Just got this on PC on release, and wow I'm loving this game. Definitely the best cricket game I've played on PC.
Some thoughts:
- I like that batting requires some concentration. The game is punishing me for being slog happy - I feel a bit Warner-esque in my batsmen's ability to come in for a quick 20 of 8 balls and get out foolishly!
- I enjoy the bowling mechanics, the feel of variations is pretty good. I like that the normal break / googly (doosra) are angled on the left stick in the way they will turn.
Some ideas:
- the tutorial mode is a bit buried. Should label the "practice - on field" more obviously as a tutorial mode. Once I found this it made the game so much easier - I hadnt seen a tutorial so just jumped straight into the game, and found both bowling and batting quite difficult.
- there should be a visual representation on the screen of which delivery you choose. Like a translucent version of the "radar" in the manual which flashes depending on where you are placing the left stick, and then flashes to confirm which delivery you choose. I understand not having an on-screen representation for split-screen games but who does that on a PC? I have had to print off the relevant parts of the manual to remember all the variations, although I don't have to refer to it for most. Same for batting although perhaps more just for feedback of shot selection to confirm what you did, since the position is pretty much just where about on the pitch you want to hit it.
- in career mode, the skill stat increases are a little buggy. I often get an increase in a stat that I wasnt using. It is most noticeable when playing a cut shot / late cut - I get a skill boost for on-side every time. What's with that!