It is always a joy to see your favorite sports titles come back strong with new features or better gameplay and 3DO’s High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 is definitely no exception.  Fans of the series have seen the game’s transformation from PC favorite to console favorite while faithfully representing the game of baseball in true simulation style without being too strict.  Does this year’s offering take the sport in a whole new direction?  Perhaps not, but this is still one really fun day at the old ballpark.

This year’s game has game modes aplenty and the classic favorites have been improved enough that many of the flaws seen last in last year’s are practically nonexistent here.  You’ll find the usual Exhibition game and a Franchise Mode that puts gamers in the role of General Manager and putting you in charge of the budget and contract negotiations.  Or you can forgo the entire management process in Career Mode and concentrate on taking your favorite team through as many seasons as you want.  There’s even a Single Season Mode if you just want to take a particular team through only one season.

Aside from these modes, High Heat 2004 also delivers a few more modes to the mix.  There is Two On Two Showdown where a pitcher goes up against a batter in a battle to see who can strike out the other player or hit more balls.  There is also Home Run Derby where you take your favorite slugger and try to make as many homers as possible.  You can take your team to the playoffs in the Playoffs mode or play in the All-Star Game.  There’s even a Batting Practice mode that really allows gamers to get comfortable with your swings.

But the best part about all of this is that the controls are just as satisfying to get into and improvements I mentioned at the beginning really helped make this one highly satisfying game of baseball.  For starters, the pitching interface is a lot smoother and less awkward than last year.  You’ll find the pitching styles really fit the styles of real pitchers and throwing curveballs is just as easily as throwing fastballs.  There are twenty-seven pitch types and you’ll quickly come to recognize them all while you’re at bat.  You won’t find yourself swinging at every pitch in this game.  This game will have you carefully considering each pitch or aiming your bat for powerful swings.  And, surprisingly, sluggers like Jason Giambi have their own unique styles true to their real-life counterparts.

Out on the field, the controls are fairly easy to manage and you’ll be diving for balls and throwing quick passes on the fly.  Overall, we’re talking smooth controls for pitching, batting, base running and fielding to make for a perfect game of baseball.  Yet the cherry on top is the fact that you can customize the game using the Game Tuning Menu and customize the game by manipulating the slider in the pitch and runner speeds function for a more arcade-styled game.  You can also add your own created players to the mix, each with their own batting and pitching strengths.

My only one complaint, and this is a minor one, is that there is no online access so gamers can update their rosters like Sega’s NHL 2K3.  This feature alone would have really been much appreciated by the fans and those gamers that are following the current lineup.  

While the gameplay is the strongest element in High Heat 2004, the quality of the graphics hasn’t really improved at all.   The player models, while realistic when they move, have facial features that really don’t do many of the players any justice.  Still, there are certain player’s you’ll be able to identify right away such as Shawn Green or even Barry Bonds.  The players move naturally although there are times when certain actions are skipped--this usually occurs while you’re up at bat.  The stadiums are also done down to the last detail and look really amazing.  

Sound-wise the game has all the bases covered, so to speak.  You’ll find a more than adequate two-man commentary team that do a fantastic job of calling the plays while offering insightful comments about certain players that just go beyond trivia factoids.  Listen carefully and they’ll tell you a pitcher is getting way too tired to serve up anymore fastballs.  The stadium sounds are even richer this time around, featuring more PA announcements as well as the shouts from food vendors.  You’ll also find an assortment of hecklers in mostly every ballpark, although it would have been cool to hear player-specific taunts.

Batter up, sports fans, High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 is just too satisfying a game to pass up.  As always, you can count on High Heat to deliver the realism, while keeping the game just as fun as the game itself.  With game modes aplenty and tighter gameplay, fans of the series will--no doubt about it--have a really good time at the old ballpark.  Buy this one and call some friends over, this is a game you’ll love to share.

 
Gameplay: 9.0
This is truly one satisfying game of baseball and the proof is in the controls themselves that keep the game moving along smoothly and naturally.  This is the kind of game you can pick up and just start playing right away, although in order to really get into the game I recommend going for some batting practice or try the Two On Two Showdown to become accustomed to the pitching interface.

Graphics: 7.0
Visually, this is not a beautiful looking game--although there are certain things this game does magnificently.  Players’ faces, especially well known players like Alex Rodriguez, are done so awfully that you won’t recognize them until they’re introduced.  The crowds don’t look very convincing either . . . they look more like colorful pixilated candles out there.  And to make things worse, the giant circle icon is a really big eye sore that it does draw attention from the player models.

On the plus side, though, the player movements are surprisingly realistic.  You’ll love the way some players tap the end of the bat on their heel as they warm up a little.  Each stadium looks straight out of the real thing that you’ll instantly recognize your favorite ballparks even during night games.

Sound: 7.5
The two-man commentary team of ESPN sportscasters Dave O’Brien and Chuck Valenches do a wonderful job calling the plays as they happen while throwing in some interesting facts about certain players or recalling a player’s last performance.  And while their comments can sometimes be repetitive, you’re very insightful and should be listened to for advice.

The background noises are also amazing and they do a good job of immersing the player into the game.  The PA announcer makes more announcements and player introductions straight out a real ball game.  Meanwhile a hotdog vendor might be making his rounds and shouting “Get your hotdogs here!”  There are even some hecklers who could be heard shouting out something to rival players like “You suck!”

Difficulty: Medium
The computer-controlled opponent manages to keep the game challenging in whatever mode you choose, although in the HOF setting the opponent is more likely to hardly make any errors at all.  The opponent AI makes room for things like injuries and they too are prone to some of the same mistakes you make on field or at bat.

Concept: 9.0
While not taking the game to whole new heights, High Heat 2004 still was able to improve on many of the things that didn’t really work in the 2003 version.  In addition to all the improvements in the classic game modes, the Game Tuning Menu feature will have to deciding whether you’d like a more realistic simulation or a wild arcade-styled game.  Including online access to update the roster would have been much appreciated and would have definitely added more points in this department.

Multiplayer: 8.5
This is really one of those games that will have you calling up a friend for some two-player fun in just about any game mode available.  The Two On Two Showdown, for example, is just much more fun going up against a friend than going up against the computer-controlled player.  It’s also fun manipulating the rooster for the All-Star Game that will have you and a friend picking out favorites from the lineup to play a great game filled with your favorites. 

Overall: 8.5
The heat is definitely on and baseball fanatics will surely appreciate the improvements High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 showcases this season.   Although it hardly branches out into an altogether new baseball experience, this game is a real blast to play.  If you’re looking for a great baseball title, this one is a sure bet.