Planetcricket Review of Don Bradman Cricket 14

[angad]

Nice review BarmyArmy. I agree though that the wordings there do not really match the score (without looking at the score I thought you would have given it a 7.5 at max based on that review ). However the flaws that you pointed out covers almost all of the points people have raised here.....so good job there .

 

[BigAntStudios]

Yeah, putting a score on it was really tough. This game could be amazing but that's going to require a sequel I suspect.

I don't think we need a sequel nor any more money from you guys to make this game great. A sequel will be for new features not for rehashes.

My promise to you Barmy, and everyone else here, is that we will have at least two patches and we will resolve the known issues that are bugs in those two patches.

I think the last thing I need to prove by action is our post sales support. Patch#1 has gone through submission in record time for one of the platform holders (passed on Monday last), now just waiting on the other platform as they contractually have to be released at the same time. I am banging hard on them!

Outside of bugs is a matter of opinion as to what will make the game better going forward towards patch#2. We will post what we are thinking prior to implementation for feedback, it will be your game in that regard - we want this to be a great partnership between Big Ant and you guys that have been with us for such a long journey.

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I would add that the score is higher than I expected in reading the review however I am glad for it because it recognises the risks we have taken and what I think it means for the future of cricket games - I believe that going forward no one could release a "safe" cricket game, there will need to be experimentation and growth.

This is the first game to have true cross-sharing of content between PC, PS3, Xbox360, the first to have online games saved for continuation on dropouts, and of course a major change to all elements of the control systems. many, many risks.

 

[pickledyoda]

Patch#1 has gone through submission in record time for one of the platform holders (passed on Monday last), now just waiting on the other platform as they contractually have to be released at the same time

If there's a patch released after the Steam release, will you then have to wait for three platforms, or do Microsoft and Sony only worry about each other?

 

[BigAntStudios]

If there's a patch released after the Steam release, will you then have to wait for three platforms, or do Microsoft and Sony only worry about each other?

Steam release will have patches#1 and #2 included.

We can patch Steam at will.

 

[Westindies]

Steam release will have patches#1 and #2 included.

We can patch Steam at will.

This is the piece we want

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i have always waited for Barmy and Mattw reviews since cricket 2004, they are worth, nice review again by barmyarmy

 

[79cricket]

I agree with Barmy review and score as for a week i did not know how to score this game as it's so different from past cricket games.

Can't wait for the first patch and top stuff Bigant all round.

 

[Gamer Pradosh]

Ross: The biggest risk that you have taken with this game other than the control system is implementation of Slow motion cam in Replay which is the easiest way to get caught but its flawless about 90% of the time and absolutely wonderful to watch a well timed four to the boundary or dismissals taken...

 

[BigAntStudios]

Ross: The biggest risk that you have taken with this game other than the control system is implementation of Slow motion cam in Replay which is the easiest way to get caught but its flawless about 90% of the time and absolutely wonderful to watch a well timed four to the boundary or dismissals taken...

So many times the guys asked if we could remove it. Slow-mo certainly shows the game warts and all, we kept it because the good outweighs the bad.

 

[Gamer Pradosh]

So many times the guys asked if we could remove it. Slow-mo certainly shows the game warts and all, we kept it because the good outweighs the bad.

The only flaw I have seen so far is the ball goes through the billboards after going to the boundary..maybe making them strong as in hitting it and the ball coming back would make it awesome to see.....

 

[angad]

The only flaw I have seen so far is the ball goes through the billboards after going to the boundary..maybe making them strong as in hitting it and the ball coming back would make it awesome to see.....

Replace them boards with the chairs from nets beta (Or better..... Santa!!!!!)

 

[Rowdoss]

Nice review mate, but I definitely don't think that the tone of your review and the negatives listed corresponds to an 86.

I agree with that, and certainly loved Barmy's review, However in my view BigAnt have a huge stash of bonus points up their sleeve to combat the lists of issues and thus end up with a very good overall score.
One thing i think is overlooked with BigAnts effort on this, is just how accomplished it is for a first up effort.
To have included such innovative controls, robust (and FUN) gameplay as well as the ambitious and deep career mode in a debut effort is simply astounding.
Cast your mind back into the not so distant past to a franchise known as NBA Live.
One of the best, most popular, most revered sports franchises of the last 20 years.
It wrote the book on a lot of stuff when it comes to sports video games.
Now fast forward to last year and, after a short hiatus, NBA Live returned yet it delivered a bug infested dogs breakfast.
It simply is not easy to make a good sports game. For BigAnt to have accomplished what they have with DBC14 and to have got SO MUCH RIGHT, cannot be applauded enough.

Thats personally why i can overlook the current fairly minor issues and arrive at a similar score to what Barmy has.

 

[angad]

It simply is not easy to make a good sports game. For BigAnt to have accomplished what they have with DBC14 and to have got SO MUCH RIGHT, cannot be applauded enough.

+1!!

What is most important to me is the fact that the gameplay actually feels like 'cricket'! This is cricket! Some issues are there and would always be there.....but BigAnt are looking to sort them out and that too almost immediately. Thats all that you want from a developer. If anyone here thought that this game would be with 0 bugs then they just had super high expectations. With the depth in gameplay that this game has (just try and imagine the complexities involved in the game of cricket and you would know that BigAnt has not just been sitting and eating cake all this while), there were always gonna be some bugs in the game. You just cannot test everything!

 

[Kiko_97]

The only flaw I have seen so far is the ball goes through the billboards after going to the boundary..maybe making them strong as in hitting it and the ball coming back would make it awesome to see.....

You notice a good few graphical glitches, but it doesn't bother me as i'm effectively digging to find them

 

[nightprowler10]

Issues will be resolved by the developers, bugs will be patched and they will take what they?ve learnt to turn their athlete into a lean, mean run-machine: a real world-beater; a Bradman.

dat trademarked "closing the loop" by barmy.

Great, balanced review.

 

[Guybrush Threep]

Agree mostly with the review. Thought the score was slightly high though - but a review is a personal opinion after all.

For me there are a few improvements required before the games attains that status of feeling "there" or a complete experience.

The one thing I keep coming back to is the AI batting when you are bowling. It just doesn't feel like you are ever dominating a batsman as a fast bowler, and catches behind the wicket to good deliveries are too rare. It feels like you are just serving the ball up to see what the AI decides to do and wait for them to get themselves out.