Little League World Series Baseball 2022 Announced - Trailer, Screenshots, Features Revealed

[Blzer]

This actually literally might be the worst representation of the sport I've ever seen, and I'm not even close to joking.

I don't mean the art or the QTE's or anything like that (though I can't tell what prompts those QTE's). I mean this game fails at the fundamental component of being a game or being anything close to baseball. I thought that when the CPU didn't tag up with a runner on third and then subsequently froze up with two outs that was going to be the worst of it, but hoo man did I not know all else that was going to be in store here.

Watching this game play makes me think of that "Everyone in this room is now dumber" monologue in Billy Madison.

[MJ200]

watching that gameplay.
wow does that look bad.
I admittedly watched youtube videos of the previous little league game in anticipation for this one. The older one looked pretty good.

First thing i noticed on this new one is they removed how you could see the flight of the ball after contact before switching to the fielding view. Which as a personal preference I have to have in a baseball game. Its something I wish super mega baseball had. The pro spirits game does this perfectly.

[inkcil]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

Here is some gameplay. Sounds like Karl Ravech is on the call. Jesus.

Jesus is Lord and King.

Btw the game looks good to me for the kids. Hope there is an option to mute the announcer and turn off powerups though. Sound of aluminum hitting the ball in a baseball videogame is sorely missed.

[Blzer]

Imagine a game where a ground ball is hit to your corner infielder, and instead of fielding the ball they go for their bag.

Oh, I'm sorry... you thought I was just talking about the first baseman? No, the third baseman as well... with nobody on.

Wait, I'm even sorrier... you thought I was talking just about the CPU? Nope, you yourself will see your corner infielder doing the same thing! You don't even get control of them until several feet after it passes the pitcher (from any angle).

They also won't come in for bunts, but that's not expected if they won't field a ground ball right at them either. It looks like the shortstop also runs directly in before running in the left/right direction the ball is hit.

The QTE thing is fine and I enjoy that aspect, but again I don't know what triggers it. No-doubt home runs are being brought back, balls out of reach are being snagged in the gap, and runners who have the base had are being thrown out (and subsequently tagged on a force play) during these moments. Some successful QTE button combinations didn't trigger an out either from what I saw. I also saw a home run power-up from a lefty batter that showed them righty in the cutscene, which is weird but doesn't break the game.

Fly balls/line drives at players' feet can't be caught, users have zero throw transition speed (good luck getting a double play), and correct me if I'm wrong but I never once saw the CPU advance an extra base on a ball in play... although I wouldn't doubt them because outfielders literally throw the ball 150 miles per hour!

I can't speak to hitting unless I play it for myself, but with the given camera and no target reticle it doesn't seem to have a friendly mechanic for making contact or judging balls/strikes by height. I can't tell what is happening on defense other than it looks like the game is fighting the user with controls in every which direction, from fielding to throwing.

To top this all off, as I said... the fact that the CPU didn't tag up on a fly ball with one out and then subsequently froze between bases in the next at-bat with two outs shows that all logic in this game flies right out the window from the jump.

This is a broken game, and a seemingly sore attempt at a baseball game. Saying that this game is for kids does not excuse the problems it has for qualifying as a playable title. I've never been so insulted at a product attempting to emulate this sport (actually, the opening to The Black Phone gets really close to it, but I don't know if I consider that to be a product).