Review: Hardball 6

This year, just like every year, various computer software companies have prepared a gaggle of baseball computer games for the mass consumption of the most die-hard sports gamers.

Accolade, one of the older of the entertainment companies, has severed up the latest in its infamous "Hardball" series, the first of which I remember playing on my Atari 800 about 10 years ago. The latest in the series, #6, adds various new features, including real 3D players and stadium, without losing the trademark Hardball gameplay that has made the series the pre-eminent PC baseball game.

The developers of the Hardball series took a year off between Hardballs 5 and 6, and the first change is quite evident. Like other PC baseball games of late, Hardball 6 now features a true 3D graphics engine, complete with 3D graphics card support. The engine is quite impressive - not only are all of the Major League stadiums represented accurately in true 3D, but all of the players (for the most part) move fluidly and realistically. While no one would mistake them for real humans, it sure looks like the technology is coming close.

Gameplay is virtually unchanged from the previous Hardball games (even going back to the first). Pitches and swing selection is done through an easy menu system, which is accessed by simply pushing your joystick (or mouse or keypad) in a certain direction. A new pitching feature requires you to position a bulls-eye over where you want the pitch - as your pitcher tires, the bulls-eye moves around rapidly, and pitches sway from your selected target.

Keeping with tradition, you can play a full season in Hardball 6, complete with player trades, all-star games, and, of course, the World Series. Other gameplay options include home-run derby, as well as new features like "All-Time Team" and "Training Camp." Probably the best new feature is multi-player capability, which allows you to play games over the modem, network, or the Internet.

Of course, no game review would be complete without my list of caveats. While Hardball 6 is a really good baseball game, there still are a few problems. First, while the 3D animations are good, a few, (running in particular) are sort of machine like. Outfielders can turn around instantaneously, and can also make amazing catches, including impossible behind-the-back catches where the fielder has his back to the ball the whole time.

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