Triple Play Baseball Hands-On

So far, no one has been able to eclipse the performance that EA has squeezed out of the PlayStation 2. Two of EA's previous PS2 games, Madden and SSX, are some of the finest examples of what the Emotion Engine is capable of. With this in mind, Triple Play Baseball has a great deal to live up to. One look at a screenshot from the game is all it takes to put those fears to rest, but as with any sports game, the quality and depth of the gameplay are the keys to true greatness.

Triple Play Baseball is stacked with gameplay modes and options. You can play seasons set at the regulation 162 games or cut it down to 60, 30, or 15 games. Trading, drafting, and creating players are all possible, and every conceivable stat is tracked. If you don't feel like persevering through an entire season, you can head straight for the playoff mode and go on a quest for the pennant. The prerequisite exhibition mode is present for head-to-head competition between up to two players, and options like game length and difficulty may be adjusted to your liking. EA has secured the license for the Big League Challenge, which amounts to nothing more than a home run derby between 15 of the biggest hitters in the league. It can be surprisingly fun when facing off against a friend. The only glaring omission is the lack of a franchise mode.

Unlike other EA Sports games on the PlayStation 2, Triple Play adds a bevy of new gameplay options to the mix. When players are near the ball, they become "urgent" and have ramped-up characteristics. The Dual Shock 2's analog buttons are finally put to good use. The harder you press the button, the harder the throw. This holds true for pitching as well. Fielders also throw to the appropriate base with the press of a single button, though the option to manually choose the base yourself is present as well. The most important aspects of any baseball game are the pitcher and batter interfaces. They lay the foundation for the majority of the gameplay, and without solid execution, they can lay waste to the rest of the game. The pitcher and batter interfaces in Triple Play are excellent. The batter's cursor is sized according to batting average, so a slugger like Ken Griffey Jr. has an enormous cursor, while the cursor used while a pitcher is batting barely spans the diameter of the baseball. To hit, you must line up your cursor with the pitcher's cursor and time the swing. While in the batter's box, you may adjust your hitter's stance to pull the ball or send it to the opposite field and adjust how close you are to the plate.

In the field it can be tough. You can turn on fielding assistance, but it only aids in getting an initial jump on the ball. The camera angles switch so quickly from the batting angle to the fielding view that sharply hit ground balls must be handled on instinct alone. You may dive for a ball, but more often than not, the ball will scoot underneath your fielder. If the opposition drives one to the wall, holding the analog stick toward it will make your player scale the wall and attempt to make the catch. When coming home, pressing the X button allows your player to plow into the catcher in an attempt to dislodge the ball. Pitching is fairly simple. Each pitcher has a list of throws that mirrors his real-life abilities. You begin by choosing a pitch, and then you may either attempt to pick off a runner on base or move the pitching cursor to place the ball exactly where you want it. The pitch speed is determined by how hard you press the analog button, and once in the air, the ball's path may be slightly altered with the analog stick.

Graphically, there isn't a better looking baseball game on any console. Each player is modeled according to his real-life dimensions, and there are realistic facial texture maps for some of Major League Baseball's biggest stars such as Barry Bonds and Derek Jeter. There are no abrupt angles, and the batting helmets feature a perfect curve with no jagged edges. Each player has individually modeled fingers, and the uniform textures are some of the best yet seen. After a big play, cutscenes are triggered that show players celebrating or the catcher trying to calm the pitcher down. Real-time lighting allows shadows to be cast on the field in the exact form of the top of the stadiums, and reflection routines allow the surroundings to be reflected in the shiny batting helmets. Realistic particle effects are used to show dirt being kicked up by slides or diving fielders. All 30 MLB stadiums have been rendered with care, and the new ballparks in Pittsburgh and Milwaukee have been meticulously designed from their respective blueprints.

Sean McDonough handles the play-by-play and Buck Martinez provides the color commentary. The phrases are repeated fairly often, but they do a good job of keeping up with the action. During season play, the announcers will mention your player's previous performances, which is a nice touch. The ambient stadium sounds are excellent, as you can hear single voices speaking in the stands and the hot dog vendor trying to drum up some business when the action lulls. The music chosen for the game seems somewhat out of place, however. Chuck D from Public Enemy provides a laughable track where he raps about no-hitters, while some of the other cuts twang along with country-style riffs.

Based on the version of Triple Play Baseball we received, the game is shaping up to be the most impressive and accurate interpretation of America's favorite pastime ever seen on a video game console. The graphics are stunning, the gameplay is deep, and the presentation is top-notch. The only major complaints are the lack of a franchise mode and the fact that the computer rarely strikes out, even on the lowest difficulty setting. Computer AI is usually one of the last elements of a game to be finely tuned, though, and EA has plenty of time to do it before the game's release date in mid-March. Look for more on Triple Play Baseball, including our full review, coming soon.