World Series Baseball 2K2

"Not a homer but a solid triple!"

Now that we know IGN gave this game an amazing 8.7 (too high I think), it is time for me to give my two cents worth. As promised, I played 20 games before forming my opinion. Here is my take on a pass/fail/incomplete basis:

Fielding-Fail: because of the bullet shots off most bats reacting in time to field balls is hit & miss, no pun intended. If its hit directly to you fielding is fine. If its not hit directly to you it can be a chore. Most runs I give up in this game are due to the iffy fielding, as opposed to my pitching. Does diving ever work?

Hitting-Pass: I prefer the ''A'' button to last years ''R'' trigger. Check swings are now possible and directional hitting works better. The analog stick works pretty well but can be touchy.

Pitching-Pass: I love the pitching interface. It may not be quite as realisic as last year but I like to be able to know where I'm aiming. Pitches don't move real fast (as many have pointed out) but its not too bad. Mix up your pitches well and you can fool the batter. No bullpen warming up should have been in the game. Also the bullpen should show the stamina of the relievers. It stinks to bring in a guy whose meter is near empty and you don't know it. Batter hot/cold zones help alot.

Baserunning-Pass: 100 % better than last year. They only run when you decide on fly balls. Tagging up is easy. Stealing is not as automatic as people have said in my opinion. It still requires timing and running on the right pitch to succeed.

Umpire-Fail: Boy, do these guys need glasses. No consistency whatsoever. Guess it could be argued this mimics real umpires to a tee. LOL!

Management-Incomplete: I agree with those that feel this part was not finished. Scouting reports should have been included. Trading is an exercise in futility unless you control all the teams. The computer will not trade with you most of the time. I like being able to choose 4 batting orders, pitching rotation & closer. I like the ''flexible'' schedule option that allows you to play the games you want in any order. Franchise/fantasy mode seems spastic. There seems to be little rhyme or reason to what the CPU does. Too many retirements, not being able to re-sign a player mid-season are just a few things that seem strange. Create-a-player is lacking.

Graphics-Incomplete: IGN thinks this game looks better than last years. I can't agree at all. Minimal animations, face mapping isn't close, lack of vibrant color, spastic framerate. I think the game doesn't look horrible, actually pretty cool but I think it needed more work. This part of the game seemed rushed somewhat.

Ambient sound-Pass: I like the stadium announcement of players and the vendors in the stands. The crowd reacts properly to on-field action. Play-by-play announcer is average. Too many repeated phrases and some lack of accuracy on some calls. Ball hitting bat sounds great.

Overall WSB 2k2 grade-Pass: I think this was a good first effort for VC and their cohorts. There was no way it could live up to the hype. A pretty darn fun game that I enjoy very much. Its just too bad we won't see future ones on Dreamcast. I bet next years game would have been fantastic.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/20/01, Updated 08/20/01