Visuals have not taken the turn for the better, as they remain virtually the same as last season. Is this a bad thing, well…yes and no. The player models and stadiums are well done. The colors are bright without being too cartoonish. The players themselves look good and have most of the star’s batting stances. Two things that hurt the overall player’s look are the swinging animations (still the uppercut swing style) and the faces. Some faces look really good, but others look as if a 10 year old plastered them on with Microsoft paint. They just don’t fit right and you have eyebrows well below the cap line. It’s almost comical when you see these player faces. Otherwise the game does look very nice and does support 720p on the Xbox and it looks great in that mode too. What do look outstanding are the stadiums, with each looking very accurate and represent hometown pride for your favorite team. Also the stadiums are now huge and feel more like the cathedrals that they are in real life. Even little nuances are here for HR celebrations, as most of the biggies are here and follow some great HR cut scenes. Presentation is pure ESPN and will make you feel as if you are watching Sunday Night Baseball. While I wish more cut scenes where added, like in the Basketball and Football games, the new curtain calls and emotional cut scenes are a nice touch to the presentation. Throw in some new fielding animations and ESPN looks rather swell. I just wish that uniforms would get dirty…what’s up with that? ESPN looks very nice in the end, but really doesn’t take much of a leap over last year’s offering.

Audio is also top notch. The ESPN style is evident here, with the licensed music, and commentary from Jon Miller and Karl Ravech. The play by play is very informative, but accuracy is a little late when quick plays happen. Crowds are back and livelier than ever. While not as solid and interactive as MVP’s crowds, they are easily 2nd best. You will hear the correct amount of cheers and jeers and at the appropriate moments. Hecklers and vendors can also be heard for that “at the ball park” feels. No real complaints here in the audio department, just add custom soundtracks next year, along with even more interactivity in the crowds (including silent crowds in blowouts and low attendance) and you’ll be back on top.

ESPN is arguably the best playing baseball game on the market. All the key elements are here, including broken bats, dropped third strikes, wild pitches, emotion that effects stamina and accuracy, and so much more that it would take a full review to list them all. Hitting is now, thankfully, Zone hitting and like MLB the Zone hitting is accurate and responsive (unlike ASB). The formula returns with a button for contact and one for power, but there is a classic mode for one-button swings, which randomly determines the power of the swing. Next year, let’s stick to classic, but add pressure sensitivity. Pitching returns in its basic form from last season with an added meter for effort. This will result in the performance of a pitch and the placement of the pitch as well. This makes for some great accuracy and judgment calls and thankfully the possibilities for walking opponents. The A.I. is the best in the business. Play on any skill level above Pro and prepare to be challenged. The A.I. is so good that it will force you to be patient at the plate, throw the more than occasion ball, and time your steals appropriately. Also, ESPN is the only game that will steal on you for every opportunity it feels you are giving the game. If you aren’t watching that runner, expect a steal and often. There is just so much to the play mechanics of ESPN baseball that it’s hard for any fan of the diamond not to love it. Sure it’s still not perfect, as you will still see the occasional glitches and blunders, but not as often as you may see in other games.

ESPN has some great new modes this season. A new First Person Mode (like football, only it doesn’t work), online mode, and a GM mode take shape as a possible great future mode. Like MLB and MVP, the GM mode has you concentrating on team harmony. Keep your players happy, or they want out. Maintain your dollars, or you’ll lose your franchise players and maybe your job. This career mode is very deep and worth the price of admission alone. The First Person gimmick should really be dropped. It was a cool idea that the ESPN football title first introduced, but it was luke-warmed received, and honestly, do you know anyone who played a franchise in that mode? It’s a novelty like the air hockey extra, nothing more. As for First Person Baseball, it’s ghastly, unplayable, and should be nixed next year. Last we have an online mode, and like ASB on the Xbox, the lag was somewhat hurtful. Knowing Sega, this will be fixed for sure, just how long is the real question. ESPN on the PS2 should offer tournaments as did the Football, but we’ll have to wait until the release to know for sure. Back again, you have legends, exhibition, and a HR derby, so there is no real lack of game play modes. Finding a mode that makes you happy won’t be an issue, finding time to play a virtually unlimited career might be a problem. No matter, it’s a good time to be had with plenty of ways to play.

ESPN baseball is a very, very good game. The only real issue I have with the game overall is that it feels too much like last year’s title. For some that may be a good thing. I just don’t believe the term; if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I believe if it ain’t broke, you can still improve on it. While some strides were made on improvements such as the confidence meter, online, and GM mode, it seems more effort could have been met if the developers would just drop the whole FP mode all together. Real fans just don’t care about it. Sorry. On the whole, it’s one of the best games on the market bar none.