Cricket 22: Did you catch it?

 Cricket 22 released in the beginning of December across consoles — the PSes, the PC, the Xboxes, and soon — in the Nintendo Switch. This is Big Ant’s latest Cricket based game, featuring the Ashes, multiple championships, and representing Men’s and Women’s games. I am not the best person to review this game. In fact, I am ill-equipped to review virtually any videogame based off a mainstream sport for the following reasons. First, I don’t follow sports enough to have opinions. Second, FIFA has always been my most disliked game. However, I was quite enthused to try Cricket 22. It reminded me of the last cricket game I played — Cricket 2004 by EA sports. Perhaps, it reminded me a little too much of it. It was as if no time had passed. 

Cricket 22 is intended for a specific audience. This audience consists of fans of the sports, who like it and understand it enough to play a videogame of it. This is because of how subtly the game gatekeeps any potential appreciators of the sport. I would not have minded an elaborate, textual tutorial of the game. I wanted more information on fielding positions, and why certain bowling actions would suit certain batspeople. I specifically wanted the difference between offside and legside repeated constantly in my ear, so that I would never forget it. I felt like I started the career mode with an insufficient understanding of how the game was played. It was like I lucked my way through kindergarten (a tutorial that truly stirred my stumps) and was suddenly faced with competing against 5th graders.

The best compliment I can give Cricket 22, is that I liked it better than any FIFA game I have played so far. I agree, FIFA may be amazing with its accuracy in simulating the real game, and undoubtedly has better graphics. But cricket’s gameplay is a little less chaotic on screen, especially while batting. I also give it additional points for featuring Indian regional teams (although, I believe FIFA 22 is bringing in ISL).

Although I haven’t played the online version of Cricket 19, Cricket 22’s online event seems to have been received better. I rate the game a bowling strike rate of 10, because I simply couldn’t get a boundary in.