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An early review - for full disclosure I have been helping with the beta testing so have been playing a fair bit over the last week and a half or so. Below are my my early impressions.
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As ever this year's edition continues the slow evolution of Cricket Captain and I suspect may leave some fans whom have been eager for more of a revolution disappointed.
Let's get it out the way early doors. There is still no playable associate career and there is no editor. There is no DRS and my biggest and oft voiced personal gripes, the (in my opinion) flawed development of real young players coupled with regens who are too powerful and too common remain. As someone who mostly plays County cricket I also find the AI's efforts at managing its squads frustrating, with the stockpiling of poor to average players who never play which may be linked to excessive budgets at some clubs - it doesn't really feel like the AI is thinking about who it signs and that could be an area to improve.
All that said I think this year's effort is a very solid one and a good step forward and let me explain why.
The UI is improved, the return of blue as the core colour rather than green is welcome. The addition of numerous stadium and kit updates is again welcome. Criticism of the match engine's graphics isn't uncommon and even as someone who doesn't put much value that side of the game (I much preferred the dots of older FM games to the updated match engine of that franchise) I'd say that it isn't unfair. I don't think many would argue that they're dated however I'm a big fan of the stadiums themselves and further additions/updates this year are always worth a look at. Also a quick mention for the new reverse sweep animation. A new way for my batters to get out during T20 games is the last thing I need but my word it's satisfying when you see one go for 6. I look forward to the paddle and ramp in a patch…
There are a myriad of other additions worthy of calling out, some additional stats, the overhauled World Rankings are a significant improvement on the old as is the inclusion of All Rounder rankings. Form and fitness reflecting the end of last season rather than being standardised is nice. The Asia Trophy is a good addition too.
Where the dev team have excelled this year in my opinion though is in the revamped aggression system. "Bazball". If there's been an article about the English cricket team since McCullum took over that hasn't mentioned that term then I'd be surprised and I think this has made life very difficult for the devs.
We're on the eve of an Ashes series where we'll probably find out if bazball works when it really matters or whether it comes crashing apart. Is the future of test cricket an exciting new brand of run a ball cricket which will spread across the world? Or will this end up a failed experiment or something in-between? I suppose nobody really knows for sure and that presents a challenge for the devs. They haven't decided to give it a year and see what happens though and what they've done is very well delivered in my opinion.
You will see some bazball style cricket when playing red ball games and the engine will certainly let you give it a go if you pick the right players (and punish you if they're the wrong ones). But it hasn't taken over by any means and you'll play most games where the opposition will remain more sedate. Playing as Leicestershire I rarely had the players to cut loose often myself but several times ran into stronger, aggressive players at other counties who would really accelerate and take me apart if I couldn't get them out before they hit their stride, Yorkshire's Bairstow and Malan really did a number on me in the first game of the season for instance. For me this felt like a very natural development of the match engine and gives the devs a good platform to build on going forwards given I'm sure every test side will be at it once England romp to victory in the Ashes...maybe. I'm sure players will run into situations where they get smashed at a run rate of 4 or 5 an over and it doesn't feel quite right but it won't be all the time and I think the devs would get more criticism if bazball had been left to next year given the Ashes could see many fans picking up the game and looking to replicate the England side.
As a Somerset fan I've massively enjoyed Tom Kohler-Cadmore blazing away at a strike rate of 80 odd in the Championship this season and if you've got an aggressive batter you can give that a go in game as well but it's not forced so overall good balance has been struck I feel.
All that said is the match engine perfect? Maybe not, T20 feels a little off to me - I find it hard to really rack up big totals and I'm not sure there are enough 2s being run nor enough runs scored in the death overs. I may well just be terrible at this format though to be fair! I'm also dubious of how the AI often handles it's bowlers in red ball games where it seems to struggle to make best use of its options if they're more than a traditional 4 man attack and a useful all rounder to chip in. These sort of qualms are relatively minor though, I'm a pretty casual player (I never even look at field placings let alone edit them for instance so cant comment on accuracy there) and the match engine feels like cricket should feel to me with results generally always realistic and the challenge very nicely balanced. Wins are satisfying, losses feel hard fought. It's enjoyable to play.
The database this year is a superb effort, Sureshot continues to put in a power of work acting on feedback and I think that in general it's spot on. For me this only adds to the frustration of seeing regens take over County and international sides quickly as you continue into the second and third season. The balance isn't right here, again just in my opinion. Due to the development status of the One Day Cup most County squads are already brimming with real young players now and I don't think as many regens are needed, nor needed as early and I'd instead like to see the gradual establishing of these players in first XIs.
To sum up then, it's a solid entry this year and I absolutely applaud how the team have implemented bazball style cricket in a balanced but not overbearing way. Whilst some may be disappointed that there isn't a list of big and shiny new features make no mistake I think the game this year does a very, very good job of simulating all formats of cricket and is well worth the cost. I am sure there will be the usual criticism with this labelled a database update with a bazball sticker from some quarters, I think it's more than that as I get the impression a huge amount of work goes into getting the nuts and bolts in the background of what is a very complex sport to play right across 3 very different formats. I do hope the devs can continue to target further shoring up of the match engine and be ambitious beyond that in future editions.
For next year I'd of course love to see the shiny editor or associate career mode but more realistically some work on youth development, AI use of bowlers, T20 running between wickets, the paddle, scoop and ramp shot animations, white ball only contracts, limiting Indian players to domestic T20 (Kohli playing for Lancs and absolutely smashing me in the Blast doesn’t help my terrible t20 record!) would be a tidy list of smaller but very significant improvements in my mind. I'd also still like the option to skip the initial contract window and suppress first season regens so that I can play the first season with squads matching those in reality.
I hope that is a fair and balanced review and useful to anyone on the fence about whether to buy.
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As ever this year's edition continues the slow evolution of Cricket Captain and I suspect may leave some fans whom have been eager for more of a revolution disappointed.
Let's get it out the way early doors. There is still no playable associate career and there is no editor. There is no DRS and my biggest and oft voiced personal gripes, the (in my opinion) flawed development of real young players coupled with regens who are too powerful and too common remain. As someone who mostly plays County cricket I also find the AI's efforts at managing its squads frustrating, with the stockpiling of poor to average players who never play which may be linked to excessive budgets at some clubs - it doesn't really feel like the AI is thinking about who it signs and that could be an area to improve.
All that said I think this year's effort is a very solid one and a good step forward and let me explain why.
The UI is improved, the return of blue as the core colour rather than green is welcome. The addition of numerous stadium and kit updates is again welcome. Criticism of the match engine's graphics isn't uncommon and even as someone who doesn't put much value that side of the game (I much preferred the dots of older FM games to the updated match engine of that franchise) I'd say that it isn't unfair. I don't think many would argue that they're dated however I'm a big fan of the stadiums themselves and further additions/updates this year are always worth a look at. Also a quick mention for the new reverse sweep animation. A new way for my batters to get out during T20 games is the last thing I need but my word it's satisfying when you see one go for 6. I look forward to the paddle and ramp in a patch…
There are a myriad of other additions worthy of calling out, some additional stats, the overhauled World Rankings are a significant improvement on the old as is the inclusion of All Rounder rankings. Form and fitness reflecting the end of last season rather than being standardised is nice. The Asia Trophy is a good addition too.
Where the dev team have excelled this year in my opinion though is in the revamped aggression system. "Bazball". If there's been an article about the English cricket team since McCullum took over that hasn't mentioned that term then I'd be surprised and I think this has made life very difficult for the devs.
We're on the eve of an Ashes series where we'll probably find out if bazball works when it really matters or whether it comes crashing apart. Is the future of test cricket an exciting new brand of run a ball cricket which will spread across the world? Or will this end up a failed experiment or something in-between? I suppose nobody really knows for sure and that presents a challenge for the devs. They haven't decided to give it a year and see what happens though and what they've done is very well delivered in my opinion.
You will see some bazball style cricket when playing red ball games and the engine will certainly let you give it a go if you pick the right players (and punish you if they're the wrong ones). But it hasn't taken over by any means and you'll play most games where the opposition will remain more sedate. Playing as Leicestershire I rarely had the players to cut loose often myself but several times ran into stronger, aggressive players at other counties who would really accelerate and take me apart if I couldn't get them out before they hit their stride, Yorkshire's Bairstow and Malan really did a number on me in the first game of the season for instance. For me this felt like a very natural development of the match engine and gives the devs a good platform to build on going forwards given I'm sure every test side will be at it once England romp to victory in the Ashes...maybe. I'm sure players will run into situations where they get smashed at a run rate of 4 or 5 an over and it doesn't feel quite right but it won't be all the time and I think the devs would get more criticism if bazball had been left to next year given the Ashes could see many fans picking up the game and looking to replicate the England side.
As a Somerset fan I've massively enjoyed Tom Kohler-Cadmore blazing away at a strike rate of 80 odd in the Championship this season and if you've got an aggressive batter you can give that a go in game as well but it's not forced so overall good balance has been struck I feel.
All that said is the match engine perfect? Maybe not, T20 feels a little off to me - I find it hard to really rack up big totals and I'm not sure there are enough 2s being run nor enough runs scored in the death overs. I may well just be terrible at this format though to be fair! I'm also dubious of how the AI often handles it's bowlers in red ball games where it seems to struggle to make best use of its options if they're more than a traditional 4 man attack and a useful all rounder to chip in. These sort of qualms are relatively minor though, I'm a pretty casual player (I never even look at field placings let alone edit them for instance so cant comment on accuracy there) and the match engine feels like cricket should feel to me with results generally always realistic and the challenge very nicely balanced. Wins are satisfying, losses feel hard fought. It's enjoyable to play.
The database this year is a superb effort, Sureshot continues to put in a power of work acting on feedback and I think that in general it's spot on. For me this only adds to the frustration of seeing regens take over County and international sides quickly as you continue into the second and third season. The balance isn't right here, again just in my opinion. Due to the development status of the One Day Cup most County squads are already brimming with real young players now and I don't think as many regens are needed, nor needed as early and I'd instead like to see the gradual establishing of these players in first XIs.
To sum up then, it's a solid entry this year and I absolutely applaud how the team have implemented bazball style cricket in a balanced but not overbearing way. Whilst some may be disappointed that there isn't a list of big and shiny new features make no mistake I think the game this year does a very, very good job of simulating all formats of cricket and is well worth the cost. I am sure there will be the usual criticism with this labelled a database update with a bazball sticker from some quarters, I think it's more than that as I get the impression a huge amount of work goes into getting the nuts and bolts in the background of what is a very complex sport to play right across 3 very different formats. I do hope the devs can continue to target further shoring up of the match engine and be ambitious beyond that in future editions.
For next year I'd of course love to see the shiny editor or associate career mode but more realistically some work on youth development, AI use of bowlers, T20 running between wickets, the paddle, scoop and ramp shot animations, white ball only contracts, limiting Indian players to domestic T20 (Kohli playing for Lancs and absolutely smashing me in the Blast doesn’t help my terrible t20 record!) would be a tidy list of smaller but very significant improvements in my mind. I'd also still like the option to skip the initial contract window and suppress first season regens so that I can play the first season with squads matching those in reality.
I hope that is a fair and balanced review and useful to anyone on the fence about whether to buy.
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