Don Bradman Cricket (PS4)

This is a fantastic effort from Tru Blu. The game is as close to real cricket as I've ever experienced, with a variety of options for bowling and batting which makes each ball an almost unique challenge. As there are several facets to each speciality, and it requires practice to bring each together to form the ideal approach, it's extremely challenging to begin with.With bowling - line and length are determined by good timing, and this feeds into the effect the spin/seam/swing you apply has. Batting requires you to select front or back foot as well as timing your shot to ensure it has the desired effect (as well as giving you the option to play aggressively or defensively). As it all happens quite quickly (batting in particular requires you make some decisions almost instantly), this is understandably difficult to master, but once you have done so it feels incredibly rewarding. Rather than mindlessly pressing X to drive ball after ball, you are required to think and plan each shot. However, this is where I also think the game has a really significant flaw which will put a lot of players off.The practice mode in this game gives very little feedback, and offers beginners next-to-no advice on how to approach the game. While some might argue this isn't a problem at all, and that they prefer not to held by the hand, I think with sports games particularly this is really fundamental. The practice mode of any sports game out currently or even in the last 5 years gives players step-by-step guides to not just the basics of the game, but also to the idiosyncrasies. For instance, in football sims, FIFA or Pro Evo both have practice exercises for dribbling and performing specific tricks. With cricket being a game of fine details, and the finer points of bowling and batting not necessarily being known by all, it would've been really beneficial for this game had Tru Blu set-up a practice section with (e.g.) a batting and bowling coach, talking you through specific deliveries and shots, when best to use them, how to play them, etc. etc. I wouldn't call myself a cricketing expert, but I would say I've a probably above-average grasp of what is required from bowlers and batsman. I was therefore delighted to see the detail Tru Blu had put into this game, but I found it extremely frustrating to begin, particularly with batting when I had almost no idea what I was doing wrong or how to fix it. For players who have less knowledge, I can imagine it being extremely overwhelming, and might even cause them to give up on the game altogether. This would be a shame, and could have been avoided had the same amount of thought that went into the rest of the game gone into constructing a proper training and practice section to ease newcomers in. Because once you are 'in' it's a cracking game and an engrossing experience!

Without any doubt the best cricket sim ever made, by an absolute mile. Genius portal allows you to download real and historic teams despite lack of licensing and all aspects of the game are realistically recreated except for spin bowling which is strangely un-intuitive and needs reworking - hence only four stars.Absolutely essential purchase for cricket nuts.

Fantastic cricket game . Players motions and actions are spot on. The crowd is quite poor but if tri blue can get licencing then they can work on the crowd's and the stadiums. The controls are challenging and like a proper game of cricket you have to take your time and build an innings . Overall for any cricket lover's this game is a must :-)

Spent a lot of time playing this, loads of detail but not for a casual fan.

I really like this game. Please pay attention to the people who say this isn't a Brian Lara type button basher. It's gonna take time to get your eye in. Once you get your eye in, it's a brilliant game.