MVP Baseball 2004
{{Short description|2004 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| image = MVP Baseball 2004 Xbox cover art.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = North American cover art featuring Albert Pujols.
| developer = EA Canada
| publisher = EA Sports
| director =
| producer = Brent Nielsen
| programmer = Dee Jay Randall
| artist = Ben Brinkman
Terry Coleman
Jon Dowd
Nathan McDonald
Alex Murdoch
| writer =
| composer =
| series = MVP Baseball
| platforms = Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Microsoft Windows
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|March 9, 2004{{cite web|last=Calvert|first=Justin|date=March 9, 2004|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-ships-mvp-baseball-2004/1100-6090963/|title=EA ships MVP Baseball 2004|website=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041223215801/http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/sports/mvpbaseball2004/news_6090963.html|archive-date=December 23, 2004|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2025}}}}
| genre = Sports (baseball)
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
}}
MVP Baseball 2004 is a baseball video game developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports for Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows in 2004. It is the second installment of the MVP Baseball series. Albert Pujols was the cover player for the game.
Gameplay
Building on MVP 2003{{'}}s surprisingly successful rookie effort, the 2004 edition made major refinements to both the game's control scheme and its dynasty mode. In a baseball gaming first, MVP 2004 was licensed by both the MLB and Minor League Baseball, featuring real minor-league teams at the Class AA & AAA levels.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| align = left
| NGC = true
| PC = true
| PS2 = true
| XBOX = true
| na = true
| MC_NGC = 89/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/mvp-baseball-2004/critic-reviews/?platform=gamecube|title=MVP Baseball 2004 critic reviews (GC)|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419214939/https://www.metacritic.com/game/gamecube/mvp-baseball-2004|archive-date=April 19, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=February 24, 2025}}
| CGM_NGC = B+{{cite magazine|title=Review: MVP Baseball 2004 (GC, PS2, Xbox)|magazine=Computer Games Magazine|publisher=theGlobe.com|issue=163|date=June 2004|page=11}}
| CGM_PC = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|title=Review: MVP Baseball 2004 (PC)|magazine=Computer Games Magazine|publisher=theGlobe.com|issue=164|date=July 2004|page=63}}
| CGW_PC = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Salvator|first=Dave|url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_239.pdf|title=MVP Baseball 2004|magazine=Computer Gaming World|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=239|date=June 2004|page=85|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213100430/https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_239.pdf|archive-date=February 13, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2025}}
| EGM_NGC = 8.33/10{{cite magazine|last1=Intihar|first1=Bryan|last2=Mauro|first2=Patrick|last3=Baker|first3=Chris|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/1/1a/EGM_US_177.pdf|title=MVP Baseball 2004|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=177|date=April 2004|page=117|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040427222401/http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,2053,1545917,00.asp|archive-date=April 27, 2004|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2025}}{{efn|Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the console versions each a score of 8.5/10, and the other gave them 8/10.}}
| GI_NGC = 9.25/10{{cite magazine|last=Reiner|first=Andrew|url=https://archive.org/details/game-informer-issue-132-april-2004/page/92/mode/2up|title=MVP Baseball 2004 (GC, PS2, Xbox)|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|issue=132|date=April 2004|page=93|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010182712/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/8ED63A91-2E2B-41F6-B695-EB87A67C03AE.htm|archive-date=October 10, 2008|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2025}}
| GameRev_NGC = A–{{cite web|last=Dodson|first=Joe|date=March 31, 2004|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33698-mvp-baseball-2004-review-2|title=MVP Baseball 2004 Review (GC, PS2, Xbox)|website=GameRevolution|publisher=CraveOnline|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929074553/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/mvp-baseball-2004|archive-date=September 29, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=February 26, 2025}}
| GSpy_NGC = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Steinberg|first=Steve|date=March 22, 2004|url=http://cube.gamespy.com/gamecube/mvp-baseball-2004/500744p1.html|title=GameSpy: MVP Baseball 2004 (GCN)|website=GameSpy|publisher=IGN Entertainment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051208103053/http://cube.gamespy.com/gamecube/mvp-baseball-2004/500744p1.html|archive-date=December 8, 2005|url-status=live|access-date=February 26, 2025}}
| IGN_NGC = 8.8/10{{cite web|last=Goldstein|first=Hilary|date=March 5, 2004|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/03/05/mvp-baseball-2004-2|title=MVP Baseball 2004 (GCN)|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225000200/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/03/05/mvp-baseball-2004-2|archive-date=February 25, 2025|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2025}}
| NP_NGC = 4.7/5{{cite magazine|title=MVP Baseball 2004|magazine=Nintendo Power|publisher=Nintendo of America|volume=179|date=May 2004|page=120}}
| OPM_PS2 = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Baker|first=Chris|url=https://archive.org/details/official-u.-s.-play-station-magazine-issue-80-may-2004/page/98/mode/2up|title=Play Ball!|magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=80|date=May 2004|pages=98–99|access-date=February 28, 2025}}
| OXM_XBOX = 9.1/10{{cite magazine|title=MVP Baseball 2004|magazine=Official Xbox Magazine|publisher=Future US|date=April 2004|page=76}}
| PCGUS_PC = 78%{{cite magazine|title=MVP Baseball 2004|magazine=PC Gamer|publisher=Future US|volume=11|issue=6|date=June 2004|page=76}}
| XPlay_NGC = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Marriott|first=Scott Alan|date=April 9, 2004|url=http://www.techtv.com/xplay/reviews/story/0%2C24330%2C3658306%2C00.html|title='MVP Baseball 2004' (GCN) Review|website=X-Play|publisher=TechTV|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040406152116/http://www.techtv.com/xplay/reviews/story/0,24330,3658306,00.html|archive-date=April 6, 2004|url-status=dead|access-date=February 25, 2025}}
| rev1 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev1_NGC = A–{{cite magazine|title=MVP Baseball 2004|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=Dotdash Meredith|issue=760|date=April 16, 2004|page=L2T 19}}
| rev2 = The Village Voice
| rev2_XBOX = 9/10{{cite news|last=Catucci|first=Nick|date=March 23, 2004|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/stats-bats-balls-and-falls-baseball-vid-gets-ya-to-home-base/|title=Stats, Bats, Balls, and Falls: Baseball Vid Gets Ya to Home Base|newspaper=The Village Voice|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040402000739/http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0413/joysticks.php|archive-date=April 2, 2004|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2025}}
}}
The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions received "universal acclaim", while the GameCube and Xbox versions received "generally favorable reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. GamePro said of the game, "It may not be the league-leader in every category, but excellent performances across the board make it the best baseball game of the year."{{cite magazine|author=Air Hendrix|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/a/ab/GamePro_US_188.pdf|title=MVP Baseball 2004 (GC, PS2 Xbox)|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG|issue=188D|date=May 2004|page=86|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126130035/https://retrocdn.net/images/a/ab/GamePro_US_188.pdf|archive-date=January 26, 2025|url-status=live|access-date=February 25, 2025}}{{efn|GamePro gave the console versions each a score of 5/5 for graphics, and two 4.5/5 scores for sound and control. The only difference in the fun factor category is that the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions each got 5/5, while the GameCube version got 4.5/5.}}
The game was named by GameSpot as the Best PlayStation 2 Game of March 2004 in Review,{{cite web|author=GameSpot staff|date=April 2, 2004|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamespots-month-in-review-for-march-2004/1100-6092765/|title=GameSpot's Month in Review for March 2004 [date mislabeled as "March 28, 2005"]|website=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040503022041/http://www.gamespot.com/features/6092765/p-5.html|archive-date=May 3, 2004|url-status=live|access-date=February 24, 2025}} and was nominated for the "Best Traditional Sports Game" award at the website's Best and Worst of 2004 Awards, which went to ESPN NFL 2K5.{{cite web|author=GameSpot staff|year=2004|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2004/day4f_19.html|title=Best and Worst of 2004 (Best Traditional Sports Game)|website=GameSpot|publisher=CNET|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041229051131/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2004/day4f_19.html|archive-date=December 29, 2004|url-status=dead|access-date=February 24, 2025}}
{{clear}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/12415/mvp-baseball-2004/}}
{{Baseball video games by Electronic Arts}}
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:MVP Baseball video games
Category:North America-exclusive video games
Category:Video games developed in Canada
Category:Long stubs with short prose
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