Best Baseball Game Ever
Pros:
Better Controls, Gameplay, and more Options(Network, Home Run Derby. Franchise)
Cons:
Graphics turned down a noch, too much NFL Blitz-like showboating on homeruns
The Bottom Line:
Get it. Best Baseball game out there, and so far of all time.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
On Tuesday the 14th, i got on the bus down to EB to see if they had WSB 2k2, since it seemed to get delayed every single week. THEY HAD IT. Little kids running out of the store "the have it!, they have it!" i was pretty excited. I got a copy (one of the last ones) and went straight home to see what happens. It was great. A much improved game from last years, monotone, boring, unresponsive controls and a game that really had no options.
Graphics
Visual Concepts takes over and rebuilds the entire game. Graphics turned down a noch, and certain players look a little funny, nomar, soriano, ramirez.
Ballparks beautifully done like last year.
Options
Many Things to choose. The New Home Run Derby is very fun. once you get in the groove, homers are very easy to hit, but hey, its fun. Network. I have not used this yet. I cannot connect with the internet. I expect good quality online like we had with nba 2k1 and nfl 2k1, except for the lag. Franchise mode, like in the other two games is very fun. A patrial triple A team is down there with a small roster so you can bring up rookies if you think they are ready. It's a whole new ballgame.
The Main Screen. Ughh, didnt you just HATE the music in the select screen in WSB 2k1? Well know they have a little hard/soft rock playing in the backroud that seems to blend into a baseball atmosphere nicely. Unlike the weird thumping horrible techno they had last year.
Rating: 9.6
Gameplay
Much better. smoother, no slowdowns like in 2k1. some catches look wrong, but the overall game is very smooth, a much smarter A.I. Tagging up is much easier, a fly ball is almost and automatic going from 1st to second or second to third. All around, very nice. A.I can get stupid, but MUCH SMARTER THAN LAST YEAR
Homeruns. I have a BIG Problem with this. Too much showboating. Guys pump their fist, throw their hands up, stomp on homeplate, and flex their muscles. This doesnt fit into the characteristics of almost anyone. Except maybe Albert Belle (who isnt playing) or Carl Everett. Just Imagine Nomar Garciaparra or Cal Ripken doign this. Uh-uh, Visual Concepts and Sega sports, don't like it.
I came much closer to throwing a no-hitter with Pedro. I couldnt get past 5th inning with a no-no in 2k1, now in rookie mode i threw a no-no, and i am still trying in a higher difficulty.
Rating 8.4
Controls
YES! SO MUCH BETTER!!. advancing bases is X, not A anymore, because thats swing. retreating is B again. throwing to bases on the field ABXY buttons instead of A and the direction. Example-A-home B-1st Y-2nd X-3rd. Manual fielding, like promised. Done fine. No special fielding plays like in MLB series, or even in the first 2K1 game, but u can dive and jump, based on what u tell them to do. Hitting is very fundamentally sound. A little harder than in 2K1 if higher than rookie mode, but it takes getting used to. If u get the cursor right on the ball, its a line drive, under it- a homer, way under-pop fly. a little over-short line drive, way over-grounder. Or something like that. Whereas i believe if u got the ball right on the cursor in 2k1, it was a homer.
Rating 9.2
Friendliness(Overall appeal, commentary, diffculty
Commentary is much smarter. more things said and smarter things said. This game is very fun to play, has a big appeal and is very nice
Rating 9.9.
Rosters
Rosters are all updated except for a few last minute deadline changes in MLB, including Fred Mcgriff, Pedro Astascio, Ugeuth Urbina. Rookies including Ichiro, Pujols, Sheets, Hillenbrand and Soriano are all in the game.
I have problem with one thing. Once again Red Sox fans, Brian Daubach is not in this game. Instead some guy named "John Novak" who has all the same stats and atributes as Daubach. He was not in the game last year either, which is very fishy. Last year the mystery man was "Sasse" or something. It might be one of those Michael Jordan absences to every basketball game. Who knows.
Rating 9.9-they did as best as they could
Overall this game RULES!! a definate buy! hours of fun with network, franchise and homerun derby modes.
Overall Rating 9.5Is just as fun multiplayer!
