Cricket Through the Ages (NS) - Review
by Evan Norris , posted on 02 March 2024 / 1,903 Views
If Cricket Through the Ages was a Wikipedia entry, it would come with the warning "citation needed". A tongue-in-cheek spin on the history of cricket, it's intentionally misleading about the provenance, scope, appeal, and legacy of the bat-and-ball sport, all for comedic effect. When that historical inaccuracy combines with the game's unreliable one-button control scheme and physics-based mechanics, the results are weird and random. As a result, this party game from the makers of Broforce and Genital Jousting is a funny, unpredictable experience. But is it a good one?
Taken as a history lesson, Cricket Through the Ages is erroneous, irreverent, and even distasteful at times. Yet it's also imaginative, silly, and often quite funny. By way of a serious-sounding narrator, we learn of cricket's prehistoric origins (yes, you read that right), its growth during the British imperial era, and its evolution among the stars, long after humanity said farewell to planet Earth. Imagine if Monty Python had produced History of the World, Part I, and you'll get the idea.
The ironic sense of humor that supports the game's premise and narrative journey also permeates its gameplay systems. Thanks to simple one-button commands, wobbly physics, and random whammy events, you'll encounter plenty of comical moments, unanticipated victories, and questionable defeats. The capriciousness and wackiness of Cricket Through the Ages is good for a few chuckles, especially when played competitively with a local friend.
Unfortunately, it's also good for a healthy amount of disappointment and fatigue. For all its silly, surprising moments, Cricket Through the Ages is ultimately a clumsy, shallow video game. The one-button control scheme severely limits the gameplay possibilities, and the rickety physics engine makes character movement a chore. There is simply not enough here, mechanically or tactically, to sink your teeth into. You'll flail around and fall on your face a lot — good for a laugh, but little else.
To be fair, there is value in laughter, particularly laughter shared with a companion. If you accept Cricket Through the Ages for what it is — a lighthearted, frivolous party game designed for short, inconsequential bursts of chaos — you should find a few moments of entertainment.
There are times, though, when it's simply impossible to overcome the deficiencies, particularly when developer Free Lives introduces scenarios that interact poorly with the game's controls and physics. Things are at their worst in "The Games of Olympus", where you'll compete in several Olympic challenges, including fencing, high jump, rock climbing, and equestrian jumping. Without the ability to truly dictate your character's direction and momentum, these games quickly become exercises in frustration.
When the studio focuses on modes where players are mostly stationary, things improve considerably. The best section of the game is "Ash's World Cup", which, interestingly, comes closest to the actual expectations of cricket. Here you're either a bowler (who throws the ball at the wicket behind the batter), or the batter (who attempts to hit the ball out of play before it reaches the wicket). The controls are simple: you either wind up and throw, or swing. It's mostly a test of timing and anticipation — not especially deep or strategic, but more reliable and rewarding than the spastic randomness found in other modes. What's more, there are rules and, at least in single-player mode, progression. It's here where Cricket Through the Ages feels more like a game and less like a parody.
To beat "The Games of Olympus", "Ash's World Cup", and six other modes, you'll need approximately one to two hours. Even though it features a relatively short running time, the game runs of out steam early. There are only so many ways you can riff on the ball-and-bat formula before things get boring.
While Cricket Through the Ages doesn't have much staying power, it's very approachable. That's due in part to easy controls but also in part to streamlined, uncomplicated artistic assets. With lots of bright and solid colors, basic models, and simple geometry, it's a game easy to read and understand. The aesthetic isn't particularly beautiful or impressive, but it serves the party gameplay well. As for music, there's not much to report. It's inoffensive, unobtrusive background noise, mostly.
Cricket Through the Ages benefits from a wacky premise, ironic presentation, and a subversive sense of humor. Regrettably, due to its simple controls, unreliable physics, and flailing gameplay, it's not all that enjoyable as a video game. With the right friend along for the ride, you should be able to steal a few minutes of laughter, as your characters face plant into a bowling ball or cricket bat. But after the initial zaniness subsides, you'll be left with an experience too frivolous and clumsy for its own good.
VGChartz Verdict
4
Poor
This review is based on a digital copy of Cricket Through the Ages for the NS, provided by the publisher.
