Tweet
CC 2021 Review
Hello, back once again with another review for another iteration of CC. I'll roll with the same format as last year and in fact this may end up looking quite similar, not because I subscribe to the "it's just a database update" camp but because I think this year's version has done a good job building on it's strengths but perhaps hasn't looked at (what I identified as) it's development opportunities. Of course others may disagree.
Pros
Match Engine
I thought the match engine was very good last year but I think the devs have done a great job this time of moving it up yet another notch.
It's more difficult, and this is a good thing. It challenges me to think and to react as well as try to plan proactively.
The four/five day match engine seems strong, I don't think there are any gaping oddities such as the previously high fourth chases we saw too often. I've found bowling very challenging at times, maybe too challenging though I still feel I'm adjusting so whether it actually is too difficult I'm not sure. I will say though that I tend to concede some high first innings totals when bowling first at times. Bowling more aggressively seems to bear fruit more often though and in general bowling aggression seems to be working intuitively.
I think the limited overs engine for both 50 and 20 over games is very, very strong indeed. Conversely to some of the posts I've seen on here I really, really like it. It feels like every match is an absolute fight and I'm really challenged to think about how I'm playing. This feels realistic, T20 is a leveller, upsets are common and a big budget can't buy you success. As any of us who are fans of cricket will know there will always be an element of randomness. I feel the game captures this so well. I've had times where I've romped the Vitality Blast group stage then seen my batting crumble in the quarter final and lost heavily because my star opener got out first ball. That's T20 for you, great work devs! Opening the bowling with spinners is now paying dividends and I've even had the AI open with two spinners against me on a turning pitch which scuppered my powerplay! If I had any feedback then I'd suggest totals are pitched slightly too low and it can be hard to go big in the powerplay overs but that's my only development feedback.
Database
Standard feedback here, as ever Sureshot does unreal work capturing an entire world's worth of cricket players.
Something I've discussed with Sureshot is whether fringe/young players are being rated too low in comparison to first team players and whether this is creating a gap they are unable to bridge, outside of that I can only say kudos for the database work again.
Other
Some tidy little bits and pieces outside of the match engine improvements.
The additional level on the batting aggression meter and the change to E.RPO make batting more intuitive and are good tweaks.
Fastest 50s and 100s are a nice addition.
The updated kits for the English county teams are good.
Cons
Last year I mentioned that player development was not perfect. And a year on I think it's more or less broken. Play 3/4/5 seasons into the future and check all the players who started at counties as young players, even current England under 19s and other hot prospects. The vast majority will have either done nothing, played a little bit and been awful or will have disappeared from the game entirely after being released. Regens will of course reign supreme. Chris has described a few bits about how player development works and it sounds good, it just doesn't happen. It needs to either happen much, much faster or just work how it's supposed to.
Technique training also seems to do nothing other than offer an occasional message on the news screen. I've played many, many saves with young players on technique coaching for years and seen very little evidence that these players will improve and become first team players.
Conclusion
Happy to stick with the 8/10 from last year, more evolution rather than revolution but the match engine continues to improve and it's a seriously good representation of cricket now.
Cheers devs, I will post this review to Steam and Google Play as well and recommend the game strongly.
Hello, back once again with another review for another iteration of CC. I'll roll with the same format as last year and in fact this may end up looking quite similar, not because I subscribe to the "it's just a database update" camp but because I think this year's version has done a good job building on it's strengths but perhaps hasn't looked at (what I identified as) it's development opportunities. Of course others may disagree.
Pros
Match Engine
I thought the match engine was very good last year but I think the devs have done a great job this time of moving it up yet another notch.
It's more difficult, and this is a good thing. It challenges me to think and to react as well as try to plan proactively.
The four/five day match engine seems strong, I don't think there are any gaping oddities such as the previously high fourth chases we saw too often. I've found bowling very challenging at times, maybe too challenging though I still feel I'm adjusting so whether it actually is too difficult I'm not sure. I will say though that I tend to concede some high first innings totals when bowling first at times. Bowling more aggressively seems to bear fruit more often though and in general bowling aggression seems to be working intuitively.
I think the limited overs engine for both 50 and 20 over games is very, very strong indeed. Conversely to some of the posts I've seen on here I really, really like it. It feels like every match is an absolute fight and I'm really challenged to think about how I'm playing. This feels realistic, T20 is a leveller, upsets are common and a big budget can't buy you success. As any of us who are fans of cricket will know there will always be an element of randomness. I feel the game captures this so well. I've had times where I've romped the Vitality Blast group stage then seen my batting crumble in the quarter final and lost heavily because my star opener got out first ball. That's T20 for you, great work devs! Opening the bowling with spinners is now paying dividends and I've even had the AI open with two spinners against me on a turning pitch which scuppered my powerplay! If I had any feedback then I'd suggest totals are pitched slightly too low and it can be hard to go big in the powerplay overs but that's my only development feedback.
Database
Standard feedback here, as ever Sureshot does unreal work capturing an entire world's worth of cricket players.
Something I've discussed with Sureshot is whether fringe/young players are being rated too low in comparison to first team players and whether this is creating a gap they are unable to bridge, outside of that I can only say kudos for the database work again.
Other
Some tidy little bits and pieces outside of the match engine improvements.
The additional level on the batting aggression meter and the change to E.RPO make batting more intuitive and are good tweaks.
Fastest 50s and 100s are a nice addition.
The updated kits for the English county teams are good.
Cons
Last year I mentioned that player development was not perfect. And a year on I think it's more or less broken. Play 3/4/5 seasons into the future and check all the players who started at counties as young players, even current England under 19s and other hot prospects. The vast majority will have either done nothing, played a little bit and been awful or will have disappeared from the game entirely after being released. Regens will of course reign supreme. Chris has described a few bits about how player development works and it sounds good, it just doesn't happen. It needs to either happen much, much faster or just work how it's supposed to.
Technique training also seems to do nothing other than offer an occasional message on the news screen. I've played many, many saves with young players on technique coaching for years and seen very little evidence that these players will improve and become first team players.
Conclusion
Happy to stick with the 8/10 from last year, more evolution rather than revolution but the match engine continues to improve and it's a seriously good representation of cricket now.
Cheers devs, I will post this review to Steam and Google Play as well and recommend the game strongly.
Comment