ESPN Baseball

Dogs vs. cats.  Pepsi vs. Coke.  Sean Connery vs. all the other Bonds…  all legendary rivalries that have seen favoritism split straight down the middle and battles that will surely never see an end in the near future.  Joining that elite list of no holds-barred scrapping is Sega’s ESPN Major League Baseball 2004 vs. Electronic Arts’ MVP Baseball 2004.  These two have fought their way through the brackets, and the debate about the best baseball game for the Microsoft Xbox is sure to go extra innings.  But this match-up and hotly contested debate isn’t comparable to Game 7 late in October, but rather a prizefight in glitzy Las Vegas.  And just like a title boxing match that goes the distance, the judges’ (we video game critics, in this case) decisions are bound to leave many with a bad taste in their mouth as both are worthy of being called champions.

Last year’s World Series Baseball 2K3 from Sega is my favorite baseball (and sports) game of all time.  It has it all, realistic graphics, fantastic batting and pitching engines, and finely tuned gameplay to recreate America’s pastime better than any other sim out there.  So it’s fair to say that I was eagerly anticipating this year’s version, branded ESPN Major League Baseball 2004 like a 6-year old on Christmas Eve.  Ever run down to the ole’ Christmas tree, unwrap that present from your senile grandmother, and realize she gave you the same damn sweater she gave you last year?  That’s kind of what ESPN Baseball is like this year… same game, new packaging.  The difference is this year’s game is a sweater you wouldn’t mind wearing again. 

With the new ESPN sponsorship, Sega continues their line of ESPN videogames and with ESPN presentation and footage and commentary from your favorite ESPN broadcasters, in this case Baseball Tonight’s Karl Ravech and the Vin Scully of our era, ESPN MLB broadcaster Jon Miller.  The new ESPN presentation will be a delight for huge fans of the network, especially of fans of their baseball broadcasts.  From the sports ticker to Jon Miller’s soothing voice, the changes are definitely a plus.  While these changes will be noticeable instantaneously, it will only take a few games for veterans of World Series Baseball 2K3 to realize that not much else has changed with presentation, which is a shocking disappointment.  The batch of new cut scene animations can be counted on one hand, which really leaves the game looking nearly identical to last year.  Stat junkies will be happy to see that Sega has at least added many more statistical tidbits to players when they enter the batter’s box, something lacking in every other baseball title.  This is basically a summary of ESPN MLB 2004 – the glitz and glamour of EA’s MVP baseball may not be there, but pure fans of the history and sport of baseball will have little or nothing to complain about.

The best feature of last year’s game was the actual gameplay relative to the sport of baseball – it was pleasantly amazing, a pure sim of baseball never before accomplished in a baseball videogame before.  No worries this year as the gameplay has returned as sharp as ever, and in some ways better.  The computer AI is much smarter in the field, on the basepaths, and in the batter’s box.  Changes I saw from last year’s version (I must have logged 100+ hours on last year’s game) were smarter plays by the cutoff men, runners taking advantage of poor throws, and a keen memory in the batter’s box.  For example, after Barry Zito pitched Brad Fullmer low and away twice in his first at bat, I once again started him low and away in his second at bat and he crushed the ball a zillion feet out of the spacious Oakland Coliseum.  Specific batters’ eyes have been retuned as well.  It’s going to be very hard to get eagle-eyed Ray Durham to swing at one out of the zone, but Mr. Strikeout Alfonso Soriano will be hacking and waving at pitches that only travel 55 feet. 

The batting engine still remains the best out there, much better than EA’s MVP.  I’ve never understood EA’s system of pushing the analog stick up to hit a flyball or low to hit a groundball… batters should follow the ball with their bat.  If the pitch is low, you should have to swing low to jack it out of the park.  Sega had the perfect system last year, using the cursor method that Acclaim’s All-Star Baseball made popular.  The cursor is back again this year, but Sega also introduced True Aim hitting this year.  True Aim ditches the cursor in favor of the more popular “9-zones of hitting” method.  The messageboards have been full of complaints about this system, claiming it’s too easy to hit the ball, and that by swinging just in the middle of the zone, the batter can make contact with any strike even if it’s at the top of the zone.  I have to agree to a point, and am thankful that Sega made True Aim, cursor, and the incredibly easy Timed Hitting selectable options, allowing the gamer to make his/her own decisions about how difficult the game should be.  ESPN has also made the B-button power swing a toggle option this year, allowing gamers to take a rip at a pitch at the expense of contact, or treat all swings equally. 

As compared to EA’s MVP baseball, Sega stresses location of the swing over EA’s preference for timing.  MVP baseball has such an incredibly small window with which to hit the ball, that nearly any ball swung at is either hit into play or completely missed.  ESPN MLB features something that EA sorely misses – an abundance of foul balls thanks to a superb physics engine.  The physics engine is so good, that you’ll see just about every variety of hit balls as you would if you spent an afternoon at Wrigley Field.  Bloopers, worm-burners, high chops… they’re all in the game and very dependent on pitch location and swing location, just how it should be.  This system also allows for epic at-bats, those 11-pitch duels between a pitcher and a batter that add incredible amounts of drama to the game.  Personally, I don’t see that in MVP Baseball and (for lack of a better word) I think it sucks.   

Pitching has been changed slightly.  Each type of pitch is now selected with a button (A for fastball, B for slider, etc…) instead of leaning the analog stick in a direction and confirming the pitch type with the A button.  The other new addition, which can also be toggled on or off, is the effort meter.  Before each pitch, the gamer starts the meter and presses the A button to stop it when it gets close to the top.  This is supposed to effect how much effort the pitcher puts into the pitch, effecting its location and speed.  It may be a response to EA’s use of the pitching meter, but doesn’t seem to be as important as EA’s.  I don’t find it to be very useful or realistic, and turned it off almost immediately.  Pitching (and batting) is also effected by a player’s confidence, which fluctuates throughout a game.  Strikeout a few batters and the confidence meter will soar.  Give up a ding-dong and it will plummet.  This addition, like pitch effort, can easily be removed and probably should.  Aside from those slight changes, pitching is (like most aspects of the game) nearly identical to last year’s title.

Defense was pretty standard last year, but as in all baseball games, had its problems.  I’m a big fan of MVP’s power meter throwing and the right analog stick controlling dives and jumps, but too many gappers lead to an abundance of triples and inside-the-park homeruns marring an otherwise perfect defensive system.  ESPN is exactly the opposite.  There is no throwing meter to try and make the spectacular play and diving and jumping isn’t very intuitive, but the game dynamics keep everything incredibly realistic.  A marriage of the two systems would be ideal.  A new addition to glovework this year is the advent of a turbo option.  Holding the L trigger gives fielders a temporary boost to foot speed and throwing power.  It makes running balls down in the gap a little more fun by allowing the gamer to give those last few steps some more oomph. 

A few game modes have been called up and added to the lineup, but the bulk of the game will once again be in the Franchise mode.  Like last year’s game, Franchise mode allows players to take a team on the quest for a successful October.  As manager, gamers will be responsible for the everyday team activities such as setting lineups, negotiating contracts and trades, and managing injuries.  Little has changed in this mode, but most gamers will return to it and grind out another few seasons.  GM Career mode, new this year, adds a little bit of a twist to the Franchise mode.  It plays just like a Franchise mode, except gamers will have to answer to a fictional owner.  The owner will present gamers with a list of goals that vary depending on the team.  Whether it’s the Yankees requiring a World Series appearance or the Giants finding room in their budget to re-sign Rob Nenn, it’s up to the GM to keep the owner happy, get a raise here and there, and possibly even own their own team.  Continuing ESPN’s innovative ideas is the addition of First Person Mode.  Like the games before it, it is primarily for kicks rather than legitimate game play.  Just try and sit in on a Bartolo Colon fastball and you’ll see what I mean.  Duel mode is actually a fun option for friends who need to show each other up.  Duel mode pits a pitcher against a hitter.  An out is any strike or any ball that doesn’t travel more than 100 feet in fair territory.  Points are awarded for successful at bats (25 points for a 250+ ft. hit, 150 for a HR) or successful pitches (20 for a swinging strike, -10 for a ball).  It’s a useful mode because it allows up to four players and runs fairly quickly.  The last addition to ESPN MLB is Xbox Live support.  Sadly, there isn’t a whole more to the online mode other than playing single games.  Lag can be an issue, but playing in off-peak hours and having a reliable connection definitely helps. 

One of the biggest knocks against ESPN Baseball is the graphics.  The player models, in particular, having taken the brunt of the abuse.  A lot of the faces in the game have seen better days, and the players that do like their real-life counterparts still look like cyborgs.  Players’ legs are tree trunks and many players look like they’ve spent the offseason in the buffet line.  These inadequacies are made up for in the animations of the players on the field.  Many of the motions, particularly the pitching and batting animations, are fantastic.  Add to that real-time shading, awesome stadiums and dynamic skylines, and the constant barrage of significant stats, and you can easily forgive the occasional phantom catch (fielding animations have their glitches), the way some players look like they’re playing that old magnetic football game from the ‘50s when they return to the dugout, and the fact that Dontrelle Willis’ leg kick isn’t quite as high as it should be.  If perfect player models are necessary to your game, then MVP Baseball may be your game of choice. 

It seems as though the audio department at Blue Shift and Visual Concepts have had a busy winter as the audio in the game has been greatly improved.  Crowd reactions are better, the commentary has been improved, and the ever-popular hecklers are back.  Crowds (though sometimes more subdued in certain parks) come to life on a well-hit ball, react positively to home team plays, and perk up in the late innings.  You’ll hear a slight round of applause for the away team’s 2^nd called strike and a roar for a diving grab.  It adds a lot to the game, but may go overlooked by the casual baseball fan.  Jon Miller and Rex Hudler rule the mics as the color commentary, and many situation specific chatter has been added.  After clubbing a four-bagger with Eric Byrnes in Oakland’s left field seats, Jon Miller quipped, “He hit that one right over the retired numbers of Catfish Hunter and Rollie Fingers.”  Hudler replied, “They got their jerseys retired because they never made pitches like that!”  Pregame analysis is also incredibly deep.  Play the Yankees versus the Giants and Karl Ravech will note that the two powerhouses used to be crosstown rivals back in the day.  These verbose additions really liven up the broadcast and are a great part of the audio.  Perhaps one of the more enjoyable elements of last year’s game were the hecklers.  You know ‘em, the overweight guys who had three too many Coors Lights before the game.  ESPN MLB 2004 features a few more heckles this year, and they’re all player specific.  They range from the tame (“Go Home, CJ!” in reference to Rockies catcher Charles Johnson) to the nasty (“Your commercials stink, Jeter!” or “You didn’t deserve it, A-Rod!”).  While the heckles are great, it would have been nice to see some support for home players. 

ESPN MLB 2004 still has the best mechanics of any baseball game out there.  There may be some slight glitches in the overall look and graphics of the game, but the gameplay (after a few adjustments to the gameplay sliders) is flawless.  This is a true baseball sim for true baseball fans. 
 

Gameplay: 9.5

Still the King of Diamonds here.  Batting and Pitching interfaces are still tops amongst baseball games, particularly for gamers looking to emulate a real major league game.  

Graphics: 8.5

Definitely homerun or swing and miss.  In the batter’s box the batter and pitcher look incredible, and the stadium backdrops are nearly photorealistic.  New animations add to the show are arguably better than MVP’s (though MVP has more).  The problem arises when outfielders catch balls on the run behind their head or when infielders scoop balls up with their shoulders. 

Sound: 9.0

The commentary is almost always excellent, save for the occasional late call.  Fan reactions are great, and the hecklers make gamers feel like their sitting right behind home plate. 

Difficulty: Medium

There are so many gameplay sliders in this game, minor leaguers and All-Stars can make it challenging for their tastes.   

Concept: 6.0

The addition of online play is sweet, but other than that, very little has changed.  VERY LITTLE. 

Multiplayer: 8.0

As long as Xbox Live isn’t laggy, online play is a hoot.  My friends and I often play against each other to settle scores and show each other up – it’s the ultimate one on one battle. 

Overall: 8.6

I simply can’t give this game as high a score as I did last year (9.3) because not much has changed.  While I still think this game is superior to MVP Baseball, it’s purely because of gameplay.  I am a baseball nut and demand the most out of gameplay, and ESPN MLB 2004 delivers the experience I need.  This is the closest matchup of EA versus Sega sports titles to date, and both should be played as rentals before purchasing.