WSB is a solid effort. You can see the time the development team put into it, which I tip my hat to.
That said, the reason I've never spent a lot of time with a baseball game is that there are always those "game-killing" flaws that I just can't get around.
WSB has a few of those, I'm afraid.
What I like:
1. Graphics are really nice.
2. Cursor batting is challenging, yet not maddening.
3. Nice audio, active yet not overdone.
4. Baserunning is nice (other than below). The close plays at 1st are cool.
5. The swipe tags are cool.
Flaws that are no big deal:
1. I wish the catcher would catch the ball. From the behind pitcher view, he reaches the wrong way constantly.
2. The swings are loopy and unrealistic.
3. I'd like to see the stadiums more. Shots to the outfield should pan back more to show them off. The replays don't give you a chance to soak up the surroundings.
4. I've never liked the contact/power swing option.
5. While some HRs have drama to them, most are the instant-motion-picture variety where you know right off the bat. I like a game to pan to the wall, show the fielders running after it, then it clears the fence or doesn't. I like the drama.
6. How many outs occur with the 1st baseman four feet off the bag?
7. The ballparks do feel too small, particularly the infields.
8. While the ball physics are OK, it does have a frozen lake feel to the turf. The ball shoots through the outfield too quickly, even after bouncing a couple of times.
Potential game killers:
1. Rafael Palmeiro stole second base four times in a two game series against Benji Molina and the Angels. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
2. I'm striking out the CPU at an alarming rate. On All-Star, Chan Ho Park registered 18 against the Angels. I do this with any pitcher.
3. These guys must be hitting with 20-ounce bats. Rarely do I, or the computer reach the warning track. Almost everything seems to happen in the shallow outfield and in. And the pop-ups are little-league like.
4. The vaccuum catches. Several times, I've hit hard grounders that should make the outfield, only to have an infielder "suck" it in from clearly out of their natural reach. This is irritating.
All in all, a nice game, but I'm not likely to keep it. Those last three would keep me from logging in a season's worth of games.
I'll give it another go tonight to see if it grows on me more.
That said, the reason I've never spent a lot of time with a baseball game is that there are always those "game-killing" flaws that I just can't get around.
WSB has a few of those, I'm afraid.
What I like:
1. Graphics are really nice.
2. Cursor batting is challenging, yet not maddening.
3. Nice audio, active yet not overdone.
4. Baserunning is nice (other than below). The close plays at 1st are cool.
5. The swipe tags are cool.
Flaws that are no big deal:
1. I wish the catcher would catch the ball. From the behind pitcher view, he reaches the wrong way constantly.
2. The swings are loopy and unrealistic.
3. I'd like to see the stadiums more. Shots to the outfield should pan back more to show them off. The replays don't give you a chance to soak up the surroundings.
4. I've never liked the contact/power swing option.
5. While some HRs have drama to them, most are the instant-motion-picture variety where you know right off the bat. I like a game to pan to the wall, show the fielders running after it, then it clears the fence or doesn't. I like the drama.
6. How many outs occur with the 1st baseman four feet off the bag?
7. The ballparks do feel too small, particularly the infields.
8. While the ball physics are OK, it does have a frozen lake feel to the turf. The ball shoots through the outfield too quickly, even after bouncing a couple of times.
Potential game killers:
1. Rafael Palmeiro stole second base four times in a two game series against Benji Molina and the Angels. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
2. I'm striking out the CPU at an alarming rate. On All-Star, Chan Ho Park registered 18 against the Angels. I do this with any pitcher.
3. These guys must be hitting with 20-ounce bats. Rarely do I, or the computer reach the warning track. Almost everything seems to happen in the shallow outfield and in. And the pop-ups are little-league like.
4. The vaccuum catches. Several times, I've hit hard grounders that should make the outfield, only to have an infielder "suck" it in from clearly out of their natural reach. This is irritating.
All in all, a nice game, but I'm not likely to keep it. Those last three would keep me from logging in a season's worth of games.
I'll give it another go tonight to see if it grows on me more.
, Madden, Inside Drive, Nascar Heat, and NHL2K3. 
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