High Heat Major League Baseball 2004

"Baseball Perfection with High Heat Baseball 2004"

It’s that time again, Baseball Season. And as you know, whenever any sport season is coming, along come a large amount of different games. There are games that are realistic, games that are simulators, and games that are both. In my opinion, High Heat Baseball 2004 is the best baseball simulator that I have ever played. High Heat Baseball 2004 features phenomenal gameplay, high replayability, and very realistic graphics.

Gameplay: 10/10

The gameplay in this game is the best gameplay in any baseball game I have ever played. This game is just like a major league baseball game, where you have 9 innings, 3 outs per inning, you know the deal. But in High Heat Baseball 2004, you can customize how many innings you want to play, as well as many other features. With the Tuning Menu, you can adjust many things, which go very in depth, including Run Speed, Throw Speed, Pitch Speed, Batting, and Miscellaneous categories. You can customize the already up to date roster with any roster you choose, and you can draft, in season mode. You can also create your own player, and edit players to however you’d like them to be. There are many different skill levels, so as you get better in this game, you can still be challenged.

Game Modes: 10/10

In High Heat Baseball 2004, there are many game modes, which are Exhibition, Single Season, Franchise Mode, Career Mode, Playoffs, 2 on 2 Showdown, Batting Practice, Home Run Derby, and All-Star Game, 9 in total. Each of these modes go in depth, and offer countless hours of gameplay to be had, without this game getting boring. The season modes, which are Single Season, Franchise Mode, and Career Mode are the best core parts of High Heat Baseball 2004. Single Season is just if you want to go a single season with a team. If you want multiple seasons, choose Career Mode, If you want multiple seasons, and wish to go in-depth with salaries, and in-depth with trading choose Franchise Mode. If you want to improve your batting or just have a fun time, you can play Batting Practice or Home Run Derby. If you want to play an all-star game, play All-Star Mode. If you are in a season mode, you can trade, and pick up real players from AAA, AA, and A rosters.

Pitching: 10/10

As a great pitcher myself, I am glad to see the pitching in High Heat Baseball 2004. There are over 20 types of pitches, and some signature pitches. Every player’s personal pitching style is captured perfectly, and the pitchers themselves look accurate. A pitcher can usually have up to 6 types of pitches, and you can choose where to put the ball.You can also choose to pick-off base runners, or do a pitchout.

Batting: 10/10

Wow! The first time I was up to bat in this game, I had no clue what I was in for. To start off, every batter has their own unique batting stance, and the stances are very diverse. You can choose to bunt or hit. Bunting in this game was done very nicely. When you hit, you can manually aim where you choose to hit, or just choose to hit in the center. When you are on base, your various base running options give you many options of what to do in order to score successfully. The new, Perfect Contact batting system rewards perfect swing timing and pitch selection.

Graphics: 9/10

The graphics in High Heat Baseball 2004 look exactly like you are watching a baseball game on TV. There are many different camera views you can choose from and select make the deal all the better. The option menus and game menus are pretty and easy to use. The colors in the game are very vibrant and make it look very realistic. The only problem that I have encountered with the graphics was that the game would sometimes slow down for no reason, thus adding a more dramatic feel, but it was not done intentionally. All the stadiums are included in this game, and look very realistic.

Audio: 10/10

Announcers Dave O'Brien and Chuck Valenches are the announcers in High Heat Baseball 2004. They give many informative tips and help you throughout the game. They also provide great commentary so the games aren’t too boring. You can hear the announcer at the ballpark in the background, and this also provides to the realism. You can hear the crowd at the ballgame, and listen as they favor a play, or boo a play. The sound effects in this game are spot-on and give a nice feel to this game.

Replayability: 10/10

With many various game modes and two-player support, you could be playing this game everyday until High Heat 2005 comes out. This game does not get old at any times, and if you feel that the difficulty level is too hard or easy, it is easily adjustable. The many options will let you tweak the gameplay until you think it is perfect, or tweak it so the game can become more enjoyable.

Buy or Rent?: Buy

This is one of the most enjoyable games that I have ever played. Even if you don’t like baseball, you will still find this game immensely fun. With high replayability and great gameplay, High Heat Baseball 2004 is the best baseball games made ever. It is definitely worth the money as well, because the proceeds benefit Curt’s Pitch for ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. Simply put, High Heat Baseball 2004 is one of the best games I’ve played in a while.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/24/03, Updated 03/24/03