Triple Play Baseball 2002

Baseball games fall into two categories: the painfully realistic type that your grandpa would dig (if he actually played games) and those that your little brother loves because he can hit cannon-shot home runs with his eyes closed. The Triple Play series fits into the second category like a key in a lock. But honestly, I dont mind; in fact, Ive been waving the Triple Play love flag for several years now. This edition, however, is testing my allegiance. For starters, I expect Xbox titles to look one click shy of magnificent, or at least better than a PS2 game. In this slugger, some of the stadiums like Wrigley Field look OK, but the players are out of proportion (big legs, small torso, big head). They all look tike they came from the same warped model. While thats not terribly distracting, the choppy framerate is. The throwing animations in particular are chop, chop, choppy. My final gripe: Compared to last years PS2 version, the frequency of home runs has been scaled back, but the variety of hits is still flat. Singles flow like wine, yet triples and doubles are as rare as the North American Tree Sloth (OK, maybe not that rare). On the up side, its relatively bug free, and the towering home runs and dynamic cameras that show them are still top-notch (the best in the genre). If you can stomach the so-so graphics, big cursors and limited hit variety...go for it. Me, Ill stick with last years sharper, home run-happy PS2 edition.

I knew this was bad news the minute I heard the Bob Costas introduction. Does this guy have to be everywhere? OK go to the preferences, switch commentary off, no problem. But I cant do anything about the gaudy batting crosshair that looks like it was taken out of Flash Gordons opening credits. And thats just the start of the laughs. Wait Ctil you get a load of the big-headed, man-child players. I bet those huge craniums sapped the Xboxs processors. Its the only explanation for the choppy animations that make this so difficult to play. And it doesnt just happen on rare occasions; this game cant even show a bunt without a glitchy flaw or two.

Ive always appreciated Triple Play for being an unabashedley arcadey baseball game. It never apologized and just kept upping the ante in terms of gratuitous cannon sound effects, gargantuan home runs and triple-digit radar-gun readings. Well, these wild feats have been toned down, and theres no excitement left. The series has stumbled dramatically in terms of basic mechanics. The camera doesnt follow the action too well, hitting feels choppy and disjointed, and fielding is a chore. Also, the pace of play is much too slow to support the level of hyperexcitement EA is going for. This one is for true Triple Play faithful only.