Sammy Sosa High Heat Baseball 2001

""It's soooo fake...""

The problem with games like this is that they try to be better than Triple Play 2001, MLB 2001 (which isn't even that good), and by God, even Interplay Sports Baseball 2000. They think, no, know that their game is worthless, so let's bring in Sammy Sosa!

''It's so reeeeaaallll...''

Sure, Sammy. Any baseball game that needs 2 (yes, 2) discs to play is utterly and completely an abomination.

''It's sooo reeealllll...''

Fine. Here's my review:

Graphics: 6.

I'm serious, Big Hurt Baseball's graphics are above and beyond compared to this load right here. I mean, pieces of the characters, herky-jerky animations like the batter falling over after swinging at an incredible 115-mph pitch (whoaaaaa!!!), and monster 500-plus foot home runs (which only Sammy Sosa can seemingly do, BTW), and even Sammy's overwhelmingly funny HR-trot around the bases (think Triple Play 99-ick.), nothing in the game is more ugly.

Gameplay: 5.

It seems as if once again 3DO has blundered yet again here as well. The control is weak, sluggish, and overall, plain ol' bad. God-awful fits the bill correctly. Pitchers turn their heads to look at the ball sail over their heads even if it's a strike OR strikeout. Some confidence, eh?

Sound: 6.

Though garrish, the sounds sound half-way decent. It's true, it's true. You can hear strike and ball calls, the crowd seemingly sounds half-way decent, and so on and so on. If the sound wasn't so muddled, I might be tempted to give it a 7.

Fun Factor: 3.

Nothing has improved dramatically at all. You'll still want to throw your hands up in sheer frustration (and embarrasment) because of this game.

Overall: 4

Put a fork in this mofo, 'cause it was done before they started it. I don't know HOW they won an award for best baseball game on the PC. They must've had lots of money to sway the judges (and Sammy Sosa for that matter). Anybody remember that 'ol Slammin Sammy was the frontman for TP2000? Well with HHB2001, he went from caviar to crumbs, from Bentley to Yugo, from first class to watching the planes fly from the window. High Heat better get a fire lit under them first before they ever bring out an attrocity like this.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 05/16/00, Updated 05/16/00