So anyway, as I have a fair grasp of the lovely, overcomplicated and statistic-heavy game of rounders that is baseball, here we go: For a start, this is a series that has some pedigree, and with its MLB (Major League Baseball, duh) licence has ALL the names and teams you could possibly want, including classic superstars and player line-ups that everyone's heard of, even if they live in Wales (like Babe Ruth). Typically for a U.S. sports game, ASB2004 has options coming out of its ears, from game modes; Quickplay, MLB play, bonus play modes (pick-up game, scenario mode, trivia, batting practice, home run derby), to roster management, stadium tours, various multimedia, like interviews (including genuinely interesting ones with Cal Ripken and Buck O'Neill) and a humorous credits video. You even get extras like the bubblegum type player cards that you can buy with points earned during play.

   

Like everything else in the game, the control method and difficulty setting can be fiddled with to a ridiculous degree, but the default settings are fine (if a little hard for the Baseball rookie). The batting control method gives you more control than most games, and similarly the pitching and fielding controls allow for accurate pitching and some excellent double plays (throwing out two runners) and suchlike. The game allows for most of Baseball's nuances and more unusual tactics - it even seems to demand them at times, which is where I see it alienating the casual gamer, and failing to attract the 'newbie'.

The graphics are solid but unremarkable, with well-animated players (some of whom really resemble the real life player) that have fingers that flex on the bat, pitchers that look po'ed when they walk a batter, and batters that look furious when they strike out. The players are agile and respond well once the ball has been hit, whether it be fielding (you can even make them dive for the ball) or running the bases (you advance them with L1 or make them return with R1). A replay mode always allows you to see the best bits of action over again. The sounds - including a brilliant commentary are all atmosphere-inducing and authentic sounding, and the whole game is presented like a telecast.

   

As I mentioned before, I see the sheer amount of options and the difficulty (even on 'rookie' and with simple batting) putting the casual player off, and even with ASB2003's handy optional on-screen tips the game is likely to remain unfathomably American to some - But stick with it and learn the finer points (there's a lot of it on British TV at the mo) and Baseball is a truly great game.

We found that ASB2003 really comes into its own when 2 (or more) players compete - the panicky errors in pitching, running and fielding that only a human opponent would make bring the game to life, and made it much more fun.