5 games rate as homers

By Oscar Wells Gabriel II
Associated Press

This image from EA Sports' "MVP Baseball" video game features realistic action and sharp graphics. It's one of the strongest baseball-related titles on the market today.

"MVP Baseball" from EA Sports produces the gold standard of sports games. Next up is "MLB 2005" from 989 Sports, which makes titles for the Sony PlayStation 2. Sega's entry is "ESPN Baseball," and Acclaim's title is "All-Star Baseball 2005." For the younger set, there's Atari's "Backyard Baseball," which features more than a dozen Major League players as youngsters.

All these games have stunning graphics, smooth game play, a variety of skill levels and "franchise" modes for those who'd rather emulate the behind-the-scenes workings of a big-league ballclub. They faithfully reproduce big-league ballparks down to the smallest details. They're all rated "E" for everyone. And if you don't have an opponent at home, you can play online with all the games except "Backyard Baseball."

Each game is licensed both by Major League Baseball and the players' association, but Barry Bonds isn't in any of them. The San Francisco Giants slugger opted out of the deal that major leaguers sign with the players' union to have their names and likeness used. If you want Bonds, you'll have to concoct him from scratch from the "create a player" menus.

Speaking of creating players, "MLB 2005" users who also have Sony's Eye Toy can literally get their heads into the game. The Eye Toy can be used as a camera to capture your face and create yourself as a player. You then become a free agent, free to be inserted into the lineup of your choice.

The scouting reports:

"MVP Baseball" from EA Sports (for PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC and Nintendo GameCube): Although the graphics are not that sharp, this title is by far the strongest when it comes to overall game play. The basic skills like hitting, pitching and fielding flow naturally, so the game is easy to learn yet tough to master.

The game also has a "big-play control" that adds a nice touch. You use the right joystick to do things like climb a wall to rob a home run, execute a hook slide to avoid a tag, or plow through an opposing catcher to try to knock the ball loose at the plate.

The game also features a home-run derby. This year it adds a pitching competition, where you can face off two hurlers who battle to see who can get the most strikeouts while yielding the fewest hits. Those who like their ballplayers less well-paid and less spoiled can play with AAA or AA minor-league clubs.

"MLB 2005" by 989 Sports (for Sony PlayStation 2): This title is best at capturing different players' styles. The batting stances and pitching motions provide the most realistic imitation of actual big-leaguers. The trajectory of balls that are hit or thrown also seems most realistic. There is one quirk, though: When a ball is hit, there's a short gap between the time it strikes the bat and when it takes off. That can make it look like the ball is a grounder, when it's actually a fly ball.

The game makes it easy to track batted balls, with a large baseball showing up on the field where the ball is expected to come down. Vin Scully handles play-by-play chores, with Dave Campbell doing color.

"ESPN Baseball" by Sega (for Xbox and PlayStation 2): The graphics on this game are a cut above. Between the sharp rendition of players and stadiums and the ESPN-style look and music, an unsuspecting guest might think this game was real. Well-done features include an "effort" meter that lets a pitcher reach back for a little extra to get an important out. You can also cut back on your speed when facing a light-hitting batter, saving strength for the big boppers.

If your pitcher is getting hit hard, his "confidence" meter goes down, but when he mows down a couple of hitters in a row, his confidence soars and he continues on a roll. Hitters and fielders also perform better when their confidence levels are high.

This game has a new feature this year — first-person baseball. With this option, you can see the game through the eyes of any player on the field. Another option is The Duel: a game that pits two teams consisting of a pitcher and hitter. It's an interesting twist — but is rendered almost useless by the annoying, over-the-top wrestling-style commentary by Rex Hudler. Veteran announcers Jon Miller and Karl Ravish handle the basic announcing duties.

"All-Star Baseball 2005" (for PlayStation 2 and Xbox): The graphics are pretty sharp on this one, too. The title's biggest feature is what Acclaim calls its "FielderCam." It lets you see the game the way the players on the field do. For example, when a ball is hit, the scene shifts to the player nearest the ball. It's a feature some players will grow to love. But for most of us, it's a difficult reminder why most of us play baseball video games, not big-league baseball.

A feature called This Week in Baseball Challenge allows you to relive or revise historic moments from last season. For example, you can see what might have happened if that Cubs fan never messed with the catchable foul ball that could have put the Cubs in the World Series.

The game has other nice touches like a virtual tour of current major-league parks, plus some old ones, including the Polo Grounds in New York and the Houston Astrodome. For those who want a little Latin flavor, you can have the play-by-play in Spanish. The English commentary is handled by Thom Brenneman and Steve Lyons.

"Backyard Baseball" from Atari (for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameClub): This title features pint-sized versions of about a dozen of today's top players, along with members of the backyard gang made famous by the series from Humongous Entertainment. The title is easy to play — a plus for youngsters who aren't up to the complexity of grown-up games. And the different power-ups for both pitchers and hitters make the game interesting. For example, if you earn the "butter fingers" power-up, when you swing the bat, the opposing team gets spattered with butter, making it tough for them to field the ball.