High Heat Major League Baseball 2003 - PS2

As far as baseball is concerned, there hasn’t been much going on at the European end of the video games industry. In fact, 3DO is probably the only company to bring a recreation of the sport into UK homes. Building on their established b-ball simulation reputation, 3DO releases its latest update to the High Heat series, High Heat Major League Baseball 2003 for PlayStation 2.

For fans of the series, High Heat 2003’s most obvious improvement, at least on console, is the graphical quality. Previously released on PlayStation, this edition features superior graphics and level of detail, fluid character animation, blending techniques and smoother camera movements. Most of the visual improvements are subtle on their own, but when they are brought together, they make all the difference.

As a sports game sequel, High Heat 2003 features all the usual statistical updates. But it’s all the new game modes that give this update a great sense of realism and variety. These include Two-on-Two Showdown, Home Run Derby, Fantasy Draft, Stand Alone Playoffs and perhaps the most useful of them all, Practice Mode. While High Heat 2003 has been designed to appeal to a wide audience, there are several realistic sections of the game that require a little practice to get used to.

Gameplay remains essentially the same, and with so many nice touches and gameplay modes, superior AI and an extensive soundtrack, High Heat Major League Baseball 2003 is undoubtedly the most accomplished baseball title available, at least in Europe.
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