Overall: This is a great game for HardCore Fans. Casual gamers will probably tell you that MVP is the best or ESPN, but if you want a real challenge at the plate you better avoid those games and get this one. I would score this over all an 8.8 or 8.9 but since you can't use fractions I'll have to enter on 9 on this review.
PS. The only big glitch I have encountered in this game is occasionaley the cpu lets a ball get away when fielding and then doesn't attempt to pick it up allowing you to score all or any of your baserunners. This happens sometimes when the computer makes an error. Hopefully one year Acclaim will get a glitchless game, but I'll still probably be playing this game regardless.
Gameplay: I have to say this is where this game stands out. It's all about the dynamics of pitching and hitting which I find realistic about ASB. Baseball is a pitcher's game and this game recognizes that. The pitch speed on the harder difficulties is about the right speed which it should be. You will get burned on hard thrown fastballs if you are not guessing the right pitch. That's the way it should be. You have to be guessing allot to get the pitch you want otherwise you'll get struck out. It's not like ESPN or MVP where you can pretty much wait on any pitch and then swing away.
Also as far as strike outs and pitch counts, I think this game is closest to the real thing. When I play this game I can get around 12 ks with the best pitchers whereas when I play ESPN or MVP I can pitch 7 innings with Pedro and wind up with 0 ks. That's ridiculous. Also I found in ESPN I can get through most games throwing under 65 pitches after 6 or 7. This game usually you have to throw around 80 or more.
So far this is the only game that makes you feel dominant when you have a great pitcher on the mound. In the other games I routinely get pummled even when pitching with the top studs.
*note there are slowed down versions of pitch speed in ASB for the timid. But I liked this game a whole lot better in 2003 when there was only one Pitch speed, and that was EXTRA ****ing FAST
Graphics: Well Graphics are the one area that this game is overshadowd by the competition. They are really nice by their own standards but they are not quite on par with the rest. There is allot of improvment this year over last year's game but the players still seem a little robotic in their movement. The sky changes from day to night during afternoon games and the Stadiums look very realistic, and there are a host of new animations like when the bat flies out of your hand, etc.. Overall everything is allot smoother than the previous version . There are many new camera angles for homeruns and foul balls, etc. There is also the fielder cam and the broadcast camera during pitching. Both of these are great features and can be turned off if necessary. However this game does look a little antiquated when you play the other baseball games.
Sound: Tom Brenaman and Steve Lyons are back for another season of indepth commentary. I like these guys and find them pretty entertianing. Although I do prefer ESPN's commentary by John Miller but I can live with what ASB has. Stadium sounds are all great as usual.
Overall: Major League Baseball game that allows Franchise modes to manage a pre-existing teams or allows you to creat your own expansion. The game itself is easy enough to play.The Manual is sparse at best, the announcers are annoying and often say the wrong things. For example the announcer was saying how great a out was the other team made while I just hit a homerun. I have to score it down with all the bugs that have reared their ugly head in it. Constant lock ups and Dirty disc errors. Gameplay: The game play itself is pretty straight forward and easy to get use to. It also allows for you to change it to several differnt batting modes. It has several features to help even someone that has never played a console baseball game. Graphics: The visuals are really decent and smooth. The players move smoothly with out any jerking around. The names on the jerseys are clear and easy to read. The Staduims look good and as with most sports game the audience is of course generic looking. Sound: The sound is okay nothing I would say stood out, the fans say the same thing over and over again, and their cheering definitly sounds like it is on a sound loop. Suggestions: Beta Test your products, of all the games I have this one and Morrowind are the only to I get errors from (though I get no where near the error from Morrowind as I do this one). It gets very annoying to have play games over and over again because of the game locking up.
Add some better sound and better tutoriles.
If you are going to use music in the game get more songs the three that are in it get very old after a bit.
Made in Canada