Super Mega Baseball 2 is the latest from Metalhead Software and the sequel to the original Super Mega Baseball has launched and is included in May’s Games With Gold lineup on the Microsoft Xbox One while also being available for purchase on PC through Steam and Sony’s PlayStation 4. Being one of the few baseball games on the Xbox and PC and going up against yearly juggernaut MLB: The Show on PS4, is SMB2 worth the purchase?
Metalhead Software has a bit of an enigma on their hands with Super Mega Baseball 2. On one hand, the games title screams arcade gameplay. You expect to see curveballs with 20 feet of break and 120 mph fastballs however what you actually get is much more grounded in reality. Fielders animate smoothly, transition from fielding to throwing with a realism that is second only to MLB: The Show and take proper and logical paths towards the ball while tracking. Gameplay in Super Mega Baseball leans much more towards a realistic slant than it does arcade gameplay and for that it is all the better. Working pitch counts and noting tendencies is a must against the CPU in higher difficulty settings and while you are not able to influence either flyballs or grounders there is still a bit of strategy at play during each at bat. That is not to say there is not some issues with the gameplay overall. While aspects such as fielding and hitting feel generally great and are neither too easy nor too challenging I have some qualms with how pitching is represented.
As mentioned previously, Super Mega Baseball 2 leans more towards realistic as opposed to arcade gameplay. I question the decision to leave out more simulation aspects of the game that would be useful when pitching. For instance, each pitcher has the typical assortment of pitches however each pitch does not seem to have a statistic attached to them. None of the pitchers available pitches have statistics attached to them individually. Fastballs, Curveballs, Changups, etc… all of a pitchers available pitches are based off of the pitchers overall statistics measured in velocity and junk (break). This is my biggest complaint about an overall wonderful game. Unfortunately the game is littered with these little design decisions that I do not understand. Batters are able to call timeout but a pitcher cannot step off the mount. You can steal but you cannot attempt to pickoff a runner nor can you throw a pitchout and it is the little details that really stand out when considering the overall quality of the game.
Graphically, Super Mega Baseball 2 is a treat. Running at a rock solid frame rate with zero frame pacing issues the developers have created a game that no only runs flawlessly, but has a very pleasing art aesthetic as well. Characterised as cartoony, colors pop and there is a great contrast between the players, the field, and the crowds. Player models also look great. With many different options to tweak and adjust players, you can create easily distinguishable, one of a kind players to enjoy.
On a technical level, the game is not all that impressive but it doesn’t have to be. The art style works perfectly with the overall feel of the game and will be inviting to those playing and those watching. The most important factor in a fast twitch game like baseball is consistent performance and Super Mega Baseball 2 delivers that in spades.
Online play is well done if not a bit barebones. There is Pennant Race which is essentially a season mode each of which is five days long. Each online game plays like a standard game would be played outside of each game being truncated from nine innings to five innings with there being a 10 run mercy rule in effect. Latency was not a problem for me and as of writing, there does not seem to be any game breaking issues with online. With the ongoing problems with Sony’s MLB: The Show it is nice to be able to play a baseball game online without wanting to punt your controller.
Overall, Metalhead has crafted a safe, but enjoyable sequel and I wholly recommend Xbox One and PC owners pick this up if you are craving a baseball game. On the PS4 the recommendation is still there however with The Show being available the recommendation is more cautious. If you enjoy playing online or co-op then Super Mega Baseball 2 is the better choice but for single player I would still lean towards Sony’s juggernaut.
Gameplay 87/100
Graphics 95/100
Sound 75/100
Overall 90/100
GamersUnited 