Cricket Through the Ages Nintendo Switch Review 7/10 "The most realistic, in-depth cricket simulation ever made…some may say" 🏏🪨 @freelives @devolverdigital #GameDev #IndieGame

Free Lives have created some of my favourite games of the last decade in Broforce and Genital Jousting, very different from each other in some respects, but their games always feature a rich sense of humour that runs throughout their releases. 

And so, we have gone from controlling pastiches of action heroes, to willies….to those brave folks that have played cricket through the ages. From cavemen with rocks and sticks through to the denizens that litter a post-apocalyptic wasteland…with rocks and sticks.

A 2D game that features far more in common visually with Genital Jousting than Broforce, Cricket Through the Ages is a single-button affair that pairs up two characters, one of which must be victorious in their battle to gain the necessary points to proceed. 

Well, I say it’s a single-button affair, that’s not strictly true, one button whirls your arm to release the projectile you are holding, or mindlessly swing the melee weapon in your grasp, but other buttons thrust and cajole your character across the screen in a brilliantly abstract way, whether you’re a dragon, knight, businessman or peasant – the controls and animations are as wonderfully bizarre as the concept. 

The overarching narrative - declared so grandly - is also a highlight, as the stakes and situations become ever more bonkers the further you get into the game.

SUMMARY

A fun party game that becomes more enjoyable with friends and tournaments etc. Whilst this isn’t my favourite Free Lives title, the instant gratification and silly fun will definitely sit well with some mates and a few beers. Think of it as an incredibly barmy history lesson, with dragons and plenty of cricket action.