Cricket is one of our planet’s most popular sports, if not the most popular. So much so that in many countries worldwide, Cricket has been embedded into their culture. The sport is revered and celebrated; folks worldwide even worship some players. With such high regard given to a sport and so much popularity following it, it’s kind of hard to believe that Cricket isn’t represented that much in video games. I mean, FIFA, NBA, and MADDEN get yearly game releases with refreshed rosters and game modes, but why not Cricket? The answer to that question may lie in the fact that no audience wants to play virtual Cricket. They’d rather watch it or go out and play Cricket for real, which is quite fair, frankly. However, what about the audience who wants to play virtual Cricket? Who do they turn to? Where do they go? The answer lies in Developer Big Ant Studios’ latest entry, Cricket 22.
Let me start by saying that Cricket 22 is the best game ever made available. But and this is huge, but it comes with a lot of caveats. I remember when EA used to release high-budget Cricket games; while that time is long gone, the memory remains. Big Ant Studios tried to tackle that by taking a 2-year break after Cricket 19 and presented Cricket 22 to us. While the break was well worth it, as the game itself has a vast series of improvements, it still can’t replicate the grandeur of the EA Cricket games. How could it? EA is a multi-million-dollar company, while Big Ant Studios is a small team working with less than a fraction of the budget other AAA sports games get. With the budget they have, they did pull off something incredible. Cricket 22 has some of the best simulations in any Cricket game to this date.
Whether your team is batting or bowling, Cricket 22 represents either side of the coin by giving you proper control and field layouts, good simulation of the rules and mechanics, and decent, if not passable, AI. Ask any Cricket fan, and they’d immediately tell you that batting is more fun than bowling. Cricket 22 does a great job of replicating that feeling as the adrenaline-filled rush of hitting the ball outside the stadium for six runs never gets old. Bowling is no slouch either, as it gives you options to control the pace of the ball and also lets you control the amount of spin you want to put in it. The players and teams they have the rights to represent also have resembling likenesses and are represented quite well with their stats and specialties.
The main problem is the presentation, as the stadiums and pitches look bland, the crowds sound un-excited and bored, and the commentators lack energy. Cricket is a slow sport in real life, and only the most invested fans can sit through an entire game without feeling bored or stale. That’s where Cricket 22 falls short, as it makes quick T-20 matches feel like long and arduous test matches. This issue is definitely present due to the lack of a big budget but is disappointing nonetheless. What’s not boring is the career mode, as it lets you make your custom character and is not limited to a series of matches one after the other. Training sections in the net are peppered throughout, which brings a change of scenery and momentum. Then there are gym/ workout sessions that increase your strength behind every swing or force behind every throw, and then here are the Zen sauna and relaxing moments. The voice acting may be bland here, but the passion and heart are more than apparent in these moments.
Cricket 22 is a game of two halves. On the one hand, it does an admirable job of representing the sport of Cricket, with much thought and work put into it. While on the other hand, it fails to deliver the ambiance and hype surrounding the sport and makes it unique. It’s a shame that these developers don’t have a bigger budget to work with, as it’s pretty sure of the wonders they can achieve. But with no other substitute in sight, there is no doubt that cricket fans will have a perfect time playing this game.
If you know anything about Cricket or enjoy the sport and are looking for a medium that transports you into the field, I’d definitely ask you to check this game out. If not, then all of us can collectively hope for a big-budget Cricket game, and maybe the video game gods will listen to our prayers and deliver us what we want. Don’t get me wrong, these developers have worked wonders and provided a fantastic, enjoyable product with their resources. But at the same time, asking for more and criticizing the parts that need some work will only help the developers do their job even better and deliver something that’ll be leagues above this the next time.
I hope you enjoy Cricket 22 if you happen to pick it up.
