It’s been a long dry spell for cricket fans in the video game industry. We’ve been taunted with one or two possibly good games only for them to fail at the last hurdle and end up being as useless as Kevin Pietersen’s opinions. So will the great Don Bradman save us or are we doomed for another few years?

Pedigree

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When I heard that Don Bradman Cricket was coming the first thing I did was to go and look up the studio making it to see what their abilities are like and whether they could handle such a technical title.

The game is developed by Big Ant Studios who are famous for developing… well nothing outside of Australia actually. They have done two Spyro games and a bunch of Rugby League games and appear to have ported Jetpack Joyride but there is nothing here that made me confident they could handle it.

And then the game was delayed and a cloud of depression settled over my hopes and dreams.

Licenses and Player Likeness

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Another really important aspect to me personally in sports games are the licences and player likenesses in the game. I don’t enjoy playing sports games where you can’t recognise anyone and the stadiums are just generic nonsense. So again when I heard that Don Bradman had only two licenced stadiums and one licenced player, Don Bradman, I was disappointed. However the very clever guys at Red Ant have been, well,  very clever here.

When you start the game you are asked if you want to import the current top community created teams from The Cricket Academy. So basically what this means is the game ships with no real teams but when you load it up and are connected to the Internet you can import these community teams and suddenly you have all the best players looking like themselves with the correct attributes.

It’s an awesome way to work around licences and I hope there aren’t any inflated egos out there who try and stop them doing this.

Game Modes

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Don Bradman Cricket 14 ships with a multitude of game modes with the most common being Tournament, Tour, Career and Practice Nets..

In career mode you get to customise your cricketer to the nth degree and then you start off a career as a 16 year old whippersnapper and try and fight your way up to the best cricketer in the world over a maximum of 20 seasons. It’s a long hard slog and is really only for the serious cricket fans out there.

The more common mode is tournament where you can play anything from a best of 1 T20 game to a full round robin tournament mode. This is easily my favourite mode and hoisting the trophy at the end of a thrilling T20 tournament definitely gave me some pride. Each team you play against has got an entirely different play style and you are going to need to learn how to bat against seamers and spinners as well as bowling as both. The Tour mode lets you recreate some fantastic tours of the past and just last night I smashed the Bangladeshi test team in just under a single day. But the game is not easy, I will cover this later on.

Controls – Bowling

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The controls are definitely unique and take some getting used to. When playing on an easier level the game will give you some guides on how to bowl. As a fast bowler you start your run up by pushing a button that corresponds to how you want to pitch the ball, You then hit either the right bumper for a fast ball or the left for a slow ball. As you near the crease you push the right stick up to start your jump and then push it down when you have chosen exactly how you would like to release it. all while aiming down the pitch.

Every bowler has a different run up speed so the spot where you need to jump and release changes depending on each. After a few overs you get comfortable with this and can easily send down a blitzing yorker or a slow full ball and skittle their stumps. This is when you need to up the level and by the time you get to veteran the guides all disappear and you have to figure it all out for yourself.

The difference between a perfect yorker and a simple full toss is now decided by milliseconds making the game so much more difficult. I got absolutely smashed trying to play on veteran. Spinners work in a similar manner where you hit the button and bumper to pick options and then as your man gets close to bowling you spin the left stick to get a certain type of spin and let it go with the right stick. Spin bowlers are very important so you will want to practice this.

Controls – Batting

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If bowling confused you then batting is going to drive you to drink. The idea is simple, you use the left analogue stick to move your feet and shape your body while the right stick swings the bat. It feels weird in the beginning but after a while it becomes very intuitive and I’m now semi-comfortable leaving a ball late only to step back to the right and cut the ball to 3rd man. Or step across my wicket and hook it over my left shoulder for 6. And you need to learn all these tricks as the game will alter the fielding and bowler if you think you’ve found the perfect shot.

You can also use the left trigger for power shots, the left bumper for reverse sweeps and the right trigger for defensive shots. My hands can’t hit the right bumper and the sticks at the same time so who knows what that one does, but it will do something.

Graphics and Physics

The graphics in Don Bradman Cricket 14 aren’t terrible but at the same time you aren’t getting a game that even remotely approaches FIFA 14 in visual quality. The crowds are flat and boring and the stadiums are equally as dull.  The fields all have a certain amount of canned animations and it won’t take long before you get irritated with your bowler taking off the bails every time you throw the ball at him. But none of that really ruins anything.

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The animations and graphics in the instant replays and appeals system are very good and the hot spot is definitely my personal favourite. Appealing a nick and then seeing that tiny bit of white on the bat is depressing.

But that does raise another point. The game has been designed for the umpire to get it wrong sometimes which I think is absolutely brilliant. I have successfully appealed being given out and for my opponent to be given safe. As in real life the umpire is generally right but if you are sure you got him LBW and the umpire isn’t giving it, then appeal. It’s there for a reason.

And it’s in the appeal system that you see how very good the physics of the game actually are.The collision detection of the ball and the player, stumps and bat appears to be spot on. I haven’t seen a mistake yet and when you are going through the appeal system everything slows down to a frame by frame follow through and the slightest nick does change the path of the ball.

Overall (TL;DR)

Overall you can see that this game hasn’t been made by a billion dollar company. The graphics and out of game experience (menus and such)  are clunky and definitely not refined through user experience testing. However you can also tell this game has been made by fans of cricket and all the important aspects are definitely included in the game. From the in-depth appeal system to the control you have over batting and bowling and even down to the difficult in catching.

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Just being in the way of the ball isn’t going to assure you of a catch and a fast bowler catching a ball smashed right back at him is incredibly difficult to pull of. If you’ve been waiting for a real cricket game since Brian Lara or Jonty Rhodes cricket then wait no more.

Don Bradman Cricket 14 is a pleasure to play and the different difficulty levels will hopefully have you hooked for years to come. I’m personally hoping the sales are strong and the sequel keeps the base experience and ramps up the graphics, adding a bit of polish to mitigate the small hiccups.

Last Updated: April 11, 2014

Don Bradman Cricket 2014
Easily the best cricket game of this console generation and possibly of any generation. Yes, this is very probably the finest cricket game ever made - though that's not really saying very much.
8.7
Don Bradman Cricket 2014 was reviewed on PlayStation 3
73 / 100

51 Comments

  1. Rince Striving Abomination

    April 11, 2014 at 15:41

    Glad to hear it. May actually try it out when the price comes down.

    Reply

    • VampyreSquirrel

      April 11, 2014 at 15:59

      I’ll give it a shot before then… WAY before then 😛

      Reply

      • Rince Striving Abomination

        April 11, 2014 at 16:02

        Well I think the price will stump me, but when it comes down I am bound to catch it on special… Don’t judge me bitch!

        Reply

        • VampyreSquirrel

          April 11, 2014 at 16:04

          Even when you catch it on special you’ll be caught leg before with an ankle injury and not be able to play 😛

          Reply

          • Rince Striving Abomination

            April 11, 2014 at 16:10

            Depends if the shops seller tries pitching the game too high and goes over the line in his attempts to get me to by it… To hot for this kak 😛 Brain melt!

          • VampyreSquirrel

            April 11, 2014 at 16:16

            Yeah, but playing this game might make you “wide” and all the girls will look at you and just say “no-ball”

          • Rince Striving Abomination

            April 11, 2014 at 16:28

            Not when I whack my shuttleCOCK over her net! Wait, fuck, wrong game…

          • VampyreSquirrel

            April 11, 2014 at 16:29

            And then Spike the ball over her net and into the sand?

          • Rince Striving Abomination

            April 11, 2014 at 16:32

            More like trip over the first hurdle and break my fall using my head 0-o

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            April 11, 2014 at 18:54

            So no real damage then.

          • Skoobaz

            April 17, 2014 at 11:23

            Not when she’s got a sticky pitch

  2. Hammersteyn

    April 11, 2014 at 15:43

    Can consoles download the teams from Cricket Academy?

    Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      April 11, 2014 at 15:49

      yes this was played on a PS3

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        April 11, 2014 at 15:50

        AWESOME thanks Gavin

        Reply

  3. KingKappie

    April 11, 2014 at 15:45

    Don Bradman Cricket 2014 was reviewed by Gavin Mannion on the 11th of April , 2014 at 3:30 PM on
    on what??? its killing me

    Reply

    • KingKappie

      April 11, 2014 at 15:45

      PS i think is Xbox 360

      Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      April 11, 2014 at 15:49

      it’s a PS3.. .will go slap Geoff now

      Reply

  4. HvR

    April 11, 2014 at 15:47

    No Kinect integration?

    Reply

    • Rince Striving Abomination

      April 11, 2014 at 15:48

      That’s reserved for the matchfixing.

      Reply

      • HvR

        April 11, 2014 at 15:49

        Play as the Umpire DLC perhaps

        Reply

      • Lourens Jordaan

        April 11, 2014 at 15:57

        The matchfixing DLC introduces a Pay to Win mode.

        Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      April 11, 2014 at 15:49

      Reviewed on a PS3 🙂

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      April 11, 2014 at 15:49

      Yup. the plastic kinect bat is $100 though

      Reply

      • HvR

        April 11, 2014 at 15:50

        Yippeee!! New people hitting their kids face for six videos on youtube

        EDIT:
        And people doing a run up into their TV muhahaha

        Reply

    • DismalAnt27

      April 17, 2016 at 18:43

      Hi i cant download licensed teams on don bradman it seems there is something wrong with my xbox live account pls help

      Reply

  5. VampyreSquirrel

    April 11, 2014 at 15:52

    I’m very happy to see all the positive reviews on this game… I know it’s not a perfect game, but it’s obviously the best cricket game out there, by a LONG shot.

    Reply

    • Ramesh Verma

      June 3, 2016 at 08:30

      way better than previous version . dbc 17 will become a big hit very soon

      Reply

  6. evilsheepclone

    April 11, 2014 at 18:29

    Been playing this gem the entire week now, still not even remotely sick of it! I might be without a girlfriend soon, best cricket game to date by far, oh and you push the right stick down to jump, then up to release. Just saying 🙂

    Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      April 12, 2014 at 10:11

      It actually works both ways. You’re just playing backwards 😉

      Reply

  7. nexrazor

    April 12, 2014 at 03:35

    typo in the review its bigant not red ant

    Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      April 13, 2014 at 09:30

      gah thanks for letting me know.. it’s been updated

      Reply

      • nexrazor

        April 13, 2014 at 12:13

        no probs great review btw well detailed covering all aspects.

        Reply

  8. Johan du Preez

    April 17, 2014 at 11:51

    Dammit they must release it for PC now I am super eager to play it.

    Reply

  9. jagee

    April 19, 2014 at 12:42

    Hey,how to catch the ball in this game?

    Reply

    • sahil

      July 10, 2014 at 14:43

      press the right analog button

      Reply

  10. kelvin

    April 27, 2014 at 21:28

    @jagee if you want to catch move right analogue and it will catch it

    about this review i am glad that big ant came up with this came price is little higher but its really best cricket game up-to date but still long long way to go, eg its having loads of bugs while playing career mode game hanged 3 times on level 10 and when i restart my PS3 all 3 times game is revert back to level 7 and all teams i downloaded are gone , there are not replays for lbw which is quite surprising like ashes cricket game cmon big ant you can easily add this cant you ? also there are loads of patients needed to get master in batting its very tough especially in career mode , bowling is the most exited part and best part of this game but again after selecting for Australia team my bowling assistant meter is gone from game even when bowing assistant meter is checked (its very wired and quite frankly very annoying too big ant have to work on that), graphics wise game is just okay a decent graphics , one more odd thing i seen there is no option to change the controls i wish if there is an option to change it as well so consider these things before buying sorry for my english its not my native lang but i tried my best to express my points i loving this game still but to be frank in career mode batting is quite tough 😛 annoying sometimes when fielders catch my rocket shots by flying like superman 😛

    Regards
    Kelvin

    Reply

  11. sunand

    June 13, 2014 at 04:37

    i want key to compress file

    Reply

  12. atul88

    July 24, 2014 at 19:02

    Sorry to disappoint you but i have been a hardcore cricket game fan and have played almost every cricket game and am not at all impressed with DBC14. The controls are totally illogical, graphics are also not that good, camera angels are bad, The fielder tries to dive at every ball, and the list can go on and on. I am still trying to find something better than Brian Lara 07.

    Reply

    • Ramesh Verma

      June 3, 2016 at 08:31

      bro , if you are talking about controls then let me tell you , dbc 14 producing best ever created controls for any cricket game, you can get better expeinece with jostick rumble pad

      Reply

  13. atul sharma

    February 16, 2015 at 10:13

    Is it supported by the Move PS3????

    Reply

  14. M Tahir

    March 15, 2015 at 08:19

    don bradman cricket game 14 is very good game and like a game design. but did not i download full game.

    many time search on google and find this site and download full game here .. http://goo.gl/8blpcA

    Reply

  15. djahmed

    April 8, 2015 at 09:13

    Don Bradman Cricket 2014 was reviewed by Gavin Mannion on the 11th of April here

    https://www.facebook.com/assassinscreedroguedownloadpccrack2

    Reply

  16. djman

    April 8, 2015 at 09:23

    Sorry to disappoint you but i have been a hardcore cricket game fan and have played almost every cricket game and am not at all impressed with DBC14.

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    Reply

  17. hkashkahs

    April 8, 2015 at 14:05

    Sorry to disappoint you but i have been a hardcore cricket game fan and have played almost every cricket game and am not at all impressed with DBC14. The controls

    https://www.facebook.com/FaceRigfreedownload

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  18. NAZ

    April 8, 2015 at 14:13

    FaceRig Download


    thnks for the visit

    Reply

    • sunvir

      April 8, 2015 at 14:21

      thnks

      Reply

  19. sunv

    April 8, 2015 at 20:26

    i’m cranky, arrogant and ever so amazingly annoying but when you get to know me you will also realise I’m honest and incredibly good at describing my

    thnks its awsome really

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  20. tumi amr

    April 8, 2015 at 20:41

    Sorry to disappoint you but i have been a hardcore cricket game fan and have played almost every cricket game and am not at all impressed with DBC14

    thnks

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Battlefield-Hardline-Free-Download/755860784528168

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  21. Shurtian

    May 7, 2015 at 06:48

    Really an Awesome Way to refresh mind by playing Cricket for Cricket lovers
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    Reply

  22. Ramesh Verma

    June 3, 2016 at 08:29

    best cricket video game i have ever played, and now dbc 17 coming this december, wow

    Reply

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