Microsoft Baseball 2001

• Platform: IBM PC Compatible
• Release Date: April 03, 2000
• Genre: Sports
• Style: Baseball
• Similar Games: Triple Play 2000 (Nintendo 64), Triple Play 2000 (PlayStation), Microsoft Baseball 2000 (IBM PC Compatible), Triple Play 2000 (IBM PC Compatible), Sammy Sosa High Heat Baseball 2001 (IBM PC Compatible), Sammy Sosa High Heat Baseball 2001 (PlayStation)

Game Description

As Microsoft's first swing at satisfying both arcade and simulation baseball fans, Microsoft Baseball 2001 combines the celebrated graphics and arcade play for which Microsoft sports titles are recognized with the in-depth statistics engine of Baseball Mogul. So now in addition to controlling the action on the field, the game allows players to assume the role of general manager for the purpose of handling trades and free agents, as well as salaries and ticket prices.

Microsoft Baseball 2001 only features single-player play, but the options available are extensive. Finesse your swing in the Home Run Derby, practice your skills in the Exhibition Mode, and manage your teams and players over multiple seasons in Career Mode. If you've got nothing but SIM on the brain, you can simulate your way through games over days, weeks, months, and entire seasons.

While the approach to game depth has been overhauled, Microsoft Baseball 2001's graphics represent a continuation of what Microsoft has traditionally offered. Many players represent their real-life counterparts, as do most of the game's 35 stadiums. High polygon counts, motion-capture animations, true-to-life ball physics, and Diamondbacks announcer Thom Brennaman calling the action all make for a smooth on-field experience. The game also features full MLB and MLBPA licenses, so you'll have over 1200 major league players and all 30 teams at your disposal. Because putting all that detail up on your screen can be demanding, Microsoft Baseball 2001 requires a 3D graphics accelerator card.

Accordingly, the game's AI has been expanded to make not only your on-field opponents better decision-makers, but your off-field ones as well. The computer will weigh trades for balance and possibly reject them if they don't make sense. This adds to the challenge for players wanting to build their dynasties from scratch. Also, while Microsoft Baseball 2001 replaces Baseball Mogul's cash-based economic system with a points-based one, what you can do with those points is relatively similar to what you could do with them in Baseball Mogul. Invest in your farm team, set scouting budgets and always keep your eye on the bottom line. Your overall success will ultimately be based on how well you manage your budget, in addition to how well your team performs.

Roots & Influences

Baseball, itself and a long line of baseball games on every platform. More in line with the games that combined simulation features with arcade-quality action, such as Hardball 2 and High Heat Baseball 2000. Microsoft Baseball 2001 features the Baseball Mogul statistics engine, which means that in addition to the standard career-tracking stats, the game also features a controllable financial model.

Review: Overall

Microsoft Baseball 2001 has a lot of glitter. It has nicely detailed and fluid graphics, and its managerial options are impressively deep. Unfortunately, it's also riddled with bugs that make it annoying to play.

The game's strong point is undoubtedly its graphics. All the character models are well modeled, and have only the slightest hint of polygonal edginess to them. The big-name players have been modeled with even more care, and possess realistic facial texturing. Player motion sequences are, for the most part, remarkably fluid. Were it not for the rather plain crowd textures, you could even fool yourself into thinking that you're watching a real baseball game.

The music and sound effects are less impressive. Microsoft Baseball 2001's music is just plain dull, and serves for the most part just to keep the game from going silent. The play-by-play commentary is decent enough, though not particularly notable. If you set the game's resolution to high, you'll start to hear the sound and music stutter and skip quite frequently.

The game's single-player mode should have been better than it is. Microsoft Baseball 2001 offers some detailed management options, an extensive career mode, and a batting interface that looks simple but is actually deep. Yet a diverse variety of bugs basically ruin any fun you may get out of the game. You'll see a huge number of throwing errors, for instance, on both human and CPU-controlled teams.

It's not uncommon to see ten or more wild throws per game, which ruins the simulation aspect. Even more frustrating is when the baseball actually disappears as you're trying to field it. While wild throws are just annoying and can be played around, disappearing baseballs are another matter entirely. Other errors include batters that sometimes stand right on top of the plate, commentary that's just plain wrong, and base stealing attempts that register as being successful even when they're obviously late.

When you are playing, you feel like a beta tester instead of a consumer who just paid money in good faith for a finished product. And since you're not being paid to find the bugs, you won't be a happy beta tester. Microsoft Baseball 2001's multiplayer capabilities won't impress you either. The only way you can play against a friend is by having two people at the same PC, as there is no Internet support. This is disappointing.

Microsoft Baseball 2001 could have been a contender, and would probably have been a contender with a few more months of testing and polishing. But the harsh reality of the videogame sports business dictates that if you don't get your baseball game out in time, you might as well not get it out at all. Perhaps next year Microsoft can release a baseball title that combines a solid and bug-free engine with an enhanced version of the glitter that adorns this game.

Review: Enjoyment

The potentially enjoyable gameplay is ruined by an amazing number of bugs.

Review: Graphics

Great character models that move fluidly.

Review: Sound

Decent sound effects and commentary with bland music, but suffers stutter problems with the graphics resolution turned up.

Review: Replay Value

{*Microsoft Baseball 2001} has some pretty deep management options, plus a great career mode.

Review: Documentation

The game's manual is so brief that it can be called documentation or instructions only in the loosest sense of the words.

Production Credits

---

Copyright © 2012 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Game Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.

---