High Heat Major League Baseball 2004

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: 3DO
  • Release Date: Feb 19, 2003
  • Also On: PC
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
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  1. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    100
    The key to Hight Heat 2004, and the reason it already ranks high on the list of my all-time favorite games, is that it's the best bargain in games. A full 162-game season will last you about 90 hours. [Apr 2003, p.94]
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  2. GamePro
    100
    Other baseball games might have a more unique feature or two, and several absolutely have better graphics, but only High Heat delivers such consistently riveting gameplay.
  3. Operation Sports
    93
    3DO made significant improvements to the graphics, Gameplay and menu presentation. Perhaps the biggest improvement was to the pitch types, especially the movement on the various types of fastballs. [Actual Score: 90 - 95]
  5. GMR Magazine
    90
    Still the best baseball sim there is. [Apr 2003, p.65]
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  6. GameSpy
    90
    Not flashy, but it more than gets the job done -- the Jim Thome of baseball games.
  7. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    90
    If you compare HH to the rest of this year's baseball crop, there's no contest:... High Heat triumphs by focusing squarely on gameplay. [Apr 2003, p.111]
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  8. Sports Gaming Network
    87
    The game play is top notch and the graphics got a great upgrade.
  9. GameZone
    85
    Although it hardly branches out into an altogether new baseball experience, this game is a real blast to play.
  10. IGN
    81
    Basically unchanged with a few recognizable additions and accuracies to a sport that only the passionate truly enjoys, this title's illustrious career isn't quite over.
  11. GameSpot
    81
    A sequel that warrants an upgrade for owners of last year's game and a second look from prospective players who were turned off by the series' formerly unyielding adherence to a simulation design.
  12. PSX Nation
    80
    Playing this is the closest videogames have come to perfectly re-enacting the mind duel between pitcher and batter.
  13. PSM Magazine
    70
    It's still the best game for hardcore simulation fans who don't care about visuals. [Apr 2003, p.38]
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  14. All Game Guide
    70
    A solid baseball game that grows on you the more you play it, thanks to the great computer AI and the deceptively simple batter-pitcher interface... Yet the new graphics, sound, and menu navigation are still not up to the level the PS2 is capable of.
  15. Game Informer
    70
    The bar of excellence has been raised to a staggering new height, and High Heat doesn't even come close to touching it. [Apr 2003, p.83]
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  16. Play Magazine
    70
    Unlike other companies that concentrate on visuals, High Heat puts its energies on the fundamentals that make a great baseball game. [Apr 2003, p.71]
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  17. G4 TV
    60
    These improvements to the graphic engine come at a price. The frame rate slows down whenever multiple players are running the bases, and it experiences noticeable hiccups during the batting sequences.
  18. Gaming Age
    58
    The animations are far from being fluid, and the PS2 version of High Heat suffers from some severe slow downs during gameplay.

Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best PS2 Game of 2003

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
  1. AndrewD.
    Jan 12, 2004
    8
    The only other baseball game that came out around the time of this, is Slugfest 2004, but that is more like Base Wars, the old NES game, it The only other baseball game that came out around the time of this, is Slugfest 2004, but that is more like Base Wars, the old NES game, it was fun with a friend, Slugfest that is, but alone, as in playing a season or franchise, High Heat is where it is at. I recently bought it because the price dropped, and I was impressed by the demo. I wanted to play as the 2003 roster of the Montreal Expos, and play in the Olympic Stadium! Keep in mind I really haven't played video game baseball since SNES, maybe even NES. Leaps and bound have been made since then. There is room for improvement, but being with all specialty pitches for each pitcher, and all you would expect from a baseball game including franchise, and create/customise players is in here. There are five levels of difficulty, starting with 'rookie' and working your way up to "Hall of Famer". As soon as I started blowing out opponents, I moved to the next setting. And with each game lasting around a half hour, a 162 game season will give the game tons of value, as one review said, even if never played again! It's a shame the High Heat name is no longer, hopefully the 2005 titles will be as good, if I eventually get one, since it will take a while to finish just one season in this game! Well worth it!… Full Review »
  2. DannyC.
    Jul 5, 2003
    10
    This game really sweet 2 play everone should try it!!
  3. AndrewC.
    Apr 19, 2003
    8
    A bit confusing at first, but its great once you get used to it.
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