instead of a goal. And if this wasn't enough, the guys at EA's Soccer Sim department have tried their utmost to make our opposition's defense impregnable and ours, totally pervious, your CPU controlled defenders will behave like total noobs, no matter what the back of their shirt says.
Despite all the glitches and mediocre things '11 ships with, there are some appreciable alterations too. The menu has been revamped to good effect. The graphics are quite good but still not good enough as the crowds are still those sickening cardboard cutouts! and the Career Mode is quite playable.
I will really not recommend this game if you had been addicted to the FIFA series, but my recommendation won't matter to you all the same because of the fact that every conventional FIFA gamer gets the newest sequel and plays it for himself, no matter what the reviews say. This is the FIFA tradition...
The developers have taken a very disastrous route. In a bid to make the game feel at par with realism, they have integrated some pretty useless and pathetic stuff.
Messi can be overcome by a brawny, unheard of defender and so can Kaka, skill takes the back seat in this installment, you gotta have body power to survive on the field, a thing that I think EA should reserve for their American Football line.
Every unknown club in the world has a superman deployed instead of a regulation keeper, saving the most unstoppable of shots, it really feels like you are shooting at a wall instead of a goal. And if this wasn't enough, the guys at EA's Soccer Sim department have tried their utmost to make our opposition's defense impregnable and ours, totally pervious, your CPU controlled defenders will behave like total noobs, no matter what the back of their shirt says.
Despite all the glitches and mediocre things '11 ships with, there are some appreciable alterations too. The menu has been revamped to good effect. The graphics are quite good but still not good enough as the crowds are still those sickening cardboard cutouts! and the Career Mode is quite playable.
I will really not recommend this game if you had been addicted to the FIFA series, but my recommendation won't matter to you all the same because of the fact that every conventional FIFA gamer gets the newest sequel and plays it for himself, no matter what the reviews say. This is the FIFA tradition...
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Game in Focus (Mafia)
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You won't rest until it ends...
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Rating: 10 /10Difficulty: Hard
Learning Curve: 15 minutes.
Time Spent: 10-20 Hours
The Bottom Line: "Highly Addictive"
Graphics: ***1/2
Music: ******
Gameplay: *****
Replay Value: 70%
Music: ******
Gameplay: *****
Replay Value: 70%
Developer: Illusion Softworks (Now 2K Czech)
Release: August, 2002
Ever wondered if the word 'masterpiece' could compliment a PC game...if yes then no need to wonder anymore...the manifestation is here...MAFIA...
Perfectly intriguing gameplay and a story line that can warrant box office hit; couple it with music of the highest quality and great environmental detail and you have a cult classic...
Mafia has so many positives that it will take a copious amount of time to list them all, apart from rare flaws in lip-syncing the game is picture perfect. The play area is highly detailed with a variety of gorgeous cars, interactive pedestrians and a good 'ol '30s American city. The breath-taking scenery of the countryside is a sight to behold, I loved driving there and wished every mission took place in that area.
The music of the game is, in my opinion, Oscar winning. The tracks are beautifully composed and capture the essence of the situation flawlessly.
The missions are fun to do and highly addictive, they leave you craving for more due to superb design and an absorbing and twisting story.
The cut scenes are aesthetically pleasing and it feels as if they are straight out of a blockbuster, especially the ending sequence, it gets etched in your memory.
In short it is a game that is not to be missed if you have any links with PC gaming, or for that matter 3rd Person Shooters and I promise that you won't be disappointed...and remember....Mafia II can wait but the original Mafia cannot...it, coupled with the Max Payne series, is a game that covers the whole spectrum of a third person action game...
Perfectly intriguing gameplay and a story line that can warrant box office hit; couple it with music of the highest quality and great environmental detail and you have a cult classic...
Mafia has so many positives that it will take a copious amount of time to list them all, apart from rare flaws in lip-syncing the game is picture perfect. The play area is highly detailed with a variety of gorgeous cars, interactive pedestrians and a good 'ol '30s American city. The breath-taking scenery of the countryside is a sight to behold, I loved driving there and wished every mission took place in that area.
The music of the game is, in my opinion, Oscar winning. The tracks are beautifully composed and capture the essence of the situation flawlessly.
The missions are fun to do and highly addictive, they leave you craving for more due to superb design and an absorbing and twisting story.
The cut scenes are aesthetically pleasing and it feels as if they are straight out of a blockbuster, especially the ending sequence, it gets etched in your memory.
In short it is a game that is not to be missed if you have any links with PC gaming, or for that matter 3rd Person Shooters and I promise that you won't be disappointed...and remember....Mafia II can wait but the original Mafia cannot...it, coupled with the Max Payne series, is a game that covers the whole spectrum of a third person action game...
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Game in Focus (Family Feud 2010)
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Good but not good enough...
Rating: 5 /10
Good but not good enough...
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Rating: 5 /10Difficulty: Easy
Learning Curve: 5 minutes.
Time Spent: 3-4 Hours
The Bottom Line: "..."
Graphics: *
Music: *
Gameplay: ***
Replay Value: 20%
Music: *
Gameplay: ***
Replay Value: 20%
Developer: Ludia Inc
Release: September, 2009
Just a time pass game you would like to switch to for around 15 to 20 minutes in the hours when you have nothing left to do.
To be precise it is not really a game that you would not rest until you have finished or end it in one go; it is highly monotonous for that, same recycled character models and music and you will have enough of it after a level or two despite the work developers have put in to make it appealing (i.e unlockable content and challenging families as you move up the ladder, not to mention the alterations you can make to your character).
Although you might like it if you are a fan of the tv show...because visually it is the best of the series.
The surveys are the strongest of its dimensions (it had to be :P), they can be funny and challenging at the same time; not to mention enlightening!
I'd say avoid if you are looking for some solid fun...but still if you have got a few bucks to spare then go for it all the same...
To be precise it is not really a game that you would not rest until you have finished or end it in one go; it is highly monotonous for that, same recycled character models and music and you will have enough of it after a level or two despite the work developers have put in to make it appealing (i.e unlockable content and challenging families as you move up the ladder, not to mention the alterations you can make to your character).
Although you might like it if you are a fan of the tv show...because visually it is the best of the series.
The surveys are the strongest of its dimensions (it had to be :P), they can be funny and challenging at the same time; not to mention enlightening!
I'd say avoid if you are looking for some solid fun...but still if you have got a few bucks to spare then go for it all the same...
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