Customer Reviews

MLB 2003

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I would have hated to be in the marketing department for this one. Usually the publishers of a game will sit down and brainstorm a bunch of snappy and grandiose comments to plaster all over the back of a game box. Pumping up new features, or announcing a slamming new soundtrack, or maybe some superstar endorsement, all in an attempt to wow you into buying the game. Let's face it, we've all been duped into buying a game at some point via the flashy ad-campaign on the back of the box.

Well, I can honestly say that the most revealing and depressing quote from the back of the MLB 2003 box is, and I quote:

"THE ONLY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAME FOR THE PLAYSTATION THIS YEAR, take the field with the 7-year seasoned veteran, MLB 2003"

Talk about a game with low self-esteem! Now this is just sad. In essence, they are saying "Buy our game because that's the only choice you have! [....]" It's funny that 989 isn't even bothering to spout off about new features that we all know will be horrible anyway. And I think we all know about 989 Sports' fairly checkered past, so I don't know if 7 years of mediocrity is enough to really make a consumer purchase the title.

As for gameplay, it is nothing you haven't seen before. They've been using the same basic game engine for years (and proud of it, apparently!) so nothing new to report there. The graphics are fairly underwhelming, but the fielding control is accurate enough to forgive the aging visuals. The pitcher/batter match-up is done adequately. On the veteran (medium difficulty) level racking up Pedro-esque K-numbers isn't difficult, each pitcher has 4 pitches in his repertoire, just make sure to alter pitch types and locations frequently and you should be fine. As far as batting goes, hitting the ball is easy enough, but hitting well enough to score runs can be a tough task. The trajectory of the ball off of the bat is accurate though.

Fielding is responsive, balls hit to the wall will usually end up as the extra-base hits they should be. There is that typical 989 Sports foible of being able to throw out a runner at first on the occasional hit to right-field (rarely, but still unforgivable.) And speaking of foibles, yes some glitches remain intact, even after the hallowed 7 years. During the first game I played, the CPU hit a little flare to foul territory on the 3rd-base side, I wandered over and gloved it, but apparently not well enough, as it was ruled a foul ball, and the batter continued his at-bat. Yes, you can still bounce off one another in the field, which is useless but fun to watch. Catchers will still run the risk of being bowled over at the plate.

Baserunning is passable, but your runners STILL will take off on any contact made. So if you hit an obvious fly ball to center, no matter how many outs, the runner on 3rd takes off. This is not only unrealistic but aggravating when you have to march him back to 3rd, then hope he still has time to tag and make it back home.

My biggest gripe remains, even after all these years, the CPU STILL relies on the longball to score the majority of their runs. I have never liked the over-abundance of homeruns in console baseball games, and MLB 2003 while not being the worst offender is still guilty of too many homeruns.

The rosters are surprisingly accurate. The Mets have all of their acquisitions, even Scott Strickland (from the Expos) but Jeremy Giambi is still in Oakland. The create-a-player Spring Training mode returns, but you still have to kick someone off the team to make room for your guy.

So, the bottom line is that this is yet another installment of the MLB series. If you enjoyed previous editions (or at least had some fun with them) then you will enjoy this one. If you prefer the sim-like strategies of PC games like Baseball Mogul and Out Of The Park, you likely stopped reading this review and are playing them now. Personally, even with all of the irritating faults of the series, I like MLB 2003 enough to buy it (the price is reasonable) and have some fun with it. Playing against a human opponent often neutralizes the annoying CPU habits.

Reportedly, the makers of Out of the Park (aka Season Ticket Baseball) are working on a baseball sim called Inside the Park. Inside the Park will allow the gamer to play as a rookie ballplayer trying to break into the major leagues. Until that game hits stores, those of us looking for a fresh take on baseball sims will have to settle for MLB 2003 from 989 Sports.

MLB offers Spring Training Mode, where you create a player and compete for a spot on the roster. Even if you make the roster, the challenge still isn't over. You have to keep playing well during the regular season or else risk getting cut. This innovation alone makes the game worth renting.

Unfortunately, there are too many things wrong with MLB, and until 989 fixes them, I can't wholeheartedly recommend this game.

* Like the previous reviewer said, the baserunning AI is all wrong. Runners take off at the crack of the bat, even if it's an infield pop fly, so you constantly have to tell the runners to return to the base before they get picked off.

* The game doesn't score properly. Batters aren't credited for hits if they get thrown out trying to take the extra base. In certain instances the batter will hit the ball out of the park and get credit for a home run but NOT for a base hit (gotta love that glitch). And of course nobody who programmed MLB seems to be even remotely acquainted with the infield fly rule.

* Love Vin Scully, can't stand Dave Campbell. Scully's play-by-play is fluid and compliments the gameplay, but Campbell's "color commentary" was so asinine I had to turn the announcer voices off. (Example: Pedro Martinez throws a pitch for a ball. Dave Campbell responds: "Great piece of pitching there keeping the hitter off-balance." Huh?) I wish there was some way to keep Vinny on but turn Dave off, but unfortunately with MLB 2003 it's all or nothing. Most of the time I play with the announcer voices off. Sorry, Vinny.)

* Spring training mode is great, but you can only play as a position player, not as a pitcher.

* The physics are slightly off. Computer controlled hitters almost never hit ground balls. Everything is fly balls, line drives, and home runs. My first baseman made maybe five putouts over the course of the first ten games I played against the computer. Uh uh.

My advice: the MLB series has already left the Playstation for the PS2. Rent MLB 2003 if you're interested, but if you're looking to buy, wait until 989 releases a PS2 version that fixes all these glitches. It'll save you endless frustration and you'll be glad you waited.

Stats are very inaccurate. Game is very easy to master.

This game is filled with great graphics, handling and everything you could want in a baseball game. so go grab your hot dog and sit down to play this game just like sitting in a stadium!

this game is cool i gave it 4 instead of 5 cuz it looks the same but it is fun especially when u play against a friend.the homerun view is tight except it is hard to rob a player of a homerun but in the previous games it is really easy even if an opponent hits 600 ft. just time it perfectly.but everything else is great. i think it is better thatn Triple Play 2002 for PS2 cuz in TP2002 Mo Vaughn & Mike Piazza are as skinny as Ichiro but in this game u can tell the difference between Vaughn and Ichiro. I havent played ASB 2003 or High Heat but this game is better than TP 2002 for PS2. So if cant decide on TP 2002 or MLB 2003 u should get MLB 2003 for gameplay cuz this is a lot funner and u wont get bored but if u like graphics get TP 2002.