Cricket 24 Review – New delivery gets stuck in the wicket

Cricket 24 has arrived, and so has our Cricket 24 review. The eagerly anticipated next installment of Big Ant Studios’ Cricket franchise is ready as the World Cup kicks off in India.

Now that the Cricket 24 release date has come after a short delay, you can get stuck into the action. I have, and my first impressions are of a game that hasn’t changed too much since Cricket 22.

Having played seemingly every cricket game since Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 through to this, the expectation is for Cricket 24 to be the best. In terms of realism and licenses, it certainly fits the bill. But does it deliver on the field too?

The first question you face is what control scheme you want to use. As a fan of the classic controls, I opted for the Standard control scheme. 

I felt this would provide me with better control over the direction, shot choice, and shot type. I was proved right.

The ‘Pro’ controls are fun. They are challenging. So if you are someone who wants to be tested out in the middle, then by all means get going on Pro.

I must also note the Arcade control scheme. As someone who has played plenty of cricket games it doesn’t interest me, but it is certainly a useful and fun entry to the game for new players to get to grips with things.

Right, into the action. Where better to start than playing as England against Australia? Heading into the Play Now mode, you can fully customize your match to suit your needs.

Whether you want a full blown Test match or a quick blast in Five5, the choice is yours. There are 23 different match types to choose from, so pick your favourite. They do seem to be in a bit of a random order though, which is quite strange and makes it slightly tricky to navigate.

That heads nicely into the next gripe too as there is no clear way to see your player’s attributes. There are some limited options on your screen when editing lineups, but no way to dive into their strengths and weaknesses. 

It’s not clear either what the attributes are relating to. The OVR is a decent guide on who the better players are, but in general this could be a much better user experience.

On to the ratings. I can’t quite get to grips with them. Cricket powerhouses Thailand and Germany are rated higher than South Africa? Really? I know South Africa aren’t quite what they were, but this is seriously wrong. They are also the same rating as Kuwait.

Heading onto the field and there are very few differences between Cricket 24, and Cricket 22. It looks crisper and sharper, but the gameplay is largely the same.

Smoother fielding animations could bring more life to the game. Gathering the ball still looks like one of the hardest tasks in the world, and I write this while watching Tom Latham make wicket keeping look effortless in the opening fixture of the World Cup as England face New Zealand.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. The IPL is not fully licensed, but specific teams are. This is a major addition to the game as the very best franchise teams in cricket are playable in the game.

Having the top teams and players in the game helps any franchise. Look at the success of the FIFA (EA Sports FC 24) franchise and Konami’s eFootball struggles, and it is clear what fans want.

This adds to The Hundred, Big Bash, and Caribbean Premier League to bring the carnival feel to the game. A major positive in both Play Now and Career mode.

I’m sure you are wondering about Career mode. In truth, this hasn’t changed much either. It’s still by far the best cricket career option out there, but it’s not changed much from Cricket 22.

In the limited time the game has been out, I haven’t made it to the big time just yet! However, this is the most rewarding, frustrating, and altogether realistic cricket experience you’ll find.

In truth, my excitement for the new game has left me a bit deflated. There will be updates on the way with new stadiums and teams, but for now, Cricket 24 is a little bit flat.

Reviewed on PS5. Game provided by the publisher.