The glory of baseball comes alive on the PlayStation console system thanks to 989 Sports and MLB 2005.

Ok, it’s easy to be the best on the console when you are the only one, but what 989 Sports has managed to do is create a baseball game that is fun to play and has solid graphical elements.

The only thing that almost slows the game down is the response time between controller and game. Not in the swing of the bat - that requires coordination and timing more than anything else, but rather in the other areas of the game, such as pitching controls.

The game is typically a PS game, with the same general graphical feel, though the engine used gives the animations a much smoother look. Batters, baserunners and fielders all are fluid and emulate the real deal.

The game interface itself is built for ease of use. Players can jump into this and go without a lot of fanfare.

There are several ways to play the game, whether you select the casual exhibition game, or all-star game, or invest the time in season or franchise modes. There is also a two-player season and in franchise mode you can work from a player pool, buying and selling players to build your team. The game also has a manager mode in which you make the decisions and the CPU plays out the game. There is a World Series and Spring Training. In the latter, you can create a prospect, and are challenged to earn points through play on the field to make the big league club.

There is also a home-run derby, which is a nice training tool to help you refine that swing.

When it comes to swinging the bat, the game has an advance batting cursor. You can guess the pitch location and pitch type and lock onto it. If you guess correctly, you get extra power in the swing. You don’t have to do this during the game, but can activate the process by holding down the L2 button. This freezes the game and allows you to make your picks. Yes, it does slow down the game, but it also builds the game challenge.

This title does a nice job of emulating its PS2 cousin in baserunning controls. You can hit-and-run, steal, advance individual runners. Fielding involves the customary cursor and throwing to a base is attached to the hotkeys for ease of play.

Vin Scully and Dave Campbell provide the play-by-play and color commentary and this is also well done.

MLB 2005 is a terrific baseball title for the PlayStation. It is option rich, has terrific gameplay elements and provides the thrills of the sport in a way that previous efforts have not. It really does not get much better than this when it comes to PS sports titles.
 

Gameplay: 8

There are a few response issues between the controller and on-screen targeting when it comes to the pitching, and those who are overly eager may find that pitch location is a challenge. The response time is slow and you must take your time to work through that.

Graphics: 8

A little blocky, like most PS sports titles, but the animation is smooth and quite well done for the title.

Sound: 8.3

Vin Scully and Dave Campbell do a solid job and there are the peripheral ballpark sounds that help bring this game to life.

Difficulty: Medium

Bumping up the challenge in hitting really increases the difficulty of the game, and this is a title that requires good recognition and reflexes.

Concept: 8.5

989 has amped up the game and it shows. It would have been easy to sit back knowing you have no competition, but this game has answered the call and is a solid performer.

Multiplayer: 8.5

The two-player season mode is a solid idea and playing head-to-head is still a lot of fun.

Overall: 8.4

Score this an extra-bases hit. 989 Sports has given baseball fans, which happen to be PlayStation owners, a reason to rejoice. It may be the only baseball title on the PS, but it is also a very good title.