PlayStation 2
Released in 2002 by Acclaim
Grade: C-
This game aims for a no-nonsense simulation, but its action is too choppy and its tempo is too slow.
Where it falls in the series
This is the second of four PS2 versions. Acclaim made it to the 2005 edition before hanging up its baseball series for good.
Praises and gripes
To be fair to this game, it’s about as good as other baseball games from 2002, back when developers were still learning how to make use of PS2-level technology. It looks realistic enough in a screenshot, but in motion its sloppy animations really stand out. The sound is filled with in-depth commentary, but it often lags behind the action.
Batting can be a difficult, nagging task. You can aim your swing, but the sluggish cursor can’t keep up with the zippy ball, which is hard to track coming out of the pitcher’s hand. You’ll probably decide to switch to “easy batting” so that you don’t need to aim, which dumbs down the gameplay of this supposed gritty simulation. You may even want to play on “rookie” difficulty, which doesn’t soften the mechanics of the game as much as it magically sprays your hits into open parts of the field and casts a spell of doom on your opponent’s fielding skills.
On the mound, you choose a pitch type and a location and you simply fire away. No power meter or timing tricks needed. I don’t mind it. It works fine.
Out in the field, things fall apart further, though. The fielder’s animations are messy and imprecise, causing unneeded difficulties. It’s unintentional funny to see your guy square up to throw in one direction, then send the ball flying somewhere else, resembling the basketball “no-look pass.”
Altogether, the gameplay is functional but unsatisfying. Combine that with slow pacing (even on the “fast” setting), and it’s downright agitating.
Published July 9, 2024