MLB 99

"My Vote of MVP"

This is the 1999 edition of Sony's popular "MLB" series for the Play Station. This game has a lot going for it. Is this game any good? Read my review to find out the answer to this very important question.

GRAPHICS--10/10

The graphics are top-notch. When you turn on the game, you get a live action video showing high lights of the 1998 MLB season. The move movements of the players are very realistic. The game has ever-changing camera angle, like when you try to pick off a base runner, the camera goes to that base as the base runner runs back to the previous base. The player graphics are the same as their real-life counterparts. Overall, the graphics are excellent.

SOUND--10/10

The sounds are excellent as well. You can actually hear the crack of the bat when it hits the ball. The main menu music consist of rock and roll. You can actually hear vendors yelling "Hot dogs, peanuts". The in-stadium music features favorites like the Charge song and Gene Autry's "Deep in the Heart of Texas", all played on an Organ. You also have L.A. Dodgers commentator Vin Scully calling the play-by-play. Overall, the sound are realistic.

CONTROLS--10/10

The controls are not only excellent for beginners, but also experts as well. When you're pitching, you press one of the face buttons to select a pitch, then press X to throw the pitch. The batting is also excellent, using the traditional batting system on "Rookie" difficulty and using a target to aim the bat for the ball on "Veteran" and "All-Star" difficulties. Base running is very easy as well. Overall, the controls are excellent.

GAME PLAY--10/10

This game has options galore. You can select from three difficulty levels. You can select the number of games you play during the regular season. You can change the number of innings played to your liking. Besides from the usual two-player game and the unique "Spring Training" mode, you also have the "Home Run Derby", in which up to eight players try to get more home runs than the other. Overall, the game play is excellent.

OVERALL--10/10

By all means, buy this game. It is an excellent baseball simulator and you'll have lots of fun with it. This game by far gets my vote for MVP of baseball video games.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/16/04