Amazon.com Review
The High Heat series has always been one of opposites. Each game in the series has played great, realistic baseball--but the graphics never look as good as the competition. High Heat games always hit the shelves before the competition's games, but they're always plagued with stability issues and other bugs. High Heat games are always the best baseball game of the year in terms of realism, but they always sell the worst. Each year hardcore baseball fans hope and pray that developer 3DO will get it right, and each year 3DO improves just enough to keep hope alive (the High Heat series is kind of like the Red Sox). The good news is that the 2004 edition of High Heat Baseball is no exception to the above. The bad news is that, on the PC at least, the 2004 edition is no exception to the above. As usual High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 isn't quite as pretty as most of the competition, but the game does have a nostalgic look that's quite stylish--kind of like the difference between now-torn down County Stadium and the new Miller Park that replaced it in Milwaukee. A major area of improvement is in player animation. The players aren't stiff anymore; they move like human beings. A bit of graphics sheen was applied to the stadiums too, and while not the best, High Heat is finally a good looking game. Unfortunately, audio is merely okay. The problem isn't limited to dry and dull commentary. High Heat 2004 pretty much has the same soundtrack as High Heat 2003 and, the music often does not match action on the field.
High Heat 2040 adds some 30 new pitches to the game, and the pitcher/batter interface so crucial to this game's success (it's the best in the business and it feels like real baseball) is still in place and looking good. High Heat plays a solid game of baseball that just feels right.--Andrew S. Bub
Pros: Good looks, great gameplay Best pitcher/batter duel available in a baseball game Cons: Bad commentary
Amazon.com Product Description
Whether you're a casual fan or a hard-core baseball junkie, chances are High Heat Baseball 2004 is for you. You'll notice the smooth new graphics and character animations, as well as an abundance of game modes and options. The new Career and Franchise modes let you take your team through an unlimited number of seasons. You can choose to manage team budgets and player contracts, or make other financial decisions. If you're just anxious to play ball, dive right into the action with the Two-on-Two Showdown or Home-Run Derby modes.
Features Eleven game modes: Home-Run Derby, Fantasy Draft, Create-a-Player, Player Editor, Career, Franchise, Exhibition, All-Star Game, Playoffs, Two-on-Two Showdown, and Batting Practice Extra players list and roster customization Unrestricted multiseason play
Game Intelligence TruPlay AI improves the series' batting, fielding, pitching, managing, and base running Multiplayer, unbalanced, and CPU player trading with advanced trade accept/deny logic Extensive tuning menu lets players adjust nearly every facet of the game to their liking
Graphics/Audio New graphics engine with enhanced stadium lighting Audio includes hecklers, vendors, stadium announcer, interactive crowds, and a two-man broadcast team
Authenticity 27 pitch types compiled from detailed scouting reports Comprehensive team financial aspect includes player contracts and a free-agent system Complete minor league system with rookie draft
Animation New animation system with hundreds of new animations, such as umpire arguments, player ejections, dropped third strikes, and catcher snap throws More signature pitcher and batter animations than in previous edition
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