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STRAT-O-MATIC BASEBALL (PC version)
Developed by: Strat-O-Matic
Games (1999)
Genre: Text based baseball sim
System Requirements: Win
3.xx, 95/98, CD-ROM and 8 MB of Ram.
For those of you unfamiliar with sports boardgames (those you play on a tabletop like Monopoly), Strat-O-Matic has been producing some of the most accurate baseball, football, basketball and hockey games for over 30 years. Using actual player stats, Strat-O-Matic boardgames give fans a chance to manage their favorite teams: set line-ups and game strategies just like the real guys.
Strat-O-Matic, not to rest on its boardgame laurels, has been producing PC versions of these games for a few years. While a true stand-alone game, Strat-O-Matic PC games are designed to operate in conjunction with existing Strat-O-Matic boardgames by simulating die rolls and action card results. Yet as a stand-alone sim, is it just as fun- and accurate?
The PC baseball sim is, frankly, excellent. As far as a sim goes one will not find a more statistically accurate PC baseball sim (in my opinion), period. Anyone looking for arcade style play and 3D accelerated graphics are STRONGLY recommended to look elsewhere due to the fact that Strat-O-Matic PC Baseball is a TEXT game. No flashy graphics or gameplay here- just scrolling play-by-play text set in a still photo of your favorite ballpark. It's rather boring and bland in comparison to other baseball sims graphically. But graphics aren't this game's strength- the sheer depth and statistical accuracy is what sets Strat-O-Matic PC Baseball apart. Players can literally manage a ball club and for those of us who would rather "manage" than play arcade "home run derby" this sim is unrivaled! Besides, without all the fancy graphics, this game will run exceptionally well on low-end machines.
A player's game options are just as numerous as real life: hit and run, squeeze, straight steal, hit away, pitch around, pitch away, etc. It's all here. The game displays player attributes in Strat-O-Matic boardgame "code" which isn't that hard to understand. Besides, the game comes with a pretty comprehensive manual. The stats and rosters, like the boardgames, are end of the LAST season- so players who signed off-season free agent deals or were traded (Greg Vaughn and Randy Johnson come to mind) will be with their 1998 teams. However, one can easily create a new league and alter the rosters accordingly.
The one really cool aspect of Strat-O-Matic PC Baseball are the stat charts. With a glance players can actually gauge the performance of their baseball heroes in both color charts and percentages. What's the chance that Mark McGwire will homer off Kevin Brown? Well, you can find out.
For those of us into running fantasy leagues and
"statistical accuracy", there truly is no game that matches Strat-O-Matic PC
Baseball. If you want awesome graphics and tons of animated action, this is NOT for you.
For baseball purist and die-hard only- a clear "Top Pick" award winner in spite
of it's graphical shortcomings.
THE SCOUTING REPORT:
THE PROS:
THE CONS:
Review by Steve Ellis