Guides \ Ricky Ponting Pressure Play 2007 Preview!!!!

Ricky Ponting 2007 Pressure Play is an all new cricket title made specifically for the PSP. Developed by Codemasters in Australia, RPPP has been built from the ground up to allow for portable and on-the-go gaming. While being able to take a cricket game on the go doesn't sound all that intruiging at first considering the tedious nature of the sport, the title has been fully licensed by the ICC and allows for quick World Cup matches that are created and aimed for the handheld.

While this is the first cricket title for PSP, it's definately not the first sport title and any gamer who needs a quick sporting fix for the handheld need not look very far to feed their cravings. In saying that, beyond the Madden titles, all other sporting titles released on the handheld seem to have had little interest within the gaming community because of their lack of depth and features, especially when compared to other consoles. Luckily, Codemasters seems to have hit a 6 with Pressure Play, as it displays an obvious focus on developing the title specifically for fast, action-packed handheld gaming.

What first comes to mind when you think of cricket is, unfortunately, the time it takes to finish a match. While most other sporting games include the option to play full-length games, with some including only the full-length option, playing a one-day test match probably isn't the best idea on the PSP. This is where one particular aspect of the title stands out: you can play through a 6-innings match in just over 10 minutes and the entire World Cup in a few hours. The title has a very "arcady" feel about it and this is perfectly suited to the pick-up-and-play characteristics of handheld gaming.

The title is presented very well, with ingame menus and load screens filling up the PSP with great colour schemes and cool art. You will also be treated to a cool and catchy beep from Basement Jaxxx that, while repetitive and continuous through all menu's, seems to fit in well with the feel of the game and cricket itself, though a deeper soundtrack wouldn't have gone astray.

Although this is the first cricket title on PSP, PP seems to have skipped by the handheld-rookiesque gameplay that seems to have plagued titles like NBA Live 06 and FIFA 05 on PSP. Luckily for gamers and sports fans alike, Codemasters has focused on gameplay specifically for handheld gaming and what they have come up with is a solid, fun cricket game that's easy to pick-up and learn and a hell of a lot of fun to play. While one might find it difficult to win a match first time round (or in my case, 10 times round), it's the type of game that plays so well that you will want to continue playing to better your skills, rather than throw your PSP to the ground in frustration and disgust. That's what we really loved about this game; it plays smoothly and quickly and is great to pick-up and play on the go.

After you test out your skills in a quick practice match though, it would probably be wise to check out Pressure Play, the challenge mode that offers 16 different missions over 5 categories, ranging in difficulty and time. It's also the best place for first-timers to the franchise and sport to learn the ins-and-outs of cricket on PSP and is a great way to get some practice before you take on the rest of the world with the might of the Aussie cricket team. The length of the challenges themselves can also depend on the skill of the game, and in my case, some went far too long because of my inability to complete a simple task. This is however a positive thing as I was able to get some practice without actually having to worry about losing to England.

While there is no online multiplayer, adhoc between two players plays out perfectly and with absolutely no lag. With two-player games, you have the same options available to you from single-player and all teams and stadiums are available including game-modes. The gameplay itself seems to pick-up a notch because of the subconscious efforts by yourself and your enemy to speed up the gameplay in an attempt to catch out your opponent. Multiplayer is a lot of a fun and stands out as one of the main features of this title, mainly because of its lag-free gameplay and identical presentation and options to single-player.

Pressure Play also has its fair share of unlockables and you will be able to unlock trophys and images for yourself by completing set tasks such as official records during singe-player and Pressure Play.

Overall, Ricky Ponting 2007 Pressure Play is shaping up to become one of the premier sporting titles on PSP. It plays extremely well, is presented beautifully, offers a decent amount of unlockables and gives gamers the oppurtunity to re-live important cricket moments through Pressure Play's classic match scenarios. With multiplayer, the game develops another fantastic attribute, as it provides one of the better two-player sporting experiences on PSP.

16 Aug 2007 6

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Ricky Ponting 2007 Pressure Play