Games for Lunch: MLB Power Pros 2008

In a nutshell: Super cute happy fun baseball game time!
9/3/2008 7:49 PM | 0 Comments | Page 3 of 3

0:47 A perfect base hit to left after two strikes, over a diving third baseman. Almost an out because I can't remember which button moves guy from third home. ARGH! Then a pop fly for the third out. "At the end of the first inning, The Orioles: 2; The Orioles: 0." Heh.

0:48 "THE ORIOLES PUT THEIR LEAD OFF BATTER ON BASE," yells the announcer. He announces this like it's the second coming of Jesus or something. Take it easy, man!

0:49 Two infield flies activate the infield fly rule, as indicated on the screen in big letters. Hooray for rules!

0:50 Ooh, I'm too slow in my reaction and a grounder flies by my diving shortstop. No one to blame but myself for that one.

0:51 An awful pitch by me turns into a "passed ball," which lets the guy from third come home. Grumble. Luckily, the next guy strikes out to end the inning.

0:53 I hit a curving shot down the right field line, landing just fair. I stretch it into a double and try to get my guy from first home. He's out by a mile. Oh well, at least I tried.

0:56 A routine double-play ball turns into a single since I'm too slow throwing to second. Grrr.

0:57 The game pauses briefly as Markakis looks injured after sliding into second. For a game that doesn't look very realistic, this is pretty realistic!

0:58 Ugh, a grounder gets by my third baseman, and my left fielder somehow totally misses picking it up! THREE runners score. THREE!

0:59 My wife asks why both teams are the Orioles. I explain that the opposing team is the "evil Orioles."

1:00 I finally manage to get a third out, but only after two more runs score. Damn you, evil Orioles!

Would I play this game for more than an hour? Yes.

Why? Generally good controls, a fast pace, and just the right amount of realism. Feels more like an old-school sports game than a modern simulation, which I like.

This column is based on a retail copy of the game rented from GameFly.

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