World Series Baseball 2K3
March 30, 2003
A long time ago, on a console system that is now far, far away (Sega Saturn), the World Series Baseball franchise was without a doubt the best representation of ì?erica’s Pastimeî ¯n any console. But when the series made the jump to the ill-fated Dreamcast, Sega’s baseball series went to the dark side, as the game pulled a Florida Marlins-esque collapse ñ §¯ing from the top of the world to almighty crap (no manual fielding Ö what!?). Thankfully, with its move to the Xbox, the series made the first steps in returning to greatness with last year’s World Series Baseball ñ ¶¯id of any 2K attachment in the title to represent a new hope.
A year later, with World Series Baseball 2K3, the empire that is Sega has struck back and thus the return of great baseball games is upon us (OK, while it was fun to actually tie Star Wars into baseball, meesa gonna stop now, okeyday!). Having finally found a game engine that plays well with its predecessor, Sega was able to spend more time polishing the presentation, tweaking gameplay and adding subtle details to make 2K3 the most authentic baseball game ever made.
Starting with the game’s presentation, gamers will quickly notice that like the rest of the Sega Sports arsenal, WSB 2K3 is meant to look like an ESPN broadcast. While the thrill of seeing this is starting to wear a little because it is now the standard, baseball junkies will no doubt be pumped to hear the famous Baseball Tonight theme music. Add to this the fact that gamers can play the game using TV style camera work that even features ESPN’s innovative 3-D strike zone indicator. Now if we could only get Peter Gammons in next year’s addition.
As mentioned before, the gameplay in last year’s World Series Baseball title was quite good. Still, with this year’s release, Sega made sure to fix any glaring omissions from last year’s title, and at the same time, added some subtle touches that really make the title stand out. As far as expected changes go, the most enjoyable change is the addition of wall-scaling catches. Somehow forgotten in last year’s game, gamers can now take advantage of fielders like Torii Hunter and Andruw Jones and rob the opposing team of would-be homeruns. In addition to this, gamers can now drag bunts, adjust relay throws, pull quicker double-plays, warm up pitchers in the bullpen, modify a runner’s lead from a base, and yes, you can get into baseball brawls! While several of these additions should have been in the game in the first place, the fact that they are nonetheless puts WSB 2K3 head and shoulders above the competition in the gameplay department.
Further solidifying the game as the Barry Bonds of the bunch is the game’s much-improved franchise mode. At first, gamers may think the mode is not too different from franchise modes of the other games in the Sega Sports family ñ ²¥quiring you to rework contracts (coaches and players), make trades, work with the minor leagues, etc. This is not the case! In fact, WSB 2K3 might have the best franchise mode on the market.
Easily the coolest aspect is the way players’ physical and mental prowess can change over a season. With the game’s loyalty rating, it is necessary to treat your players with respect (i.e. don’t leave them on the trading block or bench them a lot) or they will demand more money when contract time comes or worse yet, sing yippy kay yay. On the flip side, if you are loyal to the players, they will no doubt be loyal to you.
Similar to the loyalty aspect of the game, in franchise mode, how much or how little playing time one gets affects their play on the field. If you have an aging veteran on the team, it is important to give the guy a day off or two before he pulls a Ricky Henderson on the field. Similarly, if you have a hot prospect on the team but do not have him in the starting lineup, it is important to give him a start or two, as it will no doubt boost his confidence in a pinch hitting scenario.
Moving on (so you baseball fans can hurry out and buy this one), to add to the game’s complete package, WSB 2K3′s graphics are head and shoulders above the rest of the competition (though Microsoft’s Inside Pitch looks incredible). As a fan that has gone to nearly every park in the country, it is safe to say that Sega has done everything but show how many bathrooms each park has. Moreover, the player models and face mapping in the game are realistic as they come. One major gripe, however, is that the player models do not always represent how the player really looks. For some reason, heavyset players like Mo Vaughn and David Wells come across looking as lean as A-Rod or Jeter. Still, once players see that the slimmed-down player still swings the bat or pitches the way they are supposed to, all is forgiven.
Complementing the graphics, Sega has really captured the sounds of a day at the ballpark. Featuring color-commentary from Rex Hudler of the Anaheim Angels and play-by-play by Mets’ announcer Ted Robinson, the game’s commentary is both accurate and enjoyable. What’s more, fans in the game are not only responsive to great plays and greater mistakes; they actually get on players who are having a rough day. For those fortunate to have a 5.1 audio setup, things only get better. Calls by referees seem to come from behind you, as do cheers and jeers from the fans. If you have the means to such a system, you will find that WSB 2K3 is a showcase title for your sound setup.
The only real problem with World Series Baseball 2K3 is that Sega omitted Xbox Live compatibility. While this is not that surprising since Xbox Live is still just getting started, the fact that the last four Sega Sports titles came online ready makes it a little disappointing. Nevertheless, with the game’s fantastic gameplay and depth, World Series 2K3 is still the best baseball game to own.
CVG Report CardWorld Series Baseball 2K3
Rating: A
Platform: Xbox
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