In the world of baseball games, some
programs slam out home runs, some dribble weak grounders for infield outs, and
others take mighty cuts but come up short of clearing the ballpark.
High Heat Major League Baseball 2004,
an Xbox release from 3DO, falls into the later category. The game has some solid
features, but can’t compete graphically with EASports latest release (or
Midway’s Slugfest 2004). The game has some solid options, but also some
inconsistencies that detract from the baseball game.
Kansas City is taking on the Angels in
an exhibition game. With a runner on first, the Royals’ batter drives the pitch
to the outfield. The base runner turns at second and heads to third. The throw
from the outfield comes sailing in, not in time to catch the base runner.
However, and here is where the game has a few problems, instead of backing the
play at third, the pitcher is standing right next to the third baseman on the
bag. That is a lot of bodies and if the ball skips past the third baseman, that
runner will score.
High Heat has brought back its Two On
Two Showdown for this edition of the game. The showdown is, at first blush,
confusing, but players will grow accustomed to it. This game is a pitcher and a
batter squaring off, no fielders. Points are awarded on the way the ball is hit,
or lack thereof. If the pitcher gets a weak roller to the infield, that is
considered an out, and the pitcher’s team is awarded a point. A home run is
worth 6 points. This game can be a lot of fun for game players who don’t wish to
spend a lot of time playing a full game.
The home run derby also has several
options that can add variety to the game, but at the easier levels, this game is
no challenge whatsoever.
High Heat also offers a Stand Alone
Playoff feature, in which even the Chicago Cubs can make it to the playoffs (and
you can skip the joke about the Cubbies being mathematically eliminated from
post-season play after Opening Day).
The game also features a fantasy
draft, franchise mode (which includes minor league management down to the single
A level), roster management features, as well as tips and strategies.
Another exhibition game takes us to
St. Louis’ Busch Stadium. It’s a night game, and the rain is coming down. The
play-by-play announcer, obviously oblivious to the weather conditions,
pronounces it a perfect night for baseball. Huh? Other sound anomalies, such as
hecklers and vendors seem a little too loud, though generally the game does
sport the rich sounds of a Major League Baseball game.
Wrigley Field has some similarities to
the real stadium, but those ivy-covered walls in the outfield are not very
convincingly fashioned. The player movements are similar across the board. While
the movements are real, High Heat definitely takes a back seat to EASports MVP
Baseball title, which was also released within the same week. Some elements,
such as a player diving back into the bag, jumping up and dusting himself off,
look very convincing though.
Pitchers move smoothly and batters are
well detailed.
The control setup is not all that
intuitive, and seems a little slow responsively. The manual is also a mess,
referring to more information on certain topics on the wrong pages. (For
example, on page 21, the career mode is a cursory view of the option, and refers
gamers to page 26. You won’t find it there. But you will find two sentences on
page 28 that mention the topic.)
High Heat Baseball does sport a
player-friendly options interface, and interesting game modes. But where other
baseball games are carving their niches with realistic graphical elements, or
rough ‘n tumble baseball action, High Heat takes its cuts but comes up short of
the warning track. It is a solid title, just not exceptional for the genre.
This game is rated for Everyone.
Gameplay: 7.2
You must wait for the action to play out
before you can start the next sequence. If the batter hits safely, the ball
comes into the infield and there is a pause before pitcher resets the game. The
instant replays are nice but also detract from the flow of the game.
Graphics: 7.5
This is a mixed bag. Some elements look
very good, while some – like similar batting stances or pitching motions – are
merely average for the genre. Lighting effects are nicely done as well, but the
ballparks, while giving the general look, lack the details that could have been
realized with the graphical power of the Xbox.
Sound: 7.4
Some comments lack a feel for what is
actually being portrayed, and the background noises can be a little too loud,
but generally this game has the elements associated with a MLB game.
Difficulty: Medium
The rookie or easy mode of play is a
little too easy, while the Pro mode is challenging.
Concept. 7.3
The return of the Two on Two Showdown
presents an interesting variation to the game. This is a program that does have
a player-friendly options package.
Multiplayer: 7.8
Like any game within or in a similar
genre, this is a game that thrives in multiplayer gaming. High Heat Baseball
also features the ability to go on Xbox Live! The AI in the single-player game
can be worked through. The unpredictability of the human-versus-human game is
what the game is all about.
Overall: 7.3
High Heat Baseball 2004 can’t measure up
graphically to the competition, and though this is a solid baseball title, it
can be a little arcade-like and easy. The control elements go from too
simplistic to overly complex. There is a learning curve for the control
elements, so be prepared for that.
