What iB Cricket is
iB Cricket is a virtual reality cricket game where you stand in a stadium and play the sport with a bat in your hands. The game uses realistic physics for the ball and the shots, so the swing you make with the controller translates into where the ball goes. You face right-arm and left-arm bowlers, and as you progress the deliveries get harder: fast bowling, medium pace, off spin, leg spin, inswing, outswing, off-cutters and yorkers. Fielding runs on built-in AI, and the bowlers, fielders and umpires have animated reactions that follow what happens on the pitch. Stadiums, crowds, commentary and day/night settings are all part of the presentation, and you can pick different stadiums, game modes and weather conditions, plus unlock skins as you advance.
Playing together
You can compete directly against friends, and the game supports online PvP as well as online co-op. One of the tactical layers when you are bowling is setting the field positions yourself, so you can plan where your fielders stand before you bowl to a friend and try to outthink them. Remote Play Together is also available, which lets someone join in from your session. Beyond playing with your own group, there are global leagues and tournaments where you face players from around the world.
Before you start
This is a VR title, so you need a headset. The recommended ones are HTC Vive, HTC Vive Pro, Valve Index, Oculus Rift S, and Oculus Quest with a link cable. The game is in Early Access, which means it is still being worked on. The learning curve is short: the developers state that anyone can pick it up within 10 minutes regardless of cricket background. Progress carries across sessions through a career mode where you earn SUPER RUNS, rise in levels, unlock bats, and build a squad of virtual players with different skills to cover different kinds of matches.