Best Baseball Game This Year?

[Rogmeister]

I'm thinking of getting a baseball game this year...I do enjoy the baseball video games but don't have much for the current consoles that I own (GameCube and PS2). All I have is MLB Slug-Fest 20-03 for the GC and World Series Baseball 2K3 for the PS2. Does anyone have any thoughts on which of the upcoming baseball games for either system will be heads and shoulders above the rest? I'm not sure but I think EA's offering may be the only traditional baseball game available on the GC this year...but there will obviously be several available on the PS2. When I do get the game, I have to then choose what team to play as...I'm tired of following a team that sucks every year... :D

[jaybird]

For the last couple of seasons, I've enjoyed High Heat the most. If you're into realism & not pretty graphics - that game rules.

But with Microsoft buying the franchise, I'm not sure what's become of it. I'm sure they'll steal all the good stuff & merge it with their Inside Pitch franchise - but I haven't read one word about it since they bought it last fall.

Given that, I think MVP Baseball will probably be the best this year.

[Oobgarm]

I'm pulling for ESPN Baseball myself. I'm a huge fan of the other 2 Xbox outings(under the World Series Baseball moniker).

I dunno about MVP, I just can't get into it for some reason. I tried last year, I thought the changes were a bit too radical. Who knows, maybe I'll jump right into it this year. :)

[klimatron8]

I think you're about 3-4 weeks early. Pretty Soon all the mags will come out with their big Baseball previews - i'd wait to see what they have to say.

[Garry Silljo]

The best baseball game of this or any year is Baseball Stars on the NES. Go buy a NES and forget your current systems.

[Oobgarm]

I think you're about 3-4 weeks early. Pretty Soon all the mags will come out with their big Baseball previews - i'd wait to see what they have to say.

Actually, the new Game Informer, which I got in the mail on Friday, has a full preview of each title. ESPN is the frontrunner, followed by MVP, then Slugfest, and finally MLB.

I read that Slugfest is the most improved, since they're using the Baseball Mogul engine now.

[Nick Goracke]

For the last couple of seasons, I've enjoyed High Heat the most. If you're into realism & not pretty graphics - that game rules.

But with Microsoft buying the franchise, I'm not sure what's become of it. I'm sure they'll steal all the good stuff & merge it with their Inside Pitch franchise - but I haven't read one word about it since they bought it last fall.

Given that, I think MVP Baseball will probably be the best this year.

They bought the franchise??? Serious???

Yes!!!

High Heat has been the only baseball game playable for a whole season released in the last... hell, maybe ever! And Live support? Oh man!

You made my day. ;)

[SoulBlazer]

The ESPN/Sega game does indeed look good. I expect the EA one and the Microsoft one to be very good as well.

[klimatron8]

where do you live - how come i didn't get my new Game Informer yet?

[Brisco]

I'll probably stick with MVP Baseball this year. I really liked World Series Baseball/ESPN Baseball a couple of years ago, but last year it just seemed very plain to me. With the addition of the AA & AAA teams to MVP, it sounds like it could be fun with the dynasty mode.

But it looks like it could be a loooooong year being a Reds fan though. Is Griffey hurt yet?

[scooterb23]

The best baseball game of this or any year is Baseball Stars on the NES. Go buy a NES and forget your current systems.

This man speaks the truth :D

I haven't made a choice on this year's game yet...I'll probably go with the one that has the best / most in-depth franchise mode...and make it the last baseball game I'll ever buy

[Rogmeister]

I decided to go with MVP Baseball since it's probably the only traditional baseball title that will come to the GameCube...and since I got an offer from EA's online store to buy it with a $15 off coupon code...and the game has been getting good early press.

[ddockery]

Which one has Krukow and Kuiper doing the announcing? I played the one from last year and it was pretty solid.

[jaybird]

I read that Slugfest is the most improved, since they're using the Baseball Mogul engine now.

Did you read the Baseball Mogul engine being used in Game Informer?

If this is true, then Slugfest will have one heck of a franchise mode.

[Rogmeister]

High Heat is interesting...some say it's one of the greatest baseball games ever while others say it sucks. I decided to take a chance and ordered a copy of HH 2004 for the PS2...I don't have an XBox so it'll be the last edition I'd have a chance to get. Interestingly, GMR lists HH 2004 in their monthly list of the 50 Best GameCube games...despite the fact it never actually came out for that system. :P

I'm still getting MVP Baseball in case you're wondering...

[Rogmeister]

Here's an interesting question that could also be asked about hockey, football and basketball games...when you play them, do you stop after one game or do you play 2, 3 or more games at one sitting. Lately I've been playing MLB SlugFest and have played 2 or 3 games at a sitting but then they're usually pretty short since the action's so fast and the default setting has them ending after 7 innings.

[Lady Jaye]

I own two baseball games for the GameCube (All-Star Baseball 2002 and Homerun Kings). You know what was the biggest turn-off from these games (especially All-Star Baseball 2002)? They couldn't get the Olympic Stadium right. The Acclaim people used old reference material for the Big O (the inner roof has been blue for a few years now, the orange one harks back to the 90s). Even worse, they got the Expos' classic uniform wrong (the old cap/batting hat is tricolor: blue and red with a white front, not all-blue like it is now). It may seem like trivial details to nitpick about, but you could be sure that they are more careful about details when it comes to the big market teams like the Yanks and the Mariners (I wonder if Nintendo would have given them shit for screwing over the recreation of the Mariners?).

You know what'd be great? A cel-shaded MLB-licensed game that'd look like cartoons of the players. They'd probably be more recognizable than what passes for the "realistic" look of today.

[brykasch]

If MVP had on-line on the xbox they would've got me to switch from World Series baseball, but nope (and I know its online for PS2, but I want the xbox version dammnit), but I am considering setting up a dp league anyone interested?