by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze Video Game Editor

From the outset, the arcade qualities of MLB Slugfest: Loaded set it apart from the ever-expanding library of baseball games that are coming out these days. Although Major League Baseball seems to be dying a slow death up here in Canada (the Expos set to move, Jays attendance at record lows), games like this are a nice change from all the standard stuff out there.

The controls are simple, the interface is straightforward and the gameplay is fun and imaginative. Moving further and further away from the simulation of all the other games, MLB Slugfest: Loaded has some hilarious rules that make the game funny and interesting. The “Hard Tag” essentially allows you to punch a baserunner in the stomach as a way of tagging him. The baserunner, however, can counter this by stiff-arming his opponent or doing a rough slide into the base. There’s a turbo meter for just about everything, including pitching, baserunning, batting and fielding. Pitchers get special pitches that can only be used once per inning, depending on where your turbo level is, of course. And in true Midway style, you can also get “on fire.” The classic phrase that was a cornerstone of the NBA JAM franchise, makes its mark here too.

There is no Season mode, but there is a Franchise mode, which lets you do all the basics of running a team, like managing rosters, payrolls, etc. It’s not very deep, but for a game like this, it seems more than adequate. You can also turn off all the crazy parts of the game, and enter “MLB mode”, which is basically an attempt to create a more sim-like baseball experience.

Ultimately, MLB Slugfest: Loaded holds its strengths in its over-the-top arcade portrayal of America’s favourite pastime. Although little has changed in the graphics and sound, having online gameplay through Xbox Live, and a Franchise mode are welcome additions to this rising franchise.

Publisher:
Midway

Platform:
Xbox

Rating: 9/10