Baseball (1 Viewer)

[Jack_F]

Okay, it's been a few weeks and I can't decide on which baseball game for PS2. WSB2k3 or MVP2003?

It seems to me that most people favor World Series Baseball, however, I am very drawn to the new batter/pitcher/fielder interface on MVP.

Can anyone help me decide? I've tried to rent the games to get a feel for them, however, my local store only has 1 copy of MVP, which is always rented out, and no copies of WSB available for rent.

-Jack

 

[Dave Bennett]

Jack, the Search is your friend
Massive WSB2k3 Thread
MVP Thread

 

[JoshF]

Jack, you must try High Heat. It is, IMO the best out there for any platform.

 

[Scott_W]

After being a huge HH fan for years, I found this years dull in comparison to the other games. HH also has one of the worst UI's I've seen in a game lately. I think the pitch speed is just to slow these days, and the pitches to exagerated. MVP does this better now, and HH looks a bit silly, even with pitch speeds cranked up.

For me, MVP was more fun to play. The pitching/hitting/fielding interfaces are as good as advertised. I also like most of the MVP animations better, but its not nearly as sharp looking as WSB. I'd call the graphics a wash (animations vs. crispness). Soundwise, MVP is by far better, from the announcers to the atmosphere (MVP chants when certain players come up, etc.) MVP's franchise goals are great, as is the ability to jump into any game, at any point. It lets you play more games in a season. You have to though, since you can't make shorter seasons, or have a fantasy draft. Momentum is modelled in the franchise, which is cool.

MVP has a bunch of flaws though. Questionable AI at times, no draft, ball physics are slightly lacking, no bullpens, and a few others.

WSB plays solid baseball, and looks good. It has a very deep traditional franchise mode, with fantasy drafts, etc. No goals or momentum hurt here, after playing MVP. One frustration is that it takes longer to play a game in WSB. Its about 40 minutes vs 25-30 in MVP (or shorter if jump in halfway). There are to many wasted animations in WSB.

Anyway, WSB is the best all around game. Its baseball game isn't as fun as MVP, but its a bit more realistic. The franchise mode is deeper then MVP, but basic.

I'll buy MVP when I want to play again (rented all three titles) as its more fun. If I really want a deep managerial or franchise mode, I'll buy Out of the Park Baseball 5. WSB is probably the safer bet though, and is a very good game.

 

[Dave Bennett]

While games in WSB do take a while, you can save mid game and resume it later so it's a nice compromise.

 

[Jack_F]

I did get to rent HH 2004, and I liked it, but not enough to buy. I think the graphics are pretty subpar for a game labeled "2004". Also, I agree with the above statements about the slow pitch speed and extreme exaggeration of pitches.

I also did read the other threads about WSB and MVP, but I was hoping for some new info, as those threads haven't been updated for a while.

I'm leaning towards MVP right now, although WSB seems like it has better graphics, however, I think I would miss the new interface in MVP (power/accuracy bar) if I got WSB.

-Jack

 

[James T]

The first baseball game I played this year was MVP. I thought the throwing meter was pretty cool, but way too accurate. Just about every of your pitches hits its target. Even when the pitcher is tired, I stilll found it pretty easy to hit my targets.

I played WSB shortly afterwards and was blown away by it. I said it in another thread, but I'll say it again, it's the little things in this game that make it stand out. You can dive/jump, fire coaches, get ejected from games, promote/demote people to the majors/minors, contracts and budjets, watch the first base coach jump out of the way from a line drive and other things.

 

[Seth Paxton]

I bought MVP and I'm in the middle of the first franchise year.

So far what I have noticed -

Lots of various trading has gone on, maybe a bit more than normal. Of course the first thing I did was make deals to improve the Expos. I didn't find the trading cheap though I'm not sure about what the CPU values exactly. You certainly can't just trade any schmuck for an All-Star. But I did trade El Duque to the Marlins for Derek Lee/Mike Lowell and some other players on both sides to even it.

The sim part seems decent, hard to say at this point though. I do like that you can jump in on any day, or if simming a single game you can jump in on any half inning.


Pitching for the game is as good as any baseball game I have played. I disagree about hitting your spots always. I've had slips where I grooved a pitch and paid for it. Pitchers wear down rather accurately.

Throwing is good too.

The franchise goals to increase your payroll are cool. Momentum is cool too. Add to that the "rivals", which increase the importance of a game on your momentum and you have a lot of interesting goals/challenges in the game.

I noticed dirt kicking up in the wind at homeplate when I was playing at Dodger Stadium. Nice touch.

Big gameplay flaws - forget SBs, they are basically non-existent, you can throw anyone out it seems and are always thrown out yourself. Maybe what type of pitch you run on helps, but I'm not that sure about that.

Not enough types of hits. Maybe it's supposed to be whatever the physics say, but you get too many looping flyouts. And it's outright stupid how many diving catches running to the OF are made by the SS and 2B. Proably 12 outs a game are over the shoulder diving catches at least, often more.

Back to the baserunning. The throwing meter is for choosing that hard throw when the play will be close, but plays at first are NEVER close unless there was an error. It's much like the SB thing. There are no bang-bang outs at first, even from GO to third.


Sounds and animation are mostly pretty good.


Okay, now this I had to share with everyone because it's just way too cool. I just did the All-Star game tonight (I've been playing a lot of games in my season obviously). I'm the Expos so I was NL.

Bonds comes up in the first inning. He (I) crush one to deep CF. Headed over the way. CF (Iciro in this case) climbs the wall and pulls it back in!!!

What are the chances of that happening? I mean the only thing different from the real game was that it wasn't Torii Hunter. The ball was going out in basically the same spot even. That was just way too cool (though it cost me the HR).


MVP is good, but I sure wish the running flaws and the incorrect balance of out types were fixed. Then the game would be outstanding. As it is EA improved drastically upon Triple Play.

 

[JoshF]

Seth: As I'm an ex-pitcher, I really need to check out MVP. I'm still a High Heat addict, but it sounds as though I'd be down with the MVP pitching interface. I've heard that fielding can be a bit tricky, though.