The Bigs review

No matter which system it's played on, The Bigs is an interesting but flawed baseball game; the PS2 version just happens to be the one that leaves these flaws the most exposed. The irritating repetition and overall shallowness is less of an issue with the portable, quick-fix nature of the PSP, while the incredible visuals provide a worthwhile distraction on the next-gen versions. The PS2, lacking these attributes, leaves the gameplay to fend for itself. Unfortunately, it mostly comes up short.

The biggest offender is the fact that the game’s arcade style elements just don’t add very much. It starts with the Big Play feature, a points-based gauge that you build up through getting hits, catches, and just generally doing things right on the field. When it’s maxed out, you can hit an all but guaranteed home run as a batter – known as a “Power Blast,” which sounds suspiciously like a flavor of Gatorade – or collect an equally likely strikeout with a pitcher that’ll sap the other player’s Big Play meter.