It's a shame that this will be EA's last liscensed hardball title for a while.
User Rating: 9.1 | MVP Baseball 2005 XBOX
MVP Baseball 2005 is quite possibly the best baseball title ever to grace any consoles. It's not perfect, but as close to perfect as any hardball sim before it. Not much has changed since last season's incredible offering, but there are minor additions that make this years version a much better title. Gameplay: EA has really pegged what pro baseball should feel like. The pitching interface is tweaked this year (from last years already stellar version) to make it a bit more difficult to hit your spots with every pitch. Batters now have the ability to move forward or back in the batters box. The hitting is better by the addition of the hitters eye, which enables you to read the pitches based on the color when the ball is released. Fielding is top-notch, and the players control realistically. Never before has a baseball game controlled this well, and it will be missed for years to come. Owner mode is the newest and largest addition, and allows you to create your teams stadium and set pricing, venues, etc. Online play is smooth addictive as well. There are two mini games added this year; a pitching game which plays out a bit like tetris where you try to hit groups of three or more same colored blocks, and a batting game where you try to place your hits for the maximum amount of points. All the gameplay additions this year are small, but add up to a pretty substantial offering when considering them as a whole. Graphics: Pretty much the same as last years title. High definition support is nice, player faces show improvement, and there are a few more animations that have been added to the already overwhelming number from last year. The created stadiums are nicely done, as are the retro jerseys, players, stadiums, etc. Sound: Dolby Digital is supported and sounds great. The announcers are generally entertaining and aren't boring, and the crowds and ambient noises are well done. The soundtrack is sparse, but includes pretty good tracks. Value: There is so much to do here, that you may possibly be playing this until the next EA Pro Baseball game. Well worth the value priced $29.99. Bottom Line: If you enjoy baseball, this is the best sim out there.
