Customer Reviews
Cricket - By: Juan McGuinness, 13 Sep 2009 
Initially I really quite enjoyed this game however after a few short hours of play I became intensely annoyed with the difficulty swing between whupping kenya & getting bent over by the aussies.
My main gripe however is the inability to save the game mid test match which resultedin the PC being left on overnight.
Allin all it is great if you love cricket but not great if you have a passing interest & want some fun
Best cricket game out in the market, by far. - By: Umar L. Lone, 10 Sep 2009 
Well, what can i say. Ashes 09 is great fun, brilliant graphics/gameplay. Anyone who loves cricket will enjoy this latest release from codemasters. 10 out of 10! Best game availabein comparison to other EA or recent codemaster releases like brian lara so etc.. Don't waste time deciding on little things, purchase it & experience it for youself.
ashes 2009 pc - By: W. Bennett, 17 Aug 2009 
I have had lots of cricket gamesin the past, this is the best so far. It looks fantastic & is very easy to get too grips with. You can play all modes of cricket & with any of the test playing nations.
Gameplay is ok, over rates when you are bowling is down to about 5 an over with good bowling & fielding.
Some reviews have gone on about only getting the opposition out with runouts. I have found that I get a side out with all varities of outs, LBW, bowling & catches. On average only one run out per innings, seems realistic to me. The commentry tends to be a bit repetitive, graphics are fantastic with the grounds & the background looking fantastic.
Like cricket? BUY IT....
BRILLIANT!!!! - By: Mr. I. Chohan, 17 Aug 2009 So I bought this the other day & have to admit - fantastic game. Trust me, I have been playing nearly (nearly?! probably all!) the cricket games since 1997 (I even played Graham Gooch Cricket on the Amiga when I was about 12). This games cracks the whip out of all of them.
Not only are the graphics great but the play is brilliant. Finally, a game that knows how to play the great game - you can't (shouldent) goin & slog the first ball for 6 as you have reached "confidence" yet. Only problem is that I have noticed the confidence can be reached pretty quickly (although it can also go down with a number of dot balls etc).
No more mouse + keyboard stuff - this game is totally keyboard based - EVERYTHING - even the menu board........and it works perfectly.
Read a few reviews on the Wii & noticed you can only play Eng & Australia I think - this PC version lets you play anyone. It even had a theme for your team....brilliant!
The tutorials are great & Botham teachs good :-) It even has a "advanced tutorial".
Advantages:
1. No more rubbish dot ball & the fielder runningin & passing it to the wicket keeper? What the heck was that all about?!
2. The ball mover is now easy to pin point onto the pitch.
3. You can play any format & any length of the game. Tes match/50 over & 20 over.
4. If you are a cricket nut like me & love the test matches (132 off 389 balls kind of guy :-) ) then this game is perfect.
5. spin blowing is a breeze. Warny is the best coach.
6. Played Hoggard & he bowled me a spell of 8-1-43-2 - classic. How that was a positive then only the old timers will know.
Problems:
1. The commentary is again robot like & should have done more.
2. Maybe my PC but for some reason it took ages to load. Checked the CPU (dual-core) & it was using 99% for about 30secs before loading the actual game.
3. Names are not of the REAL players - have no idea if you can change them.
In conclusion - buy the game & enjoy it! Nothing out there beats it!
Test match disappointment 20Twenty satisfaction. - By: G. F. Chalmers, 16 Aug 2009 One question has bugged me ever since I took delivery of this game by Amazon, & it is this; was this game developed for the cricket purist or the arcade gamer? I neither love nor loath this game & on other days dislike it or came to think of it as a classic. To be honest it has got me undecided. Undecided because it is brilliantin certain aspects & rubbish & annoyingin others. Just when it lets you down it makes you feel good & then you wonder what was good about itin the first place. I have a confession; I am a Surrey fan & I won't let my self-righteous deep seated bitterness of what has happened over the last few years affect my judgement. If you know what I'm talking about then this review is for you. But we should be the best Countyin the country (Sorry).
Cricket fans, have you ever seen an international Test match start & end with a scoring rate of 8 an over? That's my review of the Ashes series this game has to other. A total disappointment. If they release a patch which counteracts this scoring frenzy then this main mode may be more appealing & playable. The grounds kits & squads are great; 23 man squads leaves enough room for scope & adjust your attacking line ups. You can create yourself & insert it into the team but be warned if your first name is longer than six letters it'll not go in, shame. But all Twelve teamsin the game can be edited (player names only). There is no real scope to change the `other' teams so no Netherlands or Scotland. Unless it's less than six letters but then the choice of kits & emblems are very limited.
So where does this game shine? It shinesin the 20twenty format. These games have so far proved very exciting & well worth playing the HUD keeps you updated with run rates & player scores & what I think is excellent & adds to drama the score needed over balls left. This can be scary or fun depending on which side of the deficit you are playing on. You have to choose whether to attack or defendin hope you can pick off the weaker bowler. I tried to do this against Pakistan only to loose a couple of wickets to the Rawalpindi Express however, the spinner came on allowing me to increase the run rate applying pressure on Shahid Afridi (you need to edit the names) & denting his confidence but it is very cat & mouse the pressure can build, mark my words. But this mode can only be playedin a knock out tournament from the quarter final stage there is no league or group stage which is strange as Cricket always has a group stage then the knock out... A little disappointed. So, no World Series cricket for the one day enthusiast. One plus point is the inclusion of stat tracking which run for the life of the game but never seem to update when the player comes into bat or bowl. Butin the team screen prior a game the stats can be read if you're a cricket fan you'll know what I am talking about.
The actual game play is the best I have playedin a cricket game timing & placement are all importantin both bowling & probably more soin batting. You get a strange sense of satisfaction when you've cracked one of the middle for four even playing a cheeky one down to third man or fine leg feels great. Catching is much improved with a bullet time version of you trying to catch the ball as a circle turns red, orange, green & then red again to signify the chance has gone. Orange means you have a fifty/fifty chance of grabbing a catch. No balls are punished with the free hit rule which is a good inclusion. The game play is what makes this game tick but strange when you are playing a test match to have most of your deliveries smashed away for boundaries even the odd six... this is strangein the first session of the first test.
In conclusion this a good cricket game & I only hope they use the engine to produce either a domestic 20twenty game of better still sort the problems of the test match & bring out a bigger & better game soon as if this is the taster then the main course would be worth the sacrifice for this game.
