The one thing I find the most fun about this game is the Homerun Derby. This is a lot of fun to play, although not all the heavy hitters are able to hit homeruns. I have never been able to get Mark McGwire to hit more than just a few homeruns in the contest, for example. Maybe it has to do with his batting stance; the computerized version of Big Mac has him in a full squat as compared to the real life Big Mac who just bends a little at the knees.

Another thing that is nice is that it's not complicated to play. You don't have to decide what angle you're going to swing, what bat speed, etc. Those looking for a challenge might be disappointed, but those looking to have fun with the game won't be.

About the only thing that sticks out in my mind are the player graphics, which I hate to gripe about because I usually don't care about such petty things. But for all the effort the creators took in making the faces of the players look real, the rest of the body of the players don't. Just one look at the hands waving the bat behind the shoulders should be example enough. Other than that, things are great. The stadiums are fully reconstructed and look fabulous. Add to that the play-by-play commentary by Tom Brenamen and the live atmosphere of feeling like you're in the actual ballpark, and you have a sharp-looking game.

As I said earlier, Microsoft Baseball 2001 is a pretty good effort. Let's hope the makers can keep improving the look of it with future Microsoft Baseball releases.


Awesome Game!   September 8, 2001
A 9-year old gamer (Rockville Centre, NY USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Microsoft Baseball 2001 is the best and coolest game I've ever played. I would highly recommend this game to anyone enjoys baseball. I play this game a lot and it has simple controls even my friend hit a homerun the first time he played. This is a great quality baseball game


The perfect game for the true baseball fan   July 29, 2001
Eric Gustafson (Midwest USA)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

If you're anything like me, which means you follow baseball obsessively, charting stats, second guessing the general manager, etc., then you want this game on your PC. The graphics are sub-par, but the game far exceeds the competition in the team-building function. You can build your team with free agent signings, trades and minor league call-ups, possibly landing in the World Series. You can also simulate games and entire seasons, testing your roster against the rest of the league.

Bottom line: If you're looking for the best graphics and the smoothest gameplay, check out another option. But, if you are more interested in the game behind the game, give Microsoft Baseball a spin.


Great Technology, slightly boring play.   July 11, 2001
cj the great (Woodinville, WA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

I found the Mogel Technology to be absolutely superb with AAA and franchise mode. The part of the game that made it lose its star is the fun factor. Sure, the first 162 games you play is fun, but after that, well, it gets boring. Therest of the game is great: graphics, sound effects, music, etc.

The mogel technology is great, featuring the farm team players that are generated each year. They generate their own stats in the minors, then they get different statistics each year. You can call them up at any time, and trade them to other teams. Other teams also offer trades to you, which can boost your teams statistics. The better your teams record, the higher your attendance is, and the higher your attendance is, the more revenue you get, getting more money to spend on players contracts or farm system improvements.

The franchise mode is also very cool, as each player improves or worsen over the years depending on how they did in the previous season and their age. They also retire after about 20 years of play or about 40 years old. This can last for 10 years, creating a completely new game.

The gameplay is very good, with graphics letting you identify every player. The sound effects are great, with crowd cheers and other things. I found that the commentary got a little repetative, but of course i played 173 games before i quit. I also tried simulating several franchises, which got very interesting. The music can get a little grating after a while too.

The thing that makes Baseball 2001 get a 4 star rating is the fun factor. It becomes very boring to play 173 games in a row, as it is not very fun. The players dont make fun taunts, no charging the mound, nothing that adds fun to this game. It is just plain baseball, without anything like fan interference or controversial plays. Microsoft should consider adding these things. There are also no injuries, so each player plays the whole season. The only thing close is that sometimes (not very often) players get fatigued from playing to many games.

Overall, this game deserves about a 4.5, but not a 5 and i can only give it a 4.