World Series Baseball 2K2

"Retrospective review of a flawed baseball game"

I am many years behind writing this review. I am now playing this game again and thought that it deserved an accurate review. How does this game play, look, and feel years after it was released?

GRAPHICS - 6/10 - I remember reading how great this game looked when I first read the reviews. I have to disagree. I think it looks worse than NFL2k1 and NHL2k. The game, even when using an S-video cable, has a blurry look to it. Nothing seems to have great detail. I find myself squinting all too often to see the ball.

Also, the animations are a mix-bag of exceptional and horrible. For instance, I like having to run in on the ball when catching a pop-up to get my throw off quickly - it creates a more in-depth playing experience. The batting animations are also accurate, for the most part. However, why in the heck is the pitching animation so horrible? After each throw, the pitcher goes into some cosmic robot-like animation to reach his set position again.

GAMEPLAY - 5/10 - This is obviously the most important aspect of the game. Let me just say that not one single sports game is "realistic". I hate it when people say that. I played baseball my whole life, and let me tell you that no video game will ever contain the strategy, precision, and preparation that exist in real life baseball. It is an amazingly tactical game and this game misses out in almost every aspect of that.

First off, the game is practically a home run derby. No matter what difficulty you are playing, it isn't out of the ordinary to have a final score in the twenties for each team. That just isn't fun and takes away from any tension in the game.

Secondly, you don't even warm up your pitchers. That is just lazy programming and takes away at any type of defensive strategy.

Thirdly, the computer AI is absolutely insane! They NEVER make mistakes on the bases and barely make them in the field. And it doesn't matter how many runs you are ahead by - the computer team WILL catch up.

CONTROL - 8/10 - The controls are adequate. You use each face button to throw to a corresponding base and I like it. The controls, while limited, are pretty good and precise.

The batting controls will be easily accessible if you have ever played a baseball game. You use the A button to swing and you move the analog stick to adjust your swing to make contact. The pitching controls are also ordinary.

SOUND - 6/10 - The announcer is annoying. They will say "Home Run" when a hit bounces of the wall sometimes. On the other hand, the announcer will say "Off of the wall" when it is actually a home run. There are a ton of mistakes by the announcer in situations like this. The actual sound effects in the game are okay.

OVERALL - 6/10 - I recently purchased this game for $5. I would say that it is worth it due to it being the best baseball game on the Dreamcast. On the other hand, being a baseball fan magnifies all of the games problems and it may do the same for you.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 02/07/06