Right on target or just not cricket?
Format: PS3, Xbox 360 (version played) Dev: Trickster Games Pub: Codemasters
Out: 18/06/10 Players: 1-4, 2 online
Cricket: A double-edged sword when it comes to translating the sport into a video game. In a sports title like FIFA, you can always add some extra layer of control on top of it and call it an ‘all-new system’. Whereas in cricket, there isn’t that benefit, since the limited amount of play in one match has been explored to its far reaches. Codemasters’ Cricket 2010 adds absolutely nothing new to this formula.
A quick disclaimer, it’s never been a favourite sport of mine since an unfortunate ball-to-groin throw as a kid. However, I do see the attraction to watching such a sport, and this is the most faithful game of cricket you’ll be playing on a console. Just a simple, very unfortunate question: where’s the fun?
I’m sure that people will ‘get’ what this game is going for: a true, balls-to-the-wall experience of sheer cricketing realism. Likenesses are faithfully recreated, player movement looks realistic; the game of cricket looks as faithful to the real thing as it possibly can. It also sounds faithful. Real-time commentary is done well, with little repeat of dialogue, and sound effects are realistic.
The gameplay makes things somewhat interesting. For bowling, there’s an interesting mechanic where you have to push the analogue stick back and shoot it forward to execute as straight a bowling path as you can. Fielding is mostly done for you, bar a few timed button presses – what we’ve come to expect from any cricket game in the last few years. Batting is still your run-of-the-mill button press affair: different types of hits mapped to different buttons. In terms of single-player modes, there’s season mode and an option to play friendlies. None are explored particularly deeply, but not an offensively small amount of content either.
You have your usual array of online options, duking it out in matches against other players around the world. It has limited stopping power, except for tracking your online progress – there’s some attraction to keeping a positive win/lose ratio. Local multiplayer is really where the game shines. Much like FIFA, a fun competitive atmosphere is created the first few times you play. Just make sure you keep the games short and sweet, though.
As you look back over a rather contradictory breakdown of the game, Cricket 2010 is by no means a bad game. All the components are there for sure, but, after the capable Ashes Cricket 2009, many will struggle to find anything of significance.
Jason England
Tags: codemasters, cricket, Sports
