Cricket is one of the most popular sports on the planet, if not the most popular. So much so that Cricket is deeply embedded in the culture of many countries around the world. The sport is revered and celebrated; people all over the world even worship certain players. With so much prestige for a sport and such a popular following, it’s hard to believe that Cricket isn’t represented as much in video games. I mean, FIFA, NBA, and MADDEN get games released every year with revamped rosters and game modes, but why not Cricket? The answer to that question may lie in the fact that no audience wants to play Cricket virtually. They’d rather watch it or actually go out and play Cricket, which is fair enough. But what about the audience that does want to play Cricket virtually? Who do they turn to? Where do they go? The answer lies in developer Big Ant Studios’ latest entry, Cricket 22.

Let me start by saying that Cricket 22 is the best game ever released. But, and this is a huge deal, it also comes with a lot of caveats. I remember when EA used to release big budget Cricket games; while those days are long gone, the memory still lives on. Big Ant Studios tried to address that by taking a 2 year break after Cricket 19 and brought us Cricket 22. While the break was more than worth it as the game itself has a huge range of improvements, it still can’t quite match the grandeur of the EA Cricket games. How could it? EA is a multi-million dollar company, while Big Ant Studios is a small team working on less than a fraction of the budget of other AAA sports games. With the budget they have, they have done something incredible. Cricket 22 has some of the best simulation in a Cricket game to date.

Whether your team is batting or bowling, Cricket 22 represents both sides of the coin by giving you proper control and field layouts, good simulation of the rules and mechanics, and decent, if not passable, AI. Ask any cricket fan, and they’ll tell you right away that batting is more fun than bowling. Cricket 22 does a great job of replicating that feeling, as the adrenaline rush of hitting the ball outside the stadium for six runs never gets old. Bowling is no slouch either, as it gives you options to control the speed of the ball and also lets you control the amount of spin you want to put into it. The players and teams they’re entitled to represent also look similar and are fairly well represented with their stats and specialties.

The biggest problem is the presentation, as the stadiums and pitches look dull, the crowd sounds disinterested and bored, and the commentators lack energy. Cricket is a slow-paced sport in real life, and only the most dedicated fans can sit through an entire match without feeling bored or dull. This is where Cricket 22 falls short, as it makes fast-paced T-20 matches feel like long, hard Test matches. This is certainly an issue due to the lack of a big budget, but it is disappointing nonetheless. What isn’t dull is the career mode, as it lets you create your own character and isn’t limited to a series of matches in a row. Training sections in the net are scattered throughout, providing a change of scenery and momentum. Then there are gym/workout sessions that increase the power behind each swing or the force behind each throw, and then there are the Zen sauna and relaxation moments. The voice acting may be dull here, but the passion and heart is more than evident in these moments.