LADYDRAGON.COM - HardBall 6 2000 Edition

After two and a half years of waiting for HardBall 6, Accolade send us a new up-to-date version with this one. But it is not only that, the quality is also upgraded.

For those who played HardBall 5 or HardBall 6, you already know the game play. But for those for whom it is the first time, it will only takes you a few minutes to understand the controls and to discover all the plays you can make. There are a lot of new plays you can do since the last HardBall.

You can now make more special plays and your players can also dive in 8 different directions. Because baseball is a simple game, everybody can play easily that game because it is really realistic. You can steal bases, make all kind of pitches, do bunt and do some double play. If you want and if you have the equipment you can play up to 4 players by LAN connection. On the Internet, there is also a HardBall 6 league where players are competing against each other.

Unfortunately, sometimes the 3D graphics slow the frame-rate down.

HardBall 6

"What a save!"

HardBall 6

"All the stadiums of 1998 are there."

That makes it harder to hit the ball when a fraction of a second is important. But comparing to the previous HardBall 6, we don't see this problem when the bases are empty and if you've got the top quality computer you can certainly obtain a great response without delay. But we cannot do better with the 3D technology that exists.

Another little detail is the spectators. They are correct when you look at them from a long distance, but when you come near them they are absolutely ugly.

If you like baseball, this game is for you, the realism is perfect and you will appreciate all the plays you will make. The control is simple and the announcer is good. The 3D engine is better but it is still difficult to put all those players on the game at the same time all in 3D.

Finally, it is the number one in the baseball games and its up-to-date. Accolade got all the necessary licenses to use the names and the numbers of the players and even got the teams logos. All the modern stadiums are there, waiting for the players to use them.

Companies

Developer:
Mindspan
www.minspan.com

Publisher:
Accolade
www.accolade.com

Category
Baseball

NOTES

Interest : 85 %
Control: 85 %
Graphics : 90 %
Sounds/Music : 90 %
Originality : 80 %

TOTAL : 86 %

Requirements

Interface:
Windows 95/98

Processor:
100 MHz Pentium® or +

Memory:
16 MB RAM

Hard Drive:
20 MB

CD-ROM:
4X or +

Sound card:
compatible sound card Windows 95/98

J-F Dignard

Master J