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Platform: Xbox Genre: Sports Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Sports ESRB: E (Everyone) Released: Q2 2003 Support AE! Buy Games Here:
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MVP
Baseball 2003
Score: 8.0 / 10 |
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Pros: -
Great Player Graphics -
Innovative new pitching and throwing interface - Marvelous ambient sound
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Cons: -
Every AI controlled batter is Tony Gwynn -
Game features a “been there, played that” selection of modes
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Related Links: Review: MVP Baseball 2003 (PS2) Review: All-Star Baseball 2004 (XB)
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"MVP Baseball 2003 is all about throwing."
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EA
Sports Triple Play franchise ruled the last few years of the 32-bit
generation.
Though, for my money, it never reached the level of quality of
World Series Baseball on the Sega Saturn, Triple Play had a huge and
vocal following.
Unfortunately, EA was not able to carry over that karma into the
current generation.
The Triple Play titles of late had simply been lackluster and
seemed even more so going head to head with All-Star Baseball for the
first time and a continually improving High Heat series.
So, EA pulled Triple Play off the market for a re-tooling in 2002
and returned with MVP Baseball 2003.
MVP 2003 represents not simply a name change, but instead a total
re-imagining of the console baseball game.
The results are mixed, but kudos to EA for having the vision and
cajones to give it a shot.
This year’s model leaves a little to be desired, but after
playing it, I have high hopes for the future of the series.
MVP
2003 is all about throwing.
The game replaces the standard push-the-appropriate-
button-to-throw-to-a-certain-base model with an interface similar to the
three-click shot of a golf videogame.
That’s right.
Every single throw on the field is handled with a power bar and
timed release.
On hearing that, it might seem as if the game would become
tedious.
Just the opposite is true.
The throwing method keeps players engaged in the fielding of the
ball in a way the standard approach never did.
It truly is a marvelous change that is so good I wonder why no
one had thought of it before.
About ten games in to MVP 2003, I was so enamored with the
fielding controls that I was ready to declare the game the must-have
baseball game of the year.
In the end, I have lowered my rating a tad because of the lack of
features and a few AI bugs, but the throwing method is still intriguing.
I especially liked the hot zone at the end of the power curve.
If a player wants to try making an outstanding play (like
throwing out a batter at home from the outfield, per se), they can
attempt to let the ball go at the top of the power curve, in the red
zone. Doing
this causes the ball to really zoom across the field, but the chance for
an error is increased, making it risky.
I loved this element, especially since it provided a bit of logic
as to why an error was committed, unlike other baseball games where it
is clearly a random occurrence.
Pitching
in the game is handled using the same interface and works well also.
Despite the clear delay in action caused by this method, the game
still plays as quickly as the competitors, likely due to the fact that
the rest of the game’s mechanics and pacing are slightly accelerated.
Graphically,
MVP 2003 is the king of the hill for this year’s baseball titles.
The graphics are simply beautiful.
The stadiums are well detailed.
The player models are well captured and realistically skinned.
The animation routines are robust.
All in all, the graphics are a considerable step up from those of
the Triple Play franchise.
Only the interface doesn’t see any real improvement, though the
interface of Triple Play was possibly its one true strength, so there
wasn’t all that much room for improvement. It
is impossible (or at least ill-advised) to talk about sports games
without discussing modes and options.
EA is famous for loading its sports games down with options and
they do so here.
The game has pretty much what we have come to expect from a
baseball title—a play now (exhibition) mode, a season mode, and a
franchise mode.
Beyond a home run derby mode, that is about it.
There certainly are enough modes to keep the average player
occupied, but the game kind of pales in comparison on this front to its
main competitor, All-Star Baseball 2004.
Besides
the lack of truly original modes, the only other major problem I had
with the game was the batting A.I.
It seems impossible to get the computer batter to swing at a
pitch outside the strike zone.
So going for the third strike on a curve ball that swings off the
plate is impossible.
This fact forces the pitcher to make hittable pitches even on a
two-strike, no-ball count, which is terribly unrealistic.
This might not bother everyone as much as it bothered me, but I
found it to be a real problem. Otherwise
MVP 2003 is a great new franchise for EA.
I look forward to seeing how this franchise develops over the
lifespan of this generation of consoles.
Hopefully, this year’s model is simply a taste of great things
to come. - Tolen Dante (June 1, 2003)
...More Electronic Arts Game Reviews..
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