Okay, I got both games when they first came out and have played them extensively. Yesterday, to finish my test, I popped ESPN in for one last time after playing MVP for the past 2 weeks. I'll tell you why I think ESPN is better, and understand this is only my opinion, posted in an ESPN forum by a die hard baseball fan. Also, I like MVP, I just think ESPN is more of a baseball game and has more long term playability factor. It captures the essence of baseball better than MVP.
First of all, baseball is a game of DRAMA, not a game of ACTION. It differs from football and baseketball in that sense. MVP treats baseball like it were football or basketball. That's why it's so popular. Those sports are action sports. So MVP fills its game with highlight reel diving catches, fast paced gameplay, low pitch counts, loud crowd noise, etc. But baseball is not like that. Watch a game on TV. The crowd noise level is not rocking like it is in MVP. That does make for more excitement, but if you want a true baseball experience, this isn't it. What baseball does offer better than football and basketball is drama. In ESPN, the pitchers will work you. You can have 12 pitch at bats. The pitchers also take their time when pitching with runners on base. I can't tell you how many times I've sweated holding the controller with runners on base while the pitcher stares down to get the signal from the catcher. In MVP this doesn't happen. The pitcher pitches quickly to speed up the pace. No batter walk ups. No on deck circle shots. Just get to the quick action. Because of the pitcher staring in to get the sign from the catcher, when I'm batting, I get nervous when the game is on the line. ESPN captures this drama better than any game out there (I can't speak for MLB because I don't have Ps2). that I've played. And, if your're a baseball fan, that is FUN. It's Reggie Jackson fouling off pitches from Bob Welch in the 77 series. Remember why everyone fell in love with the game? ITs the drama and ESPN gives this to gamers.
SEcondly, in MVP, I can't see the pitcher wind up and pitch very well because I'm so focused on a meter. I have to keep my eye on the meter during the game so that I don't miss my mark. Because of this, I miss seeing the nuances of an individual pitcher's wind up. Don't get me wrong, I love meters. I just wish MVP's meter operated like ESPN's in that you do what you have to do to fill the meter and then the pitcher pitches so I can watch the action on the field. In ESPN, I actually get to concentrate on the play on the field instead of the meters. Sort of like why I hate cursor batting. It takes the gamers eye off of the ball because You're concetrating on a stupid cursor. MVPs meters are a great innovation and the game is fun, but after a while, it doesn't feel like baseball. The meters in fielding work fine in MVP, better than ESPN's model of fielding.
Thirdly, MVP's hitting model for HRs is just not realistic. Aiming up (or loading up) reminds me of toggling a power swing option. I mean, for weeks, we were all hoping that the lefty glitch could be fixed for the consoles. Just look at how we end up compesating for this. "Load up". For God's sake, we are forcing a game to do something because it is broken. I don't like holding up and timing my swing to get HRs with lefties. That's no different than a power swing option. And you know when you've hit a HR in MVP, it's always a high pitch. Well in baseball, Bonds hits many low inside pitches for HRs by golfing it. In MVP, if it's not a high pitch, forget it. High and inside, boom its gone if you load up. In ESPN, I look to swing where the ball is and if I time and aim correctly, I may hit one out if my batter has the right power attribute. That's baseball. Just hit it hard where it's at. PReloading is a joke. You have to preload to hit HRs with lefties in MVP, which is like saying let's just force it to work. I can't hit a HR naturally. I can't hit one on a low inside pitch. That's not baseball. And one thing that gets overlooked with the lefty glitch is that even if I hit HRs with lefties, THE CPU WILL NOT. And that changes baseball strategy entirely. If I can't be afraid of Bonds or Delgado or Edmonds when they come to the plate, well, I don't understand how those people can "overlook" this and enjoy the game. I might as well play Triple Play and overlook its flaws to find the beauty in that game. I don't think so.
ESPN also makes you worry when a baserunner like Damon gets on. In MVP, at least for the consoles, Damon never stole. In ESPN, I have to throw to the bag, think about pitching out, etc. This is an essential and basic element of baseball. I have to worry if I throw a change up cause the runner might go. MVP doesn't give you this. It merely provides a batting and pitching interface. That's it. For the casual gamer, that's baseball. But if you like baseball, you realize that there is value to the speedsters in the game. Otherwise, noone else matters but power hitters. Table setters are nonexistent. ESPN makes you sweat the speedster, again adding to the game's drama.
I also find ESPN's ball physics and collision deteection to be better. In MVP, the ball seems to die quickly on the grass. In MVP, it bounces around, making playing carums off the wall a challenge like in real baseball.
MVP's sliding model is great and fun because it adds to user control. But it's not realistic. As posted on another site, in real baseball, a runner has no idea where the ball is coming from, whether the right ofr left of the bag. To be able to slide one way or the other because you know where the ball is coming is not real. Fun maybe, if you get your thrills off that. I really could care less.
Now there are things I've found wrong with ESPN. Aside from the animations, the CPU has never layed down a successful sac against me, the CPU seems to substitute its relievers in the same order everytime (the same pitchers come in in a preset order), the CPU doesn't foul off as many pitches as I do, I don't walk as many batters as the CPU. Hopefully, these things will get patched through Live, if users will make enough noise so Sega hears us. But the core baseball expericence is better. Ebveryone's benn trying to make the console versions of MVP work. The discussions with Gomer's rosters is evident of that. Thanks to the many posters I've found the game can't be fixed. To the casual gamer and younger generation who could care less about baseball, MVP will whip ESPN in sales. But when I go to a game, I never hear crowds that sound like MVP's. And the drama that is baseball is sorely lacking. Add to that the need to Load Up and force lefty HRs, lack of steals, etc. and ESPN is clearly the better baseball experience. I know, I know. I hated the graphics and animations when I first played too...almost couldn't play it. But in time it stopped bothering me because I got caught up in the baseball experience. In time, MVP didn't get better with the lefty glitch, it just got worse. I hope ESPN's bunting and other gameplay issues gets patched soon. Even so, with walks, drama, no preload HRs, and all, this game is hands down the best baseball experience bar none.
First of all, baseball is a game of DRAMA, not a game of ACTION. It differs from football and baseketball in that sense. MVP treats baseball like it were football or basketball. That's why it's so popular. Those sports are action sports. So MVP fills its game with highlight reel diving catches, fast paced gameplay, low pitch counts, loud crowd noise, etc. But baseball is not like that. Watch a game on TV. The crowd noise level is not rocking like it is in MVP. That does make for more excitement, but if you want a true baseball experience, this isn't it. What baseball does offer better than football and basketball is drama. In ESPN, the pitchers will work you. You can have 12 pitch at bats. The pitchers also take their time when pitching with runners on base. I can't tell you how many times I've sweated holding the controller with runners on base while the pitcher stares down to get the signal from the catcher. In MVP this doesn't happen. The pitcher pitches quickly to speed up the pace. No batter walk ups. No on deck circle shots. Just get to the quick action. Because of the pitcher staring in to get the sign from the catcher, when I'm batting, I get nervous when the game is on the line. ESPN captures this drama better than any game out there (I can't speak for MLB because I don't have Ps2). that I've played. And, if your're a baseball fan, that is FUN. It's Reggie Jackson fouling off pitches from Bob Welch in the 77 series. Remember why everyone fell in love with the game? ITs the drama and ESPN gives this to gamers.
SEcondly, in MVP, I can't see the pitcher wind up and pitch very well because I'm so focused on a meter. I have to keep my eye on the meter during the game so that I don't miss my mark. Because of this, I miss seeing the nuances of an individual pitcher's wind up. Don't get me wrong, I love meters. I just wish MVP's meter operated like ESPN's in that you do what you have to do to fill the meter and then the pitcher pitches so I can watch the action on the field. In ESPN, I actually get to concentrate on the play on the field instead of the meters. Sort of like why I hate cursor batting. It takes the gamers eye off of the ball because You're concetrating on a stupid cursor. MVPs meters are a great innovation and the game is fun, but after a while, it doesn't feel like baseball. The meters in fielding work fine in MVP, better than ESPN's model of fielding.
Thirdly, MVP's hitting model for HRs is just not realistic. Aiming up (or loading up) reminds me of toggling a power swing option. I mean, for weeks, we were all hoping that the lefty glitch could be fixed for the consoles. Just look at how we end up compesating for this. "Load up". For God's sake, we are forcing a game to do something because it is broken. I don't like holding up and timing my swing to get HRs with lefties. That's no different than a power swing option. And you know when you've hit a HR in MVP, it's always a high pitch. Well in baseball, Bonds hits many low inside pitches for HRs by golfing it. In MVP, if it's not a high pitch, forget it. High and inside, boom its gone if you load up. In ESPN, I look to swing where the ball is and if I time and aim correctly, I may hit one out if my batter has the right power attribute. That's baseball. Just hit it hard where it's at. PReloading is a joke. You have to preload to hit HRs with lefties in MVP, which is like saying let's just force it to work. I can't hit a HR naturally. I can't hit one on a low inside pitch. That's not baseball. And one thing that gets overlooked with the lefty glitch is that even if I hit HRs with lefties, THE CPU WILL NOT. And that changes baseball strategy entirely. If I can't be afraid of Bonds or Delgado or Edmonds when they come to the plate, well, I don't understand how those people can "overlook" this and enjoy the game. I might as well play Triple Play and overlook its flaws to find the beauty in that game. I don't think so.
ESPN also makes you worry when a baserunner like Damon gets on. In MVP, at least for the consoles, Damon never stole. In ESPN, I have to throw to the bag, think about pitching out, etc. This is an essential and basic element of baseball. I have to worry if I throw a change up cause the runner might go. MVP doesn't give you this. It merely provides a batting and pitching interface. That's it. For the casual gamer, that's baseball. But if you like baseball, you realize that there is value to the speedsters in the game. Otherwise, noone else matters but power hitters. Table setters are nonexistent. ESPN makes you sweat the speedster, again adding to the game's drama.
I also find ESPN's ball physics and collision deteection to be better. In MVP, the ball seems to die quickly on the grass. In MVP, it bounces around, making playing carums off the wall a challenge like in real baseball.
MVP's sliding model is great and fun because it adds to user control. But it's not realistic. As posted on another site, in real baseball, a runner has no idea where the ball is coming from, whether the right ofr left of the bag. To be able to slide one way or the other because you know where the ball is coming is not real. Fun maybe, if you get your thrills off that. I really could care less.
Now there are things I've found wrong with ESPN. Aside from the animations, the CPU has never layed down a successful sac against me, the CPU seems to substitute its relievers in the same order everytime (the same pitchers come in in a preset order), the CPU doesn't foul off as many pitches as I do, I don't walk as many batters as the CPU. Hopefully, these things will get patched through Live, if users will make enough noise so Sega hears us. But the core baseball expericence is better. Ebveryone's benn trying to make the console versions of MVP work. The discussions with Gomer's rosters is evident of that. Thanks to the many posters I've found the game can't be fixed. To the casual gamer and younger generation who could care less about baseball, MVP will whip ESPN in sales. But when I go to a game, I never hear crowds that sound like MVP's. And the drama that is baseball is sorely lacking. Add to that the need to Load Up and force lefty HRs, lack of steals, etc. and ESPN is clearly the better baseball experience. I know, I know. I hated the graphics and animations when I first played too...almost couldn't play it. But in time it stopped bothering me because I got caught up in the baseball experience. In time, MVP didn't get better with the lefty glitch, it just got worse. I hope ESPN's bunting and other gameplay issues gets patched soon. Even so, with walks, drama, no preload HRs, and all, this game is hands down the best baseball experience bar none.
Comment