Once again
Midway brings us its wonderfully warped but highly addictive game of baseball
that just doesn’t seem to be loosing its momentum or its fan base. With MLB
SlugFest: Loaded, the series still goes to prove that there is always room
for a game that’s pure arcade-styled madness and now with online multiplayer
features what baseball fan can’t go wrong with this one. So let’s get right to
it, PS2 sports fans, and let’s see what new things the game has in store for us
this year.
SlugFest’s
main attraction is its arcade-style that’s both lively and often hilarious.
This is a game where pitches can spin unrealistically out of control and a bat
can send a ball screaming out of a ballpark with fireworks trailing after it.
Yes it’s a mutated offspring of America’s favorite pastime, but sports fans
won’t mind since it’s all addictively enjoyable. Loaded, you’ll be happy
to know, continues to bring all of the same things we love about the series, and
has now added something the game has been lacking since its introduction in the
summer of 2003 – an online multiplayer mode!
All of last
year’s game modes are present in this year’s game (Quickplay, Franchise and Home
Run Derby) and all the team rosters are up to date so all your favorite teams
will have all of your favorite players. This year also sees the Custom game
feature of MLB SlugFest 20-04 that allows gamers to customize the game by
turning off features like Aggression (so players won’t punch each another out on
third base or rush the mound after receiving a pitch to the stomach). New to
the game is the MLB Classic setting that follows the strict MLB rules found in
the more serious baseball titles. Don’t get me wrong, ball fans will definitely
appreciate the fact that the setting is there for the offering but we all turn
to the SlugFest games for its wild antics. MLB Classic isn’t bad at all either
. . . even with the so-so pitching (there’s an accuracy meter that demands
perfect timing).
The game also
brings some new features to the Franchise mode. As far as Franchise modes, this
one is not the deepest but there are enough features to make things interesting
(there’s a cool News Page to keep track of the season’s other teams and a
Clubhouse where you make the majority of your managerial decisions). Loaded
also has a Home Run Derby that’s just too much fun to want to put down. You can
customize the Home Run Derby to your liking and make it as challenging as you’d
want it to be so you can go nuts here (the dwarf-sized clowns playing the field
are still too hilarious).
As far as the
controls are concerned, Midway hasn’t changed a thing and this is a bit
disappointing. There are some few minor faults that pop up during defensive
plays. For example, you decide to have your player on second base head for
third but instead making a solo run for third your player on first base decides
to move for the now vacant second base. This, of course, results in one of your
players getting tagged. Does this sound a bit annoying? Well, yes, but this
doesn’t happen all too often to get in the way of the fun. Speaking of fun, the
“on-fire” features just continue to make the game truly wild. The game still
rewards good hitters with increased speed and strength as they catch “on-fire.”
Pitchers have the Special Pitch and Trick Pitch pitching options that offer up
new pitching options like the cobra pitch (the ball rises up and suddenly pivots
forward like a cobra’s strike). You can even switch on Turbo to give your
player a much-needed boost and boy is it still fun to knock the ball out of the
hand of the third baseman and head straight for home.
Making its
debut is an online multiplayer mode that’s played over a Broadband connection.
The action runs smoothly here and there’s enough to make any online gamer happy
(leader board, plenty of stats and even the use of a USB headset to chat). It
was fun just hanging out and chatting with other gamers about baseball before
heading out into the field to earn SlugFest Rating points. You’re ranked by how
many points you earn and that’s determined by victories and the quality of
players you defeat (a victory over a high ranking gamer earns you even more
points).
Graphics-wise, Loaded pretty much looks a lot like last year’s game in
terms of the player models and the stadiums. The players look great in their
nicely detailed uniforms and a small majority of the players look a lot like
their actual counterpart. I say a small majority because only the Major League
heavy hitters like Sammy Sosa and the always-yummy Alex Rodriguez (well, he’s
always yummy to me) have distinguishable facial features that set them apart
from the others in their team. Even the animation hasn’t changed much so you’ll
once again see them cry like babies if they strike out. What has changed,
though, are the animations for trick pitches and for home runs (that leaves a
trail of butterflies or colorful sparks as it sails out of the ballpark).
Also making
its return are the two-man commentary team of Jimmy Shorts and Tim Kitzrow who
offer plenty of amusing quips and conversational bits during the load screen and
its fun hearing them rip on everything from Johnny Depp to Joe Millionaire (“You
know, that guy who lied to all those ladies telling them he‘s rich when he‘s
just some good-looking ditch digger!”). All of this is pretty funny but they
still offer no real insight during the game and much of what they say becomes
pretty repetitive. The rest of the sound is pretty basic, although its still
cool to hear players catch “on fire.” There’s also some licensed tunes and
they’re actually very good.
MLB
SlugFest: Loaded offers all of what
we love about the series and even adds a great online multiplayer mode to boot
so, PS2 owners, keep this one in mind when you want a break from MLB Baseball
2004. Sure there are some rough spots in the game that you might wish were
tightened a bit and a franchise mode that’s not as in-depth as we’d like but
missing out on this one would be a real shame.
|
#Reviewer’s |
Gameplay:
8.2
MLB SlugFest
is easy to pick up and play thanks to its
arcade feel and it works nicely. The strict MLB simulation mode, however,
doesn’t.
Graphics:
7.0
The graphics haven’t really changed
since last year’s game with the exception of a few new ball effects.
Sound: 7.0
The two-man commentary team is still
funny but they’re awful at calling the game. The sound effects are decent
enough but nothing extraordinary.
Difficulty: Medium
The game is easy to pick up and play
but the teams still give you hell . . . even the teams that are struggling in
real-life.
Concept:
8.5
This is baseball at its most fast
and furious and amusingly craziest. While the game doesn’t up the ante on the
“on-fire” features, there’s still much fun to have with returning favorites like
Home Run Derby. There are also some bizarre stadiums and unusual teams (Mortal
Kombat characters, yay!) to unlock.
Multiplayer: 9.0
At last, the SlugFest series
gets online multiplayer and boy is this one great to play online. The game runs
super smooth thanks to the broadband connection and you can even use a USB
headset to talk ball or just talk trash.
Overall:
8.4
Once again MLB SlugFest hits
another homerun and thanks to the online multiplayer mode, Loaded is by
far the best in the series. There are a couple of weak spots here and there but
this is still the game to turn to when you want your baseball really fun and
really off the wall.
