Triple Play

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Triple Play

Triple Play Baseball strikes out?

EA attempts to bring there long running and successful baseball franchise Triple Play Baseball to the Playstation 2. It's officially licensed by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, so included are all the Big League teams, players, and stadiums, even the newly built Miller Park in Milwaukee and PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Three-time National League Manager of the Year Dusty Baker provided design input, resulting in a somewhat authentic gaming experience.

Triple Play's biggest new features also seem to be there biggest hindrances. With the new cursor-based pitching and batting interface and no option for "old school" Triple Play controls, many fans of the series will feel left out. The cursor interface just doesn't play very well. The inability to mask your pitch location pretty much ruins the two-player game, robbing the pitcher/batter confrontation of any tension. The one-player game is much better, but even still, other shortcomings start to turn up.

The graphics are the major attraction in this game. The players look and move rather realistically. It's really easy to recognize the stars at a glance, though some of the everyday players aren't too close, but that's expected it's not like they can make over 600 players look exactly like their real life counterparts. The ballparks are nicely done, and the crowd animations look very realistic. However one thing that disappointed me in this game, and every other baseball game, is how in real life hitting a homerun to right field in San Francisco's ballpark usually ends up in McCovey Cove or a left field jack in Wrigley Field end's up bouncing down Waveland Ave., however in the game it`s just a regular homer, I would like to see special animations for each ball park I think it would help add to the realism. Also apparently every game is a sell-out, unlike in previous Triple Play games where if your team was in the midst of a losing season you could tell because the stands were only half full, small details, but it bugs me.

The sound on the game is also great with the crack of the bat, to fans heckling you (still don't understand why fans feel the need to heckle the home team at home games, kinda odd) and all around ball park sounds. Buck Martinez (now the coach of the Toronto Blue Jays) and Sean McDonough return for the play-by-play and color commentary. The commentary is usually right on with what's going on with the game, and is great even if at times it does get a little repetitive.

The basic controls work real well. The pitcher interface allows greater control of speed and placement, and correctly the pitcher loses control as he tires. The batter interface allows more control of hitting placement. However like I said earlier the cursor system basically tells exactly were you are going to throw the pitch so it makes it impossible to play a two player game without scores reaching the 20's. Fielding is tough when fly balls are hit even a little ways away from your fielder it is impossible to get to. The fielding indicator which tells you where to go to catch the ball is unnecessarily big, and can sometimes be a distraction. Another thing that is a bit odd is that its just as easy to hit home runs with your worst hitter as it is to with Mark McGwire. Also the new "pressure sensitive" throwing and hitting is a little annoying when you get ready to fire a ball to your first basemen if you don't apply just the right pressure to the button your outfielder will gently toss it to him. Other staples that are missing from previous Triple Play game; no need warming up pitchers in the bullpen which again takes away from the realism, virtually no base runner control, you can't control the lead your base runners take in any manner and if you accidentally choose to steal (happens easily if you hit the wrong button), there is no cancel option. There are no multiple camera angles just one, which basically renders the instant replay option useless, what good is it if you can't control the angles? Where's the stat-tracking, baseball is a sport based on stats, yet there is only about 25 relevant stats and none of them aren't presented in-game, I'd like to see something like "Is batting .430 with 3 home runs over his last 10 games" like in a real telecast.

There are season, single game, and home run challenge modes. Their is no franchise mode like on Madden 2001 which is a shame. The home run challenge is rather pointless since hitting home runs is so easy on this game, during one 5 inning contest I hit 99 homers to Sammy Sosa's 19, and that was with me not trying for 3 innings!

Overall Triple Play is ok if your a fan of high scoring arcade type baseball games. However if your into realistic games, that give you the feel and excitement of real baseball then chances are this game will only frustrate you with how good it could have been.


	Steamer Trunk \| home stuff about me \| album reviews \| PS2 game reviews \| pictures \| web watch \| getting in touch NCAA Final Four 2002 \| Grand Theft Auto \| EA NHL 2002 \| Dave Mirra BMX \| Nascar Heat 2002 \| Crazy Taxi \| Madden 2002 \| NCAA Football 2002 \| Madden 2001 \| Triple Play \| Knockout Kings \| NBA Live 2001 \| ESPN Hockey Night \| NCAA Final Four Triple Play Triple Play Baseball strikes out? EA attempts to bring there long running and successful baseball franchise Triple Play Baseball to the Playstation 2. It's officially licensed by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, so included are all the Big League teams, players, and stadiums, even the newly built Miller Park in Milwaukee and PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Three-time National League Manager of the Year Dusty Baker provided design input, resulting in a somewhat authentic gaming experience. Triple Play's biggest new features also seem to be there biggest hindrances. With the new cursor-based pitching and batting interface and no option for "old school" Triple Play controls, many fans of the series will feel left out. The cursor interface just doesn't play very well. The inability to mask your pitch location pretty much ruins the two-player game, robbing the pitcher/batter confrontation of any tension. The one-player game is much better, but even still, other shortcomings start to turn up. The graphics are the major attraction in this game. The players look and move rather realistically. It's really easy to recognize the stars at a glance, though some of the everyday players aren't too close, but that's expected it's not like they can make over 600 players look exactly like their real life counterparts. The ballparks are nicely done, and the crowd animations look very realistic. However one thing that disappointed me in this game, and every other baseball game, is how in real life hitting a homerun to right field in San Francisco's ballpark usually ends up in McCovey Cove or a left field jack in Wrigley Field end's up bouncing down Waveland Ave., however in the game it`s just a regular homer, I would like to see special animations for each ball park I think it would help add to the realism. Also apparently every game is a sell-out, unlike in previous Triple Play games where if your team was in the midst of a losing season you could tell because the stands were only half full, small details, but it bugs me. The sound on the game is also great with the crack of the bat, to fans heckling you (still don't understand why fans feel the need to heckle the home team at home games, kinda odd) and all around ball park sounds. Buck Martinez (now the coach of the Toronto Blue Jays) and Sean McDonough return for the play-by-play and color commentary. The commentary is usually right on with what's going on with the game, and is great even if at times it does get a little repetitive. The basic controls work real well. The pitcher interface allows greater control of speed and placement, and correctly the pitcher loses control as he tires. The batter interface allows more control of hitting placement. However like I said earlier the cursor system basically tells exactly were you are going to throw the pitch so it makes it impossible to play a two player game without scores reaching the 20's. Fielding is tough when fly balls are hit even a little ways away from your fielder it is impossible to get to. The fielding indicator which tells you where to go to catch the ball is unnecessarily big, and can sometimes be a distraction. Another thing that is a bit odd is that its just as easy to hit home runs with your worst hitter as it is to with Mark McGwire. Also the new "pressure sensitive" throwing and hitting is a little annoying when you get ready to fire a ball to your first basemen if you don't apply just the right pressure to the button your outfielder will gently toss it to him. Other staples that are missing from previous Triple Play game; no need warming up pitchers in the bullpen which again takes away from the realism, virtually no base runner control, you can't control the lead your base runners take in any manner and if you accidentally choose to steal (happens easily if you hit the wrong button), there is no cancel option. There are no multiple camera angles just one, which basically renders the instant replay option useless, what good is it if you can't control the angles? Where's the stat-tracking, baseball is a sport based on stats, yet there is only about 25 relevant stats and none of them aren't presented in-game, I'd like to see something like "Is batting .430 with 3 home runs over his last 10 games" like in a real telecast. There are season, single game, and home run challenge modes. Their is no franchise mode like on Madden 2001 which is a shame. The home run challenge is rather pointless since hitting home runs is so easy on this game, during one 5 inning contest I hit 99 homers to Sammy Sosa's 19, and that was with me not trying for 3 innings! Overall Triple Play is ok if your a fan of high scoring arcade type baseball games. However if your into realistic games, that give you the feel and excitement of real baseball then chances are this game will only frustrate you with how good it could have been.