PS2 Baseball: Strike 2, Really Foul

Baseball Season is once again on the minds of the sports fan. This holds true for the video game sports fan as well. Like many of you, I've waited with great anticipation for the first crop of baseball games to finally make its way to the Sony PlayStation 2.

Strike 1: Electronic Arts' Triple Play Baseball

After playing EA's terrific football and soccer games I was ready to seem what wonder things that they could do with baseball this year on this powerful machine. What a major league disappointment. Where is the AI boys? And what's with the squatty looking players? And the bugs.. Someone pick up the ball already. If you like hitting a lot of homeruns then maybe you'll find something redeeming about the title.

Strike 2: Acclaim's All-Star Baseball 2002

I love the N64 versions of this game. So I figured that it would be a no-brainer that this one would be a major improvement due to the PS2s memory and graphical power. Graphically, the game looks supper from behind the batter's plate. Then the trouble starts. The batting cursor is sluggish. It does not seem to want to move easily diagonally. The Same can be said for the pitcher's interface. Once on the feel the players don't seem to move along very quickly in the field. And the motion-captured animation seems less than polished to boot. Hey, they've got retro uniforms in this incarnation. Whoo hooo! I'd prefer a playable game thank you very much.

Both of these games are foul and not worthy of your time much less your hard earned dollar. All Your Base Are Belong To Us.

Sigh...

Cheers,

Tiptonium