Re: Home Run King
You say this is only out for the GC?
You say this is only out for the GC?
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Re: Home Run King
You say this is only out for the GC?Comment
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Re: Home Run King
Here it is - I won $50 for this review:
Background
I have played approximately 50 games of Home Run King - about 25 on Veteran level and 25 on All Star level. When it comes to baseball games, I like a game that is a mix of an immersive representation of baseball, a believable simulation of the game that I follow closely from March through October, and enjoyable enough to play a full 162 game season. In short, I like to play along with the Pirates - with a game that is immersive enough to endure a long season (which is particularly important when playing as one of the worst teams in baseball).
My favorite baseball games from the past are Micro League Baseball and Tony LaRussa I and II on the PC and the early Hardball series on the Commodore 64. To be honest, I have not enjoyed any of the console baseball games on the PS2 or the PSX, and I was dismayed by Sega's showings with WSB2K1 and WSB2K2 on the DC - games for which I had high hopes.
After watching some of the videos of HRK, reading countless previews and reviews on the net, and talking with a few people on the message board, I invested in a Game Cube so that I could play this game. After 50 games or so, here is my review:
Gameplay - 8.5/10
If you are looking to play a full 162 game season with a game, then it all starts with the basics of whether the game provides a fun and accurate representation of the game of baseball. All-in-all, I am quite satisfied with what HRK has to offer in the key gameplay areas of baseball:
In regard to hitting, HRK has an interesting and compelling depiction of hitting. Before each pitch, you can guess what pitch a pitcher is going to throw. If you guess correctly, your cursor turns red - thus increasing the probability that you will make solid contact with the ball. While there is a lot more to it, the whole process of guessing the pitch sequence every at bat is a game in and of itself. And, when you guess correctly, you have the added pressure of wanting to take advantage of it and crush the ball (which is a great challenge on All Star level and above).
Pitching is also a strength of HRK. Each pitcher has his own repertoire of pitches (anywhere from three to five) - and you can see the pitcher's skill level in each pitch (for example - Pedro Martinez has a great fastball - which is represented by a long line, while Josh Fogg of the Pirates has a weak split-fingered fastball - which is represented by a short line). Like any solid baseball title, success in pitching is dependent on changing speeds, pitch types and locations. As an added challenge, a pitcher's pitch type wears out the more you use it. So - if you throw a bunch of 100 MPH fastballs with Pedro early on - his fastball will be gone in a few innings. The only thing that annoys me about pitching is that the pitch types are not clearly labeled (or labeled anywhere for that matter). But - you learn them fast enough after playing a few games.
The baserunning in the game is OK - but leaves much to be desired. I have always been a novice in baserunning in console baseball games, and - unfortunately, HRK does not offer much to make baserunning fun or immersive. Baserunning feels like an all or nothing proposition (i.e. you either go for the next base or not) - although there are ''experts'' who have been able to achieve more control over their baserunners than I. As a plus, however, it is much easier to send your runners back on pop-ups and line drives than it was in WSB2K1. I hardly ever ''run myself'' out of games with ridiculous baserunning moves caused by the computer taking off on contact. In sum, however, I am still waiting for a baseball game that makes it fun and challenging to steal and go for the extra base.
Fielding is a mixed bag as well. For the most part, I enjoy the fielding in this game. I feel like I can make most plays in the field that I should be able to make, and that my fielders can make decent throws. There are problems, however, the most annoying being the fact that the game has a tendency to misplay shallow pop-ups at the edge of the infield. There is nothing more frustrating than when the computer pushes your SS away from a shallow pop-up that he could have caught. Also- I have problems sometimes catching fly balls in left field - because of the cursor. For the most part, however, fielding is solid.
Computer/Simulation AI - 10/10
The computer provides a fair challenge on All Star level and above (and - is still pretty challenging on Veteran level). Computer hitters are ''tough outs,'' in that they will punish you if you throw strikes right down the middle of the plate - and will jump all over you if you do not change speeds, locations and pitch types. I am very impressed with the computer base runners. They will always go for the extra base if you give it to them - and very rarely make poor decisions. In fact, they will steal on you even when up by 7 or 8 runs if you don't throw over to first. The computer pitching on All Star is challenging as well. The pitchers use widely varying sequences of pitches (speeds, pitches and locations) - and it is often very difficult to guess which pitch is coming next. The computer is also aggressive in fielding and trying to throw you out from the outfield if you try to score from second on a single. Finally, the game has fundamentally sound ''baseball sense.'' Computer pitchers only bunt when a guy is on first, the game goes after your lead runners when at all possible, and the game does a fairly good job in bringing in relievers and pinch hitters. In short, the computer is a worthy opponent on All Star level and above.
Also, player abilities are represented clearly and realistically. You get a wonderful sense of ''terror'' when you face Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds with men on base and your pitcher struggling. You also feel relieved when you face the Pirates' weak line-up, since there aren't many guys in there who will be able to punish you if your pitcher is off his game. If Greg Maddux is pitching, you marvel at how the ball seems to be jumping all over the plate - and you feel lucky to manage a few bloops to the outfield. Weak pitchers, on the other hand, can be had fairly easily (for example, trying pitching with Jimmy Anderson of the Pirates). In my opinion, the one ''intangible'' element that this game does better than perhaps any other game I have seen is what happens when you have a pitcher ''on the ropes'' at the highest difficulty levels. If your pitcher is tired, the computer will shell your weakened pitches - especially if you are forced to throw strikes. And, one of the greatest joys in this game is knowing that you have the computer pitcher finally figured out by the middle innings. I can still remember one game when I had David Wells of the Yankees on the ropes in the 6th inning - and I hit four consecutive line drive doubles off him - to send him to the showers. You really feel like you ''knocked him out of the box.''
Controls - 7/10
The controls in the game are fairly receptive and easy to get used to - with enough incentive to practice and develop in order to master the game. As I mentioned previously, the batter-pitcher interface is very well done in this game. When hitting, you guess what pitch you think is going to be thrown. One of the best features about the gameplay/controls is that your batting cursor changes in shape - based on which pitch type you guess. If you guess fastball, you get the standard circle - and your batter swings to make solid contact. If you guess curve or slider, the cursor changes to a diagonal shape - and your batter swings in a manner to catch the break of of the pitch (which is very well done in my opinion). If you guess changeup, the cursor changes to an oval - and your batter basically takes an upper cut. I am very impressed by how these different swings are represented - and how they affect gameplay (they seem to be a main reason why the game has so many different hit types - line drives, dribblers, weak ground balls, hard ground balls, towering pop-ups, etc.).
The pitching controls are also effective - in that a graphic on the screen shows your pitcher's pitch types available - and how strong or weak he is in each type (based on the length of the line). While it is easy to throw strikes down the middle of the plate, this will naturally get you hit hard - so the challenge comes in changing speeds and trying to hit the corners. The only drawback is that you always know what pitch the batter guessed before you deliver the pitch you selected. So, if you select a fastball and you see that Barry Bonds has guessed correctly - then you can throw the pitch outside of the strike zone (which is advisable - because the computer often crushes pitches when it guesses right). While this doesn't really hurt the game, it does feel like an unfair advantage at times.
The fielding control is playable, but not spectacular. There are sliders that you can tweak to increase or decrease computer assistance in fielding, but on default - it can be very annoying at times when the computer pushes your SS or 2B away from a catchable pop-up. Also, converting double plays is definitely something that must be mastered in the game - simply because the fielding controls are rather ''clunky'' when you try to execute throws too fast. But - most people have reported that they can turn double plays reliably after playing the game for awhile.
Finally, the baserunning controls are functional - but nothing to write home about. Again - while some people have really gotten into the baserunning controls and can easily take leads and run back and forth during run-downs, the controls (the right and left triggers) are again ''clunky'' - and it is tough to execute snap decisions to run back and forth between bases.
Fun Factor - 9.5/10
To me, one of the greatest features of Home Run King are the intangibles it brings to the table to make it a fun and enjoyable game to play. In terms of presentation, the game moves at a quick pace, while still showing numerous animations and cut scenes (somewhere in between the slower ASB and the faster ''bare bones'' High Heat). It is one of those games that rewards you for a big hit - with a loud and satisfying crack of the bat and accompanying rumble. Hitting a home run is really enjoyable in the game - because unlike games like Triple Play where every home run automatically triggers a cut scene the instant it leaves the bat, home runs are treated like regular hits in the game - which adds drama to the game. And, in special cases - there are cut scenes after the home run - based on which stadium you are playing in.
And, since the batter-pitcher interface is so well done - hitting and pitching basically become games in themselves - as you find yourself setting-up and guessing pitch sequences and locations with each at-bat. Most of the games I have had produce between 8-12 runs per game (7-3, 6-2, 8-4, etc.) with occasional lower and higher scores. Thus, there is a great deal of realistic action in the game - but it is by no means ''arcadey'' at the higher levels of difficulty.
In terms of fun, the realistic representations of the players and the stadiums really make the game a joy to play. Sega has gone to great lengths to model player faces as accurately as possible - which has produced some of the most realistic looking players I have ever seen in a baseball game. Beyond their looks, Sega has also done a great job realistically capturing the batting stances and pitching deliveries of several of the game's top players. They have gone to great lengths with the stances - to the point where they show several of the hitters full pre-swing routines, like Shinjo, Mo Vaughn and Nomar's cool pre-stance shuffle with his feet. The only strange thing about the player animations is that, for some strange reason, the players' knee joints look rather inhuman if you look closely at the pitchers and batters. Also - there are occasionally some strange fielding animations that don't affect gameplay - but just do not seem very natural looking (i.e. the occasional bizarre running catch on a routine fly and this one strange animation where the fielder catches a tough throw and touches the bag while running at full speed).
The ball parks have also received a tremendous amount of attention, in that not only are all 30 MLB ball parks in the game - but - Sega has gone to great lengths to model the outside facades and surroundings of several of the more distinctive ball parks. In addition to working waterfalls in Kaufmann, you have a realistic looking Bay in Pacific Bell, a wonderful recreation of the Allegheny river and the beautiful 6th Street Bridge outside of PNC Park, and a great recreation of the street and houses behind the outfield in Wrigley Field (among many others). And, there is just something about the way this game recreates Fenway Park at night - that makes it an absolute joy to play an exhibition game at night against the Yankees - Pedro versus Clemens. These visuals really come into play on deep fly balls - which the in-game camera captures beautifully (note: this is one of my main frustrations with ASB - it has beautiful stadiums - but you hardly every see them during the game because of the camera). Beyond the beauty of the stadiums, there are special cut scenes at several of the stadiums that are only shown after big home runs. I won't spoil them for you here - but I can tell you that the Apple in Shea and McCovey Cove in Pac Bell are two of the many that are highlighted in these special extras.
Options/Extras - 6.5/10
In terms of the games options and extras in regard to its modes of play, it is fair to label HRK as a fairly ''spartan'' game. For instance, it pales in comparison to the modes of play and extras offered on All Star Baseball, in that it does not have create-a-team, franchise mode, or player cards. It does have a functional season mode, however, with the 2002 schedule firmly in place. While I have just started my season with the Pirates on All Star, season play has been enjoyable so far - and I was satisified with the realism of the stats on the two seasons that I simulated earlier.
Sega did a nice job with the home run derby in this game. Home run derby is fast moving, challenging, and - as I mentioned before, the camera does a great job capturing the ballparks on deep fly balls to the outfield. Thus, it is a lot of fun to take eight of the game's top power hitters to Wrigley Field - and try to hit balls out of left field onto the street, or - to take them to Pac Bell and shoot for McCovey Cove, or - to PNC Park - with the Allegheny River approximately 475 feet feet from home plate in right field (Berkman reached it in real life last year). There is also a cool little trophy presentation at the end of each home run derby - a nice little extra.
One of the most puzzling things about this game to me is its cumbersome interface. It is annoying at times to try and navigate through the menus, because the menu controls are very sensitive - making it tedious to move around. I am also very disappointed with how little information is available on the skills for each player in the game. I guess I have been spoiled by Madden and NCAA on the PS2, where you can literally look up everything about a player - and know every player's speed, strength and skill - in relation to every other player in the game. HRK is frustrating in this regard, in that you only get three or four lines showing a player's power, hitting, fielding, etc. I like to know exactly how good players are in relation to their opponents - especially when making substitutions. HRK does not offer much in this regard.
Finally - one last complaint - is that you cannot get access to a full box score - either during or after a game. To me, this is an inexcusable omission on Sega's part. It would be one thing if this was an absolute arcade game - with 50 or 60 homers a game - but - this game has a full season play. Not being able to check the box score really takes away from the joy of playing a season. Fortunately, in season play, the game does keep thorough stats in numerous categories and has a league leaders section that is very easy to navigate by category - to make up for the inability to check a box score.
Sound - 6/10
I can't say much about the sound in this game - except that it is at least a step up form the abysmal sound on WSB2K1 and WSB2K2 on the Dreamcast. The announcers are still pretty bland, but they are more animated than what was included in the past. The crowd looks absolutely lifeless (cardboard cutouts), but they do cheer - and there are a few sounds and the standard organ music. But - baseball games have still not evolved to the point where you get that feeling you get when you are sitting in a real major league ballpark - and the sound is reverberating throughout the whole ballpark - the echo of the PA announcer, the crack of the ball when it hits the catcher's glove - this ''reverberation'' has not been captured or represented yet in any game - certainly not in HRK.
OVERALL (Not an Average) 8.75/10
In sum, I give the game an 8.75 because, taking all of its strengths and weaknesses together, I just have the sense that it is a challenging and enjoyable enough game to play a full 162 game season. It is the kind of game that will be fun to break out again in October when the real MLB playoffs are going on - because you will be able to play a fun game of baseball, using players that look and play like their real life counterparts, in ball parks that show off their unique beauty.
Ultimately, I recommend that you rent the game first - just to see if you like - but - please give the game a chance (at least 10 games on All Star level or above - plus a few home run derby matches) before you make up your mind that it is not for you. This is the kind of game that ''grows on you'' once you see all that it has to offer.
Reviewer's Score: 9 / 10, Originally Posted on 4/19/2002
Comment
-
Re: Home Run King
Here it is - I won $50 for this review:
Background
I have played approximately 50 games of Home Run King - about 25 on Veteran level and 25 on All Star level. When it comes to baseball games, I like a game that is a mix of an immersive representation of baseball, a believable simulation of the game that I follow closely from March through October, and enjoyable enough to play a full 162 game season. In short, I like to play along with the Pirates - with a game that is immersive enough to endure a long season (which is particularly important when playing as one of the worst teams in baseball).
My favorite baseball games from the past are Micro League Baseball and Tony LaRussa I and II on the PC and the early Hardball series on the Commodore 64. To be honest, I have not enjoyed any of the console baseball games on the PS2 or the PSX, and I was dismayed by Sega's showings with WSB2K1 and WSB2K2 on the DC - games for which I had high hopes.
After watching some of the videos of HRK, reading countless previews and reviews on the net, and talking with a few people on the message board, I invested in a Game Cube so that I could play this game. After 50 games or so, here is my review:
Gameplay - 8.5/10
If you are looking to play a full 162 game season with a game, then it all starts with the basics of whether the game provides a fun and accurate representation of the game of baseball. All-in-all, I am quite satisfied with what HRK has to offer in the key gameplay areas of baseball:
In regard to hitting, HRK has an interesting and compelling depiction of hitting. Before each pitch, you can guess what pitch a pitcher is going to throw. If you guess correctly, your cursor turns red - thus increasing the probability that you will make solid contact with the ball. While there is a lot more to it, the whole process of guessing the pitch sequence every at bat is a game in and of itself. And, when you guess correctly, you have the added pressure of wanting to take advantage of it and crush the ball (which is a great challenge on All Star level and above).
Pitching is also a strength of HRK. Each pitcher has his own repertoire of pitches (anywhere from three to five) - and you can see the pitcher's skill level in each pitch (for example - Pedro Martinez has a great fastball - which is represented by a long line, while Josh Fogg of the Pirates has a weak split-fingered fastball - which is represented by a short line). Like any solid baseball title, success in pitching is dependent on changing speeds, pitch types and locations. As an added challenge, a pitcher's pitch type wears out the more you use it. So - if you throw a bunch of 100 MPH fastballs with Pedro early on - his fastball will be gone in a few innings. The only thing that annoys me about pitching is that the pitch types are not clearly labeled (or labeled anywhere for that matter). But - you learn them fast enough after playing a few games.
The baserunning in the game is OK - but leaves much to be desired. I have always been a novice in baserunning in console baseball games, and - unfortunately, HRK does not offer much to make baserunning fun or immersive. Baserunning feels like an all or nothing proposition (i.e. you either go for the next base or not) - although there are ''experts'' who have been able to achieve more control over their baserunners than I. As a plus, however, it is much easier to send your runners back on pop-ups and line drives than it was in WSB2K1. I hardly ever ''run myself'' out of games with ridiculous baserunning moves caused by the computer taking off on contact. In sum, however, I am still waiting for a baseball game that makes it fun and challenging to steal and go for the extra base.
Fielding is a mixed bag as well. For the most part, I enjoy the fielding in this game. I feel like I can make most plays in the field that I should be able to make, and that my fielders can make decent throws. There are problems, however, the most annoying being the fact that the game has a tendency to misplay shallow pop-ups at the edge of the infield. There is nothing more frustrating than when the computer pushes your SS away from a shallow pop-up that he could have caught. Also- I have problems sometimes catching fly balls in left field - because of the cursor. For the most part, however, fielding is solid.
Computer/Simulation AI - 10/10
The computer provides a fair challenge on All Star level and above (and - is still pretty challenging on Veteran level). Computer hitters are ''tough outs,'' in that they will punish you if you throw strikes right down the middle of the plate - and will jump all over you if you do not change speeds, locations and pitch types. I am very impressed with the computer base runners. They will always go for the extra base if you give it to them - and very rarely make poor decisions. In fact, they will steal on you even when up by 7 or 8 runs if you don't throw over to first. The computer pitching on All Star is challenging as well. The pitchers use widely varying sequences of pitches (speeds, pitches and locations) - and it is often very difficult to guess which pitch is coming next. The computer is also aggressive in fielding and trying to throw you out from the outfield if you try to score from second on a single. Finally, the game has fundamentally sound ''baseball sense.'' Computer pitchers only bunt when a guy is on first, the game goes after your lead runners when at all possible, and the game does a fairly good job in bringing in relievers and pinch hitters. In short, the computer is a worthy opponent on All Star level and above.
Also, player abilities are represented clearly and realistically. You get a wonderful sense of ''terror'' when you face Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds with men on base and your pitcher struggling. You also feel relieved when you face the Pirates' weak line-up, since there aren't many guys in there who will be able to punish you if your pitcher is off his game. If Greg Maddux is pitching, you marvel at how the ball seems to be jumping all over the plate - and you feel lucky to manage a few bloops to the outfield. Weak pitchers, on the other hand, can be had fairly easily (for example, trying pitching with Jimmy Anderson of the Pirates). In my opinion, the one ''intangible'' element that this game does better than perhaps any other game I have seen is what happens when you have a pitcher ''on the ropes'' at the highest difficulty levels. If your pitcher is tired, the computer will shell your weakened pitches - especially if you are forced to throw strikes. And, one of the greatest joys in this game is knowing that you have the computer pitcher finally figured out by the middle innings. I can still remember one game when I had David Wells of the Yankees on the ropes in the 6th inning - and I hit four consecutive line drive doubles off him - to send him to the showers. You really feel like you ''knocked him out of the box.''
Controls - 7/10
The controls in the game are fairly receptive and easy to get used to - with enough incentive to practice and develop in order to master the game. As I mentioned previously, the batter-pitcher interface is very well done in this game. When hitting, you guess what pitch you think is going to be thrown. One of the best features about the gameplay/controls is that your batting cursor changes in shape - based on which pitch type you guess. If you guess fastball, you get the standard circle - and your batter swings to make solid contact. If you guess curve or slider, the cursor changes to a diagonal shape - and your batter swings in a manner to catch the break of of the pitch (which is very well done in my opinion). If you guess changeup, the cursor changes to an oval - and your batter basically takes an upper cut. I am very impressed by how these different swings are represented - and how they affect gameplay (they seem to be a main reason why the game has so many different hit types - line drives, dribblers, weak ground balls, hard ground balls, towering pop-ups, etc.).
The pitching controls are also effective - in that a graphic on the screen shows your pitcher's pitch types available - and how strong or weak he is in each type (based on the length of the line). While it is easy to throw strikes down the middle of the plate, this will naturally get you hit hard - so the challenge comes in changing speeds and trying to hit the corners. The only drawback is that you always know what pitch the batter guessed before you deliver the pitch you selected. So, if you select a fastball and you see that Barry Bonds has guessed correctly - then you can throw the pitch outside of the strike zone (which is advisable - because the computer often crushes pitches when it guesses right). While this doesn't really hurt the game, it does feel like an unfair advantage at times.
The fielding control is playable, but not spectacular. There are sliders that you can tweak to increase or decrease computer assistance in fielding, but on default - it can be very annoying at times when the computer pushes your SS or 2B away from a catchable pop-up. Also, converting double plays is definitely something that must be mastered in the game - simply because the fielding controls are rather ''clunky'' when you try to execute throws too fast. But - most people have reported that they can turn double plays reliably after playing the game for awhile.
Finally, the baserunning controls are functional - but nothing to write home about. Again - while some people have really gotten into the baserunning controls and can easily take leads and run back and forth during run-downs, the controls (the right and left triggers) are again ''clunky'' - and it is tough to execute snap decisions to run back and forth between bases.
Fun Factor - 9.5/10
To me, one of the greatest features of Home Run King are the intangibles it brings to the table to make it a fun and enjoyable game to play. In terms of presentation, the game moves at a quick pace, while still showing numerous animations and cut scenes (somewhere in between the slower ASB and the faster ''bare bones'' High Heat). It is one of those games that rewards you for a big hit - with a loud and satisfying crack of the bat and accompanying rumble. Hitting a home run is really enjoyable in the game - because unlike games like Triple Play where every home run automatically triggers a cut scene the instant it leaves the bat, home runs are treated like regular hits in the game - which adds drama to the game. And, in special cases - there are cut scenes after the home run - based on which stadium you are playing in.
And, since the batter-pitcher interface is so well done - hitting and pitching basically become games in themselves - as you find yourself setting-up and guessing pitch sequences and locations with each at-bat. Most of the games I have had produce between 8-12 runs per game (7-3, 6-2, 8-4, etc.) with occasional lower and higher scores. Thus, there is a great deal of realistic action in the game - but it is by no means ''arcadey'' at the higher levels of difficulty.
In terms of fun, the realistic representations of the players and the stadiums really make the game a joy to play. Sega has gone to great lengths to model player faces as accurately as possible - which has produced some of the most realistic looking players I have ever seen in a baseball game. Beyond their looks, Sega has also done a great job realistically capturing the batting stances and pitching deliveries of several of the game's top players. They have gone to great lengths with the stances - to the point where they show several of the hitters full pre-swing routines, like Shinjo, Mo Vaughn and Nomar's cool pre-stance shuffle with his feet. The only strange thing about the player animations is that, for some strange reason, the players' knee joints look rather inhuman if you look closely at the pitchers and batters. Also - there are occasionally some strange fielding animations that don't affect gameplay - but just do not seem very natural looking (i.e. the occasional bizarre running catch on a routine fly and this one strange animation where the fielder catches a tough throw and touches the bag while running at full speed).
The ball parks have also received a tremendous amount of attention, in that not only are all 30 MLB ball parks in the game - but - Sega has gone to great lengths to model the outside facades and surroundings of several of the more distinctive ball parks. In addition to working waterfalls in Kaufmann, you have a realistic looking Bay in Pacific Bell, a wonderful recreation of the Allegheny river and the beautiful 6th Street Bridge outside of PNC Park, and a great recreation of the street and houses behind the outfield in Wrigley Field (among many others). And, there is just something about the way this game recreates Fenway Park at night - that makes it an absolute joy to play an exhibition game at night against the Yankees - Pedro versus Clemens. These visuals really come into play on deep fly balls - which the in-game camera captures beautifully (note: this is one of my main frustrations with ASB - it has beautiful stadiums - but you hardly every see them during the game because of the camera). Beyond the beauty of the stadiums, there are special cut scenes at several of the stadiums that are only shown after big home runs. I won't spoil them for you here - but I can tell you that the Apple in Shea and McCovey Cove in Pac Bell are two of the many that are highlighted in these special extras.
Options/Extras - 6.5/10
In terms of the games options and extras in regard to its modes of play, it is fair to label HRK as a fairly ''spartan'' game. For instance, it pales in comparison to the modes of play and extras offered on All Star Baseball, in that it does not have create-a-team, franchise mode, or player cards. It does have a functional season mode, however, with the 2002 schedule firmly in place. While I have just started my season with the Pirates on All Star, season play has been enjoyable so far - and I was satisified with the realism of the stats on the two seasons that I simulated earlier.
Sega did a nice job with the home run derby in this game. Home run derby is fast moving, challenging, and - as I mentioned before, the camera does a great job capturing the ballparks on deep fly balls to the outfield. Thus, it is a lot of fun to take eight of the game's top power hitters to Wrigley Field - and try to hit balls out of left field onto the street, or - to take them to Pac Bell and shoot for McCovey Cove, or - to PNC Park - with the Allegheny River approximately 475 feet feet from home plate in right field (Berkman reached it in real life last year). There is also a cool little trophy presentation at the end of each home run derby - a nice little extra.
One of the most puzzling things about this game to me is its cumbersome interface. It is annoying at times to try and navigate through the menus, because the menu controls are very sensitive - making it tedious to move around. I am also very disappointed with how little information is available on the skills for each player in the game. I guess I have been spoiled by Madden and NCAA on the PS2, where you can literally look up everything about a player - and know every player's speed, strength and skill - in relation to every other player in the game. HRK is frustrating in this regard, in that you only get three or four lines showing a player's power, hitting, fielding, etc. I like to know exactly how good players are in relation to their opponents - especially when making substitutions. HRK does not offer much in this regard.
Finally - one last complaint - is that you cannot get access to a full box score - either during or after a game. To me, this is an inexcusable omission on Sega's part. It would be one thing if this was an absolute arcade game - with 50 or 60 homers a game - but - this game has a full season play. Not being able to check the box score really takes away from the joy of playing a season. Fortunately, in season play, the game does keep thorough stats in numerous categories and has a league leaders section that is very easy to navigate by category - to make up for the inability to check a box score.
Sound - 6/10
I can't say much about the sound in this game - except that it is at least a step up form the abysmal sound on WSB2K1 and WSB2K2 on the Dreamcast. The announcers are still pretty bland, but they are more animated than what was included in the past. The crowd looks absolutely lifeless (cardboard cutouts), but they do cheer - and there are a few sounds and the standard organ music. But - baseball games have still not evolved to the point where you get that feeling you get when you are sitting in a real major league ballpark - and the sound is reverberating throughout the whole ballpark - the echo of the PA announcer, the crack of the ball when it hits the catcher's glove - this ''reverberation'' has not been captured or represented yet in any game - certainly not in HRK.
OVERALL (Not an Average) 8.75/10
In sum, I give the game an 8.75 because, taking all of its strengths and weaknesses together, I just have the sense that it is a challenging and enjoyable enough game to play a full 162 game season. It is the kind of game that will be fun to break out again in October when the real MLB playoffs are going on - because you will be able to play a fun game of baseball, using players that look and play like their real life counterparts, in ball parks that show off their unique beauty.
Ultimately, I recommend that you rent the game first - just to see if you like - but - please give the game a chance (at least 10 games on All Star level or above - plus a few home run derby matches) before you make up your mind that it is not for you. This is the kind of game that ''grows on you'' once you see all that it has to offer.
Reviewer's Score: 9 / 10, Originally Posted on 4/19/2002
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Re: Home Run King
BTW I sold my game about 2 months after baseball season was over. 3 weeks ago I went to Best Buy and they had the game on sale for 9.99. So I had to buy it back, damn I missed it!Comment
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Re: Home Run King
BTW I sold my game about 2 months after baseball season was over. 3 weeks ago I went to Best Buy and they had the game on sale for 9.99. So I had to buy it back, damn I missed it!Comment
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Re: Home Run King
You could probably snag this baby for less than 20 on ebay. It's worth it IMO. And yes they nail a lot of the famous stances: Bonds, Ichiro, A-rod, Vaughn, Piazza, Griffey.......Comment
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Re: Home Run King
You could probably snag this baby for less than 20 on ebay. It's worth it IMO. And yes they nail a lot of the famous stances: Bonds, Ichiro, A-rod, Vaughn, Piazza, Griffey.......Comment
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Re: Home Run King
Home Run King was a real sleeper. The only real fault I had with it was the runners took off on ALL balls hit. That said, the solution was to merely hold the R and L shoulder buttons simultaneously and it would stop the runners until you could determine if a fly ball was going to drop/get through.
It has a 40 man create a player, is sparse in other areas. It's a port of WSB 2k1, but with some improvements. I enjoyed it a lot. Great fielding animations.Comment
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Re: Home Run King
Home Run King was a real sleeper. The only real fault I had with it was the runners took off on ALL balls hit. That said, the solution was to merely hold the R and L shoulder buttons simultaneously and it would stop the runners until you could determine if a fly ball was going to drop/get through.
It has a 40 man create a player, is sparse in other areas. It's a port of WSB 2k1, but with some improvements. I enjoyed it a lot. Great fielding animations.Comment
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Re: Home Run King
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
unlimited replay value
once you got past a few defensive quirks.....which were very minor
this game had so much ambiance....so much gusto.....
its worth $20 just for the homerun derby part of the game
i mean watching fans in boats go after a homer you just knocked into mcCovey cove....is PRICELESS
and the pither / batter duals were excellent
IMHO only high heat was a better baseball game last year....
but homerun king would keep calling me back long after i have had my fill of high heat
all in all at $20 or less it is an absolute STEAL
<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">
Hey Cinci- what's up, bro? Long time no see. I have a question for ya.
I fired up Home Run King yesterday again for the first time since last Spring. I knew that it was possible to hit bombs into McCovey Cove and watch the boats go after 'em, but I was never able to do it, and eventually got tired of trying.
After reading what you said, I must have spent over an hour in the HR derby to see if I could do it. Well, I must have hit about 10 "splash hits", but I didn't see the boat animation once. Now, I didn't hit any out there with Barry, so I don't know if that is the problem, but I did hit a bunch with Thome and Griffey, and each time the ball just sailed over the concrete walkway area and into the water but then just disappeared.
Is it possible to see the animation in the derby or do you have to do it in a game?Comment
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Re: Home Run King
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
unlimited replay value
once you got past a few defensive quirks.....which were very minor
this game had so much ambiance....so much gusto.....
its worth $20 just for the homerun derby part of the game
i mean watching fans in boats go after a homer you just knocked into mcCovey cove....is PRICELESS
and the pither / batter duals were excellent
IMHO only high heat was a better baseball game last year....
but homerun king would keep calling me back long after i have had my fill of high heat
all in all at $20 or less it is an absolute STEAL
<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">
Hey Cinci- what's up, bro? Long time no see. I have a question for ya.
I fired up Home Run King yesterday again for the first time since last Spring. I knew that it was possible to hit bombs into McCovey Cove and watch the boats go after 'em, but I was never able to do it, and eventually got tired of trying.
After reading what you said, I must have spent over an hour in the HR derby to see if I could do it. Well, I must have hit about 10 "splash hits", but I didn't see the boat animation once. Now, I didn't hit any out there with Barry, so I don't know if that is the problem, but I did hit a bunch with Thome and Griffey, and each time the ball just sailed over the concrete walkway area and into the water but then just disappeared.
Is it possible to see the animation in the derby or do you have to do it in a game?Comment
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Re: Home Run King
jim416 if you are right about holding R+L then you get a cookie! I played this game all last season and never once figured out that you could do that! In fact I was frustrated that you couldn't! Do you have to keep them held down? And do you press all the way (till the click) or just part of the way?
Going to try it now...
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Re: Home Run King
jim416 if you are right about holding R+L then you get a cookie! I played this game all last season and never once figured out that you could do that! In fact I was frustrated that you couldn't! Do you have to keep them held down? And do you press all the way (till the click) or just part of the way?
Going to try it now...
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Re: Home Run King
Excellent game...i really wish that Sega would have chose them to do WSB instead of VC last year...I think HRK was the better Sega game.Comment
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