Publisher: Acclaim
Ages: nine and up.
Parental
Advisory:
None
Stepping up to the plate, Acclaim's All-Star Baseball 2004 serves entertaining, in-depth baseball that appeals to casual gamers and die-hard baseball fans. As before, All-Star Baseball covers the bases with detailed rosters, options and modes, and first rate graphics and animation. For 2004, the title comes with 80 new features and enhancements. Interestingly, the developers of All-Star Baseball 2004 used the game to predict the 2004 baseball season (click here to see their predictions).
The game offers the 30 Major League baseball teams along with special "legend" teams and some 100 stars from the past. The game's detailed franchise mode lets players manage a team for some 30 years. The addition of the Negro Leagues with such notables as Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Pop Lloyd will appeal to those who love the history of baseball. Unfortunately, the GameCube version does not offer online downloadable rosters, as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions do.
Some of the best of the new features include:
- Nine
new game modes, including a scenario mode. The scenario mode lets players
replay key events in the 2002 season and even change the outcome.
- A deeper,
more customizable franchise mode lets players make trades, fine-tune lineups,
send players to the minors, deal with injuries and more.
- More
than 1,000 players including over 110 retired Legends of MLB and Negro Leagues,
such as Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Satchel Page, Josh Gibson and Buck O'Neil
- Over
50 playable teams, including all 30 Major League Baseball teams and 20 unlockable
teams
- 75
stadiums, each with active dugouts and bullpens, real-time scoreboards and
jumbotrons
- All-new
front end and broadcast quality game presentations
- A long-needed
in-game save feature. This way, players don't have to finish an entire game
during a single sitting, or leave their consoles on for hours to return
to games that they've started and want to complete.
- Selectable Spanish play-by-play commentary
The game offers an exceptional batting interface that considers a hitter's skill, requires players to make fast decisions and lets them control the hit. The pitching interface is equally good. The graphics are well done and do a wonderful job of re-creating the stadiums, players and action. Fans will undoubtedly recognize digital versions of their favorite Major League players from their faces and stances. And the audio does an excellent job of recreating the raucous sounds of the ballpark.
In all, All-Star Baseball 2004 offers a satisfying, compelling experience that's a true championship season. Since most of us can't hit big league ball or pitch 97 MPH fastballs, it's about the closest that we'll ever get to the Major Leagues.
4/7/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
