PlayStation 2

MLB 2004

With the start of the baseball season just getting underway, its time to practice your renditions of ‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’ ready your gloves for homeruns or foul balls, and prepare to stretch during the seventh inning. While fans of the sport are gearing up to support the Boys of Summer through their opening games, the gaming industry is looking forward to releasing a ton of baseball titles. One of the first released for this season is MLB 2004, the latest version in 989 Studios spring series. Known for its meticulous attention to statistics and details, MLB 2004 tries to redefine its play with heightened attention to in-game action for this year’s edition.

Gamers who remember playing the MLB games on the PlayStation are going to feel right at home with MLB 2004—almost too much so. In fact, the game feels almost exactly like the older MLB titles did, with very little in the way of improvements. Sure, there are updated rosters, and 989 has done a decent job of bringing the looks of the MLB series at least somewhat current; however, whereas EA Sports' MVP Baseball 2003 has added new wrinkles to their game, and whereas Sega's World Series Baseball feels at least somewhat different, MLB 2004 is cursed with sameness. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but the formula just feels stale now in comparison to the current baseball leaders in MVP and World Series.

It’s that time of year again when the boys of summer are preparing for the upcoming season and the excitement of Spring Training is giving baseball fans dreams of their team finally making it to the World Series. You can practically smell the scent of victory and defeat and of men that will become legends . . . ah yes Spring Training is here. And the best part about all of this is that MLB 2004, Sony and 989 Sports first PS2 baseball title, will allow baseball fans to experience all of this first hand.

MLB 2004 is the odd duck in this year's crop of baseball video games. It doesn't strive toward the same level of realism as 3DO's High Heat Major League Baseball 2004. It doesn't seek to mimic the look of a TV broadcast, like Sega's World Series Baseball 2K3. And it doesn't let you play with dozens of legends and bonus teams or download roster updates from the Internet, as does Acclaim's All-Star Baseball 2004. Instead, MLB 2004 offers a little bit of everything and tries to appeal to the casual baseball enthusiast who favors excitement over authenticity.

Springtime -- when a young man's fancy turns to franchise modes, perfectly executed double plays, and thumping a buddy in a homerun derby. This spring, there are no fewer than six baseball titles vying for the eyes, hearts, and thumbs of PS2 owners. Regulars like 3DO's High Heat, Acclaim's All-Star Baseball, and Midway's over-the-top SlugFest are back and looking better than ever. Others, like the completely revamped MVP 2003 from EA Sports and the highly anticipated World Series 2K3 from Sega Sports are making their PS2 debuts. There's only one true rookie this season, though. Sony's 989 Sports flexes its muscle with MLB 2004. Can it play with the big boys, or is it destined to watch the action from the bench?

If Ernie Banks played MLB 2004, he'd change his catch phrase from "Let's play two" to "Let it rain". From gameplay to graphics, MLB lags so far behind its competition that if Major League Baseball is really looking to start contraction, they can start it right here.

After the last ridiculously fast pitch is thrown and the last batter has grounded out, 989's MLB 2004 is probably the most flawed baseball game available for a modern system. However, if the Spring Training and Career modes were effectively integrated and the batting game was drastically improved (slow down the pitches!), we'd have something to cheer for. Instead, what we have is a game that simply cannot compete with the likes of World Series Baseball 2K3. On the bright side, MLB 2005 has a chance at being the most improved player in baseball gaming history.

989 was wise to hold off on releasing a PS2 baseball game until it readied a competitive effort, and the payoff comes in this game?s impressive, original roster of features. MLB 2004 offers deep, creative Spring Training and Franchise modes, two-player seasons, a Career mode where you control a team or an individual player, and even cool little touches like realigning the divisions.