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Overall, quite good

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: February 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

After being thoroughly impressed by HHB 2003, I decided to try this version. Overall, I think HHB 2004 is great. The developer did make a few big mistakes in porting this game from the console version, but the gameplay is better than before, at least on the field.

Gameplay: This is the best version of the game yet, at least on the diamond. The new graphics look wonderful: players appear more realistic and move in convincing ways and the stadiums are more alive with better textures and moving fans. There are now almost 30 pitches available. The computer opponent plays well and makes intelligent decisions for the most part. The batter-pitcher duels are as intense as ever, and the game just feels right when played with a gamepad.

There are, however, other noticeable changes made in the 2004 version, some of which are not good. For example, there are no mound visits allowed anymore, although two pitchers can now warm up in the bullpen simultaneously. You can't design your own custom league, although you can create/edit players and tweak a lot of different things. The biggest flaws in gameplay involve the off-the-field experience. There is no mouse support, which would not be a bad thing if the menus were better organized. Instead, you will spend much of your initial time with the game trying to figure out how to access certain options and information. It's needlessly frustrating since the developer has already demonstrated with the 2003 version that they could do good menus with clean interfaces (along with mouse support). These flaws are not deal-breakers, since this version of the game still has about all of the options and information as earlier versions. However, for those who are really into the statistical and managerial sides of the game, it's going to be rough going until you figure out how to access certain screens.

Graphics: The game looks great. It's a huge leap forward visually. The stadiums seem massive and most have an actual video screen on a billboard which televises all of the action. The players move in more realistic ways, and they resemble their real-life counterparts more. The fans are no longer colored blotches on a flat surface, but instead look like people and can move (although they are two dimensional). If this version of the game had not received such a thorough facelift, I could not recommend it to anyone who has the 2003 version. However, the graphics update alone almost makes it worth the cost.

Sound: The game's audio is nice. The same play-by-play announcers are back with most of the same lines, but there is none of the annoying audio stutter from the 2003 version. There are a few new music tracks as well. All of the ballpark sounds fit perfectly.

Replayability/Technical issues: Being a sports game, HHB 2004 has huge replay value. There are several modes of play, such as exhibitions, franchise, and homerun derby, but no multiplayer. There are a number of mods posted on internet sites such as http://files.simcentral.net/index/ that allow for some nice customization of the gameplay and visuals. Technically, the game has been very stable on my machine, and I haven't noticed any outright bugs.

In sum, if you are a baseball fan, I highly recommend this game. If you already have the 2003 version and graphics don't matter to you, then I would not rush out to get this one. However, if you don't have the 2003 game, definitely take a look at this one.

Console Port

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: March 23, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Have bought every installment of High Heat, and have loved it. This version is simply terrible. If I wanted a console port, I would not buy a pc version. The lack of mouse support made the totally unintuitive menues even more difficult. Two out of the 3 games I played crashed and one was the only fun game, that was in extra innings. The player graphics look like arcade models and really do not look realistic. Some of the player animations are entertaining.
For some reason, the game would not take the pitching imputs from my sidewinder, often requiring more than five attempts (yes my sidewinder was calibrated and works fine with other games). This interrupt the game play and is very frustrating. This has happened in past HH versions, but seems worse in this one.
I felt angry and insulted that I was given a console game in the guise of a pc game. I am sad that they have ruined an outstanding franchise, again.

Trying not to be harsh....butttt.....

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: December 26, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Well here it is the Newest version of the High Heat series 2004. If I say I liked it better than the previous year I would be lying. I don't mind that the mouse isn't included...but everything has changed and it can be a maze to someone without a gamepad. The graphics are alright...but I think the movement is much more limited. In short...the 2003 edition is cheaper and much more efficient because the game setup is much less tedious. I recommend the 2004 edition if you are used to playing playstation 2 games and a gamepad is a must have! Alrighty I hope this is helpful..I am sorry to the High Heat folks but I believe the 2003 edition is much better.

Not The Best I Have Seen

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: July 30, 2003
Author: Amazon User

When I tried High Heat Baseball 2004, it did not have very good stuff. The faces were unrealistic, commentary was bad, and the picture quality was bad. When I tried it with Windows XP, it was perfect. Faces were real, commentary was good, and picture quality was good. The bad things are that is there is no mouse support, no multiplayer mode, and if you accidentally go back to the team select screen after you set the roster or if you decide to play with the same two teams again, the rosters don't get saved. You do have more than 11 different game modes to choose from. I don't recommend this game for Windows 98 users. It's best used with Windows XP.

do NOT get rid of the 2003 version!!!!!!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: June 24, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is the most disappointing game that I've ever played! I have bought this game since 2000, always refering it to the best baseball simulation game out there. But, now I will refer to it as the worst baseball game ever! They have completely changed the game from how it was! For starters you can NOT and I will repeat NOT able to use a mouse to navagate throughout the game instead you use the arrow keys along with the ins,del,home,pg up/dn,end, and esc keys. After playing for 30 sec the only key you will want to hit is the delete key to deinstall it from your computer! I graphics are horrid for it being a 2004 game! Drafting takes hours! Navigation and gme play makes you want to scream and in the end you just want to use the disc as a fisbee in the time that your not playing the 2003 version! Please dont buy this game, I wouldnt ask my worst enemy to even touch the game! Keep your 2003 version, or buy it instead. This is the worst game ever! Watching my dog drool is more entertaining. If I could I would give it a negative rating. I'm sure other feel the same way I do about this sad sad game. If I had my way I would recall every 2004 version of this game and then have a frisbee contest with them. Do NOT buy this game!!! If your looking to buy a baseball game buy the 2003 version of this game, you will NOT regret buying that version, trust me. Just one more time all say it and then I'll be done...
DO NOT BUY HIGH HEAT 2004, I highlight 2004, "4", "4". Thank you for allowing me to vent my frustration from this game. Have a nice day!!!

Absolutely terrible

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: November 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I had heard nothing but great things about the High Heat series and though I read that the interface was poor, I thought it wouldn't matter since I had never played before. Well, I was wrong. I played probably 4 games and gave up. This game is absolutely terrible and if 3DO doesn't fix things for next year, they're going to be in a mess of trouble. This is just sad.

One pitch? Simulation? Manage Only? BOO!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: March 19, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The game is gorgeous BUT.....
1) No Manage Only. I love to do other things while playing manage only. If I wanted a arcade game I would buy this for my PS2.
2) No One Pitch? Another depressing part of the game. Getting 3 or four games in while doing bills was great.

The end result: I will not play this game because it is not the simulation and recreation I had hoped for. C'mon 3DO help us stats and manage only types out!!

So So

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: January 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I loved HH 2003. I played it for hours. I wanted new rosters, so I purchased HH 2004. Immediately, the gameplay felt awkward. I tried playing a few more games, but the entire game seemed so awkward compared to HH 2003. I guess the graphics look a little better in 2004, for example there seems to be more transparency etc... If you like HH baseball, and you don't care about the rosters, keep using HH 2003.

Don't buy it.

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: March 30, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Yeah, High Heat Baseball used to be good. And if you are like me, you might be thinking that it's worth bying, despite the bad reviews. It's not. Don't buy it. The reviews are bad for a reason. The game plays like PS2 game, with no mouse support. The user interface is totally confusing. It's just a console game for the PC, which takes away the things I liked most about the old versions. Don't buy this.

What went wrong..?

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: April 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Like most of the other reviewers, I have looked forward to the early-Spring releases of what HAD BEEN my favorite baseball sim/game, the ol' reliable High Heat Baseball. I'm not sure what 3DO was thinking, or even if they were, but this game is simply unacceptable on many counts. The lack of mouse support, as everyone has noted, stinks. The game is no longer smooth (in fact, I think that they have become steadily worse since the last Sammy Sosa edition in 2001). The reduction in mode-of-play options was not met with favor; simply put, this is the worst baseball game I have played on a computer. I have long had distaste for EA Sports baseball games, but I can't help but think that even EA would not release such an unpolished and dated game. Once you get past the decent visual stadium graphics, there is no gameplay value. I am sadly disappointed.

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