BIGS Time
Hate baseball games? Excellent, then The BIGS was made for you.
Published: July 15, 2007
The premise is simple: the pitcher stands between a sea of cars and hurls pitches down your way. After a certain number, a curveball is added, then a change-up, then a slider. Your goal, then is simply to crank as many balls into the myriad stock tickers and neon signs that light up Times Square. For every 50,000 points, you'll pocket another ball, but initially if you whiff three times, you're done. Since all of the objects you can hit eventually respawn, it's just a matter of getting the timing of the incoming pitches right, aiming (which is done with a light lock-on, you just have to point the left analog stick in the right direction). Snagging the bonuses like the multi-ball that turns your one hit into three balls that have the potential to wreck three street lights or signs or cars at the same time just makes the game more addictive, and since there are really only two buttons to worry about (there are contact targets and power hit targets, and some only react to balls hit with that type of swing), the controls are simple enough that anyone can play.
Visually, the game is fairly impressive. Texture detail in uniforms and the lighting in Times Square is solid, and it's obvious that developer Blue Castle Games spent time recreating the faces with plenty of detail. Even a non-sports guy like me was able to spot people just by face alone, and I hardly ever watch, though I don't doubt that some purists will complain that while everyone has the juiced up look to fit with the over-the-top feel of the game, there aren't a whole lot of actual body styles; players are more or less plopped into one of four fitness levels with minor tweaks.
The audio, too, it great stuff. One of the few things I remembered from EA's turn at making baseball games back in the day was the sound design. The crack of the bat was pulled off beautifully, and given that most of the Blue Castle guys came from EA's baseball division, it's not surprising that The BIGS manages to duplicate that same "ohhhh" feeling when contact is made. There's some basic crowd chatter, and Damon Bruce's commentary is repetitive, but certainly solid, but it's really in the whoosh of incoming pitches and the crack of the bat and the slap of a ball hitting a glove that the game gets its aural personality, and it fits perfectly.
Bottom line, The BIGS is a game for people who hate baseball games. It's easy to understand, fun to play, offers a basic level of depth and is meant to be played in short spurts. All of these factors added up to one of the most addictive arcade experiences I've played in years, and while the PSP version is a little lacking due to a sloppier framerate and the axing of Home Run Pinball, the fact that the core experience is still there (and maybe even a little more pumped up; I got to slam into the catcher at home plate -- complete with mini-game where you have to mash the X button to build up steam -- way more often than I did on the PS3) means you can take it with you on the go.
If you're regularly turned off by sports games but have a passing interest in baseball (or, even if you're like me and flat-out hate the sport), The BIGS still has the good to make you a convert.
