[Archived] Ashes 2009

[Hughesy]

Yes the legends mode - allows you to open stadiums etc when you complete the the whole section i.e. 'bowling.

I also found a bug where my team where fielding, threw the ball in, and didnt stump them out, despite both guys being stood at the opposite wicket.

They havent tested it very well if you ask me. The graphics are fairly behind for today's games and little things like backwards throwing etc just spoil it.

[Rover down South]

Yes the legends mode - allows you to open stadiums etc when you complete the the whole section i.e. 'bowling.

I also found a bug where my team where fielding, threw the ball in, and didnt stump them out, despite both guys being stood at the opposite wicket.

They havent tested it very well if you ask me. The graphics are fairly behind for today's games and little things like backwards throwing etc just spoil it.

This is my main issue with the game.

[snatchymcsnatch]

Got it from Asda at the weekend.

I'm not a massive cricket fan but it's reasonably enjoyable. I played a couple of 20 20's and did the legends coaching.

It all seems a bit rushed - although I'm a big advocate of gameplay over graphics, I do expect the graphics to be of a certain standard and for me these are some of the worst I've seen on a sports title in xbox 360 memory - the players heads look ridiculous. The commentary is wooden, even worse than the recent PES titles and the sounds are very bog standard and quite repetitive.

On the plus side, the gameplay is quite enjoyable but I can't for the life of me bowl anyone out, perhaps I'm missing something here - any tips?

Like I say I'm not really a big cricket fan but it's taught me a few things about cricket that I didn't know so I guess that's a bonus. I think codemasters have "got away with it" this time - if EA attacked the sport with any anger I suspect their version would cream this one. And with that, I'm off for a game of FIFA....

[brfcshabba]

Got the game

Test matches are exactly the same as BLC07 - Far too attacking as mentioned. You don't mind the odd boundary but batter will attempt a shot for 6 when when in a test match environment they would play defensively.

[DeadlyDirk]

Got the game

Test matches are exactly the same as BLC07 - Far too attacking as mentioned. You don't mind the odd boundary but batter will attempt a shot for 6 when when in a test match environment they would play defensively.

The more I play this game the worse it gets.

Initially I played it with some 'cricket tinted specs' on in my desperation to play a cricket game after the lack of them over the last few years. But now the novelty has worn off the major flaws are really showing through.

As you say test matches are ridiculous, I didn't realise how unbalanced it was until I played a few twenty twenty matches. In the test match they are slogging me for sixes in the first few overs even when they start losing wickets, yet in a 20/20 game I bowled the same good line and length and they were playing leave after leave, poking the odd couple through the covers, they finished on 66/4 after 20 overs, pure madness!! Meanwhile in test matches bowling the same line and length they are going at 7 or 8 an over.

Online games are completely shocking, I've played 4 games and finished 1 as the other guy quit on all the others, doesn't seem like I get any reward for winning, can't even see any W/D/L stats, just some best bowling figures etc, not sure any of mine have counted for those either as the match wasn't completed.

Very disappointed.

[Guest Kamy100]

I have managed to restrict the AI to 3 to 4 runs an over in test matches, what you need to do is ball a fuller length, make sure the marker which you place on the pitch is yellow and also the try and bowl in the yellow area on the bowling guage, if the pitch marker is green and you you bowl a bowl on the green area on the bowling guage that is classed as a poor delivery and you are going to get spanked all over the place. Also do the bowling training in legends mode (basic and advanced) it will help you understand the game mechanics.

Most of the tests I play now last 4 days, below is screenshot of a test match which is into third day:

[DeadlyDirk]

I have managed to restrict the AI to 3 to 4 runs an over in test matches, what you need to do is ball a fuller length, make sure the marker which you place on the pitch is yellow and also the try and bowl in the yellow area on the bowling guage, if the pitch marker is green and you you bowl a bowl on the green area on the bowling guage that is classed as a poor delivery and you are going to get spanked all over the place. Also do the bowling training in legends mode (basic and advanced) it will help you understand the game mechanics.

Most of the tests I play now last 4 days, below is screenshot of a test match which is into third day:

It's not the difficulty of the game I have a problem with, it's just that the AI isn't realistic at all, I know about getting it to be yellow and bowling fuller etc but I've just finished a test match now and in Australia's second innings they were all out for 163 off 16 overs. So I'm managing to get them out yet they are still strying to slog at 8 an over, Hussey made 59 off 27 balls. It just wouldn't happen in a test match if I was bowling crap, let alone taking a wicket every other over. They play stupid shot's like slogging to cow corner when I'm bowling an off cutter on a perfect line and length, just doesn't make sense.

Then like I said in a 20/20 playing Australia I can restrict them for 2 or 3 an over and they play a leave every other ball!!

Throw in half of the players not being very accurately rated like Panesar being better at batting than Broad and Harmison only bowling a maximum of 76mph.

Maybe the PS3 version is worse for run rates.

[Iceman]

anybody know if there is a cricket game for the PSP? at the moment im just playing PSP, as im looking into a PS3, having sold my Wii.

cheers

[Seggie]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brian-Lara-2007-Pressure-Play/dp/B000SKNZWC