High Heat Major League Baseball 2004

High Heat, Major League Baseball 2004 (PC CD-ROM), Product #5321001

As usual High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 isn’t quite as pretty as most of the competition, but the game does have a nostalgic look that’s quite stylish--kind of like the difference between now-torn down County Stadium and the new Miller Park that replaced it in Milwaukee. A major area of improvement is in player animation. The players aren’t stiff anymore; they move like human beings. A bit of graphics sheen was applied to the stadiums too, and while not the best, High Heat is finally a good looking game. Unfortunately, audio is merely okay. The problem isn’t limited to dry and dull commentary. High Heat 2004 pretty much has the same soundtrack as High Heat 2003 and, the music often does not match action on the field. High Heat 2040 adds some 30 new pitches to the game, and the pitcher/batter interface so crucial to this game’s success (it’s the best in the business and it feels like real baseball) is still in place and looking good. High Heat plays a solid game of baseball that just feels right. For perhaps the first time in the series (it’s been running the bases since 1999), High Heat 2004 was first developed for the PlayStation 2 and then ported elsewhere. That doesn’t make much of a difference for most console versions but buyers of the PC version will be disappointed. The port is sloppy. There’s no mouse support and significant blurring at high resolutions (the menus don’t scale). PC users are used to accessing all the stats, info, batting orders, etc., at the touch of the mouse. I can’t imagine why this happened, because previous High Heat PC games have had mouse support. The PC version also is plagued with minor stability issues and, worst of all does not have any kind of multiplayer. High Heat games have had multiplayer since 2001, and the omission of multiplayer in 2004 is a tragedy. High Heat 2004 for the console systems is a great game, certainly the best looking one yet in the series, but the PC version is much weaker than it should be.--Andrew S. Bub Pros: Good looks, great gameplay Best pitcher/batter duel available in a baseball game Cons: Bad commentary PC version inexcusably marred by bugs, no mouse, no multiplayer

The High Heat series has always been one of opposites. Each game in the series has played great, realistic baseball--but the graphics never look as good as the competition. High Heat games always hit the shelves before the competition's games, but they're always plagued with stability issues and other bugs. High Heat games are always the best baseball game of the year in terms of realism, but they always sell the worst. Each year hardcore baseball fans hope and pray that developer 3DO will get it right, and each year 3DO improves just enough to keep hope alive (the High Heat series is kind of like the Red Sox). The good news is that the 2004 edition of High Heat Baseball is no exception to the above. The bad news is that, on the PC at least, the 2004 edition is no exception to the above. As usual High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 isnt quite as pretty as most of the competition, but the game does have a nostalgic look thats quite stylish--kind of like the difference between now-torn down County Stadium and the new Miller Park that replaced it in Milwaukee. A major area of improvement is in player animation. The players arent stiff anymore; they move like human beings. A bit of graphics sheen was applied to the stadiums too, and while not the best, High Heat is finally a good looking game. Unfortunately, audio is merely okay. The problem isnt limited to dry and dull commentary. High Heat 2004 pretty much has the same soundtrack as High Heat 2003 and, the music often does not match action on the field. High Heat 2040 adds some 30 new pitches to the game, and the pitcher/batter interface so crucial to this games success (its the best in the business and it feels like real baseball) is still in place and looking good. High Heat plays a solid game of baseball that just feels right.--Andrew S. Bub Pros: Good looks, great gameplay Best pitcher/batter duel available in a basebal

The High Heat series has always been one of opposites. Each game in the series has played great, realistic baseball--but the graphics never look as good as the competition. High Heat games always hit the shelves before the competition's games, but they're always plagued with stability issues and other bugs. High Heat games are always the best baseball game of the year in terms of realism, but they always sell the worst. Each year hardcore baseball fans hope and pray that developer 3DO will get it right, and each year 3DO improves just enough to keep hope alive (the High Heat series is kind of like the Red Sox). The good news is that the 2004 edition of High Heat Baseball is no exception to the above. The bad news is that, on the PC at least, the 2004 edition is no exception to the above. As usual High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 isn’t quite as pretty as most of the competition, but the game does have a nostalgic look that’s quite stylish--kind of like the difference between now-torn down County Stadium and the new Miller Park that replaced it in Milwaukee. A major area of improvement is in player animation. The players aren’t stiff anymore; they move like human beings. A bit of graphics sheen was applied to the stadiums too, and while not the best, High Heat is finally a good looking game. Unfortunately, audio is merely okay. The problem isn’t limited to dry and dull commentary. High Heat 2004 pretty much has the same soundtrack as High Heat 2003 and, the music often does not match action on the field. High Heat 2040 adds some 30 new pitches to the game, and the pitcher/batter interface so crucial to this game’s success (it’s the best in the business and it feels like real baseball) is still in place and looking good. High Heat plays a solid game of baseball that just feels right.--Andrew S. Bub Pros: Good looks, great gameplay Best pitcher/batter duel available in a baseball game Cons: Bad commentary

Whether you're a casual fan or a hard-core baseball junkie, chances are High Heat Baseball 2004 is for you. You'll notice the smooth new graphics and character animations, as well as an abundance of game modes and options. The new Career and Franchise modes let you take your team through an unlimited number of seasons. You can choose to manage team budgets and player contracts, or make other financial decisions. If you're just anxious to play ball, dive right into the action with the Two-on-Two Showdown or Home-Run Derby modes. Features Eleven game modes: Home-Run Derby, Fantasy Draft, Create-a-Player, Player Editor, Career, Franchise, Exhibition, All-Star Game, Playoffs, Two-on-Two Showdown, and Batting Practice Extra players list and roster customization Unrestricted multiseason play Game Intelligence TruPlay AI improves the series' batting, fielding, pitching, managing, and base running Multiplayer, unbalanced, and CPU player trading with advanced trade accept/deny logic Extensive tuning menu lets players adjust nearly every facet of the game to their liking Graphics/Audio New graphics engine with enhanced stadium lighting Audio includes hecklers, vendors, stadium announcer, interactive crowds, and a two-man broadcast team Authenticity 27 pitch types compiled from detailed scouting reports Comprehensive team financial aspect includes player contracts and a free-agent system Complete minor league system with rookie draft Animation New animation system with hundreds of new animations, such as umpire arguments, player ejections, dropped third strikes, and catcher snap throws More signature pitcher and batter animations than in previous edition

The High Heat series has always been one of opposites. Each game in the series has played great, realistic baseball--but the graphics never look as good as the competition. High Heat games always hit the shelves before the competition's games, but they're always plagued with stability issues and other bugs. High Heat games are always the best baseball game of the year in terms of realism, but they always sell the worst. Each year hardcore baseball fans hope and pray that developer 3DO will get it right, and each year 3DO improves just enough to keep hope alive (the High Heat series is kind of like the Red Sox). The good news is that the 2004 edition of High Heat Baseball is no exception to the above. The bad news is that, on the PC at least, the 2004 edition is no exception to the above. As usual High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 isnt quite as pretty as most of the competition, but the game does have a nostalgic look thats quite stylish--kind of like the difference between now-torn down County Stadium and the new Miller Park that replaced it in Milwaukee. A major area of improvement is in player animation. The players arent stiff anymore; they move like human beings. A bit of graphics sheen was applied to the stadiums too, and while not the best, High Heat is finally a good looking game. Unfortunately, audio is merely okay. The problem isnt limited to dry and dull commentary. High Heat 2004 pretty much has the same soundtrack as High Heat 2003 and, the music often does not match action on the field. High Heat 2040 adds some 30 new pitches to the game, and the pitcher/batter interface so crucial to this games success (its the best in the business and it feels like real baseball) is still in place and looking good. High Heat plays a solid game of baseball that just feels right.--Andrew S. Bub Pros: Good looks, great gameplay Best pitcher/batter duel available in a basebal

The High Heat series has always been one of opposites. Each game in the series has played great, realistic baseball--but the graphics never look as good as the competition. High Heat games always hit the shelves before the competition's games, but they're always plagued with stability issues and other bugs. High Heat games are always the best baseball game of the year in terms of realism, but they always sell the worst. Each year hardcore baseball fans hope and pray that developer 3DO will get it right, and each year 3DO improves just enough to keep hope alive (the High Heat series is kind of like the Red Sox). The good news is that the 2004 edition of High Heat Baseball is no exception to the above. The bad news is that, on the PC at least, the 2004 edition is no exception to the above. As usual High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 isn’t quite as pretty as most of the competition, but the game does have a nostalgic look that’s quite stylish--kind of like the difference between now-torn down County Stadium and the new Miller Park that replaced it in Milwaukee. A major area of improvement is in player animation. The players aren’t stiff anymore; they move like human beings. A bit of graphics sheen was applied to the stadiums too, and while not the best, High Heat is finally a good looking game. Unfortunately, audio is merely okay. The problem isn’t limited to dry and dull commentary. High Heat 2004 pretty much has the same soundtrack as High Heat 2003 and, the music often does not match action on the field. High Heat 2040 adds some 30 new pitches to the game, and the pitcher/batter interface so crucial to this game’s success (it’s the best in the business and it feels like real baseball) is still in place and looking good. High Heat plays a solid game of baseball that just feels right.--Andrew S. Bub Pros: Good looks, great gameplay Best pitcher/batter duel available in a baseball game Cons: Bad commentary

High Heat, Major League Baseball 2003 (CD-ROM)

High Heat Major League Baseball 2003 is here, offering smooth graphics, tons of action, and superior game controls. Featuring World Series co-MVP Curt Schilling, the game presents several new modes for 2003, including Home Run Derby, Fantasy Draft, Create-a-Player, Stand-Alone Playoffs, Batting Practice, and Two-on-Two Challenge. Gameplay features include umpire arguments, player ejections and suspensions, dropped third strikes, and snap throws from the catcher. Mound-visiting managers and animated base coaches spice up the action while adding to the strategy. Signature pitcher and batter animations mean the stars pitch and bat just like in real life, and improved TruPlay AI technology makes batting, base running, fielding, pitching, and managing seem truer to real baseball.