It’s hard to believe that there hasn’t been an official cricket title since Cricket 19 at Big Ant Studios, especially given the popularity of sports (though it’s understandable given recent events). Fortunately, the wait for proper follow-up is over. Cricket 22: The official Ash game is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X / S, PS4, PS5, and the Nintendo Switch version is scheduled for January 2022. There have been many changes in mechanics, features, and modes during the final major appearance of the series, but many are known to sports enthusiasts. Let’s take a look at 10 things you need to know before buying a game.
One of the biggest overhauls over Cricket 19 has been the Career Mode. It’s now more narrative-focused with characters that will guide and interact with the player throughout the experience. After selecting a manager from the outset, you’ll customize your own character and start training, attending press conferences (where you can develop a good or bad relationship with the media depending on your answers), meeting with doctors (and dealing with any injuries that may arise), consulting with trainers and coaches, and much more. Players will also have to work to keep fans and sponsors happy, and there are extensive cutscenes for all of these interactions including Player of the Match scenes. It’s possible to practice at the nets or hit up the gym to partake in mini-games which will increase your overall strength and stamina.
Career Mode
Fully-Licensed Teams
Ashes Series and Big Bash League
In addition to the Australian and British teams, Cricket 22 has significantly expanded its roster to include teams from the West Indies, New Zealand and Ireland. Fully licensed teams include players like current Australian men’s captain Pat Cummons and Australian women’s captain Meg Lanning (also a cover star). Also included in their portraits are great figures such as James Anderson, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Ecclestone, Steve Smith and Ben Stokes.
Along with the signature Ashes series, for which this represents the 2021-22 iteration that begins in December, Cricket 22 also includes the Big Bash League (with both men’s and women’s matches playable in the same). Big Bash League is essentially Australia’s Twenty20 cricket league and features eight teams based on city franchises competing. So if you’ve ever wanted to recreate the rivalry between the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers with all of the authentic players, then this is your chance.
Caribbean Premier League and The Hundred
New tournaments and leagues have also been added this year including the Caribbean Premier League and The Hundred. Established by Cricket West Indies, the former is a Twenty20 tournament with six franchises including the Barbados Royals, the Trinbago Knight Riders, the Jamaica Tallawahs and more. Then there’s The Hundred, an eight team tournament set in England and Wales which is focused on playing 100 balls per innings, thus providing a much faster, action-packed experience over the other formats. Nets Challenge and Tutorials
In terms of improvements over previous titles, Cricket 22 also features overhauled tutorials which help first-time players to learn the ropes. There’s also the Nets Challenge, previously available as a pre-order bonus, which allows for testing one’s batting and bowling skills (along with competing for a spot on the leaderboard in a batting mini-game). It features difficulty settings for the AI, batting and bowling along with how realistic the physics should be. In terms of measuring one’s footwork, timing and shot choice, along with getting a feel for the overall controls, it’s worth jumping into for some practice. Commentary Teams
It wouldn’t be cricket without comments, and this year’s iteration has a pretty strong lineup. Former British cricketers Michael Atherton and David Gore, as well as former Australian cricketers Mel Jones and Ian Healy. For the first time in the franchise, a team of all-female commentators has been able to participate in women’s games, with long-time commentator Allison Mitchell completing the list. Developers note that each shot is called with “more depth and analysis than ever before” to make it even more immersive. New Bowling and Fielding Controls
Among some of the new features in Cricket 22 are new bowling and fielding controls. The latter provides a “snap” when throwing the ball infield for a run-out but there’s a bit more going on with the bowling. Speaking to The Gamer, director of development Mike Merren talked about being able to place a mark on the pitch and aim for it while bowling. So if you’re not too keen on utilizing two sticks or are relatively new to the series, then this should make it easier to get into the game. Based on early Steam user reviews though, it seems that spinners don’t have their own unique actions, which takes a bit of authenticity out of the experience. Ray Tracing and 4K/60 FPS on Xbox Series X
Big Ant Studios advertises it as the best looking cricket ever (no, it’s not the title of a good looking cricket, but it’s a good looking cricket). Suspiciously, the Cricket 22 is listed in the Microsoft Store as a 4K Ultra HD for the Xbox Series X that supports +60 FPS and HDR10. In addition, it supports ray tracing and faster load times. The PS5 version should also support these. This allows for a fairly large graphic jump from Cricket 19. Free Upgrades for Xbox One and PS4 Players
News Summary:
- Before buying Cricket 22 video games, there are a few things you need to know.
- Check all news and articles from the latest Gaming News and updates.
