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High Heat 2004 (top), MVP Baseball 2003 (bottom)

High Heat 2004

MVP Baseball 2003

Prepare for a bat infestation. You know what I'm talking about, Mr. Sammy "Say It Ain't" Sosa. With his bat now uncorked, it opens the question of exactly how many players out there doctor their lumber for an undue advantage. If the major-leaguers were actually controlling their likenesses in EA Sports' MVP Baseball 2003, they'd all be reaching for the cork right about now. Because, as strong of a comeback as it is from last year's lackluster Triple Play 2002, the retooled MVP is way too easy on the pitchers.

EA has wisely done away with the distracting batting cursor, replacing it with a red, white, and blue checkerboard that signifies the batter's hot and cold zones. The problem is, the pitcher can see them, too. It's way too easy to exploit the batter's cold zones over and over again with surgical control.

There are safeguards against this sort of godhood on the mound. There is an oscillating meter that the user must manipulate with every pitch to allow for effectiveness and control. It's just that it's far too easy to get the hang of it and deliver that perfect pitch every time, even with pitchers not known for their control. The result? All-too common 18-inning snoozefests in which every pitcher throws like Cy Young.

EA should take a cue from 3DO's High Heat 2004, which improves on last year's model, already head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd. In High Heat, pitchers with control problems don't hit their spots too often. You get to find out just what it's like to be a pitcher like Texas' Colby Lewis, who has live stuff but sometimes has no clue where it's going. You get an appreciation for the Greg Madduxes of the world, finding out just what a weapon it is to consistently hit your spots.

High Heat has upped its arsenal of pitches, making for three different types of curve balls, sliders, and changeups, and six or seven different types of fastballs. Along with a very natural, comfortable ease of play, customization is High Heat's strong suit. Making custom players is quick, easy, and accurate, as is editing their attributes to better reflect their current ability levels. An awesome new feature is the umpires' appeal to first or third, which happens automatically on borderline check-swings. A completely new invention is the two-on-two challenge, in which a combo of any batter and pitcher takes on another pair in a one-inning matchup based on point values assigned to particular actions.

With such a complete, addictive, and enveloping competitor, the makers of MVP must have been disheartened at times. Still, MVP does deliver in its own right, its chief victory being the gauge for the fielders that controls how hard they throw. Brisk game play, easy-to-control base running, and an interesting split-screen home run derby are other features that make MVP a worthy competitor. Unfortunately, the pitchers look like they're all using Vaseline and emery boards out there. It'll drive ya batty!